The Gospel According to Saint Mark
Mark 8
Chapter VIII · Vol. IV, pp. 124–126
1 Christ feedeth the people miraculously: 10 refuseth to give a sign to the Pharisees: 14 admonisheth his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod: 22 giveth a blind man his sight: 27 acknowledgeth that he is the Christ, who should suffer and rise again: 34 and exhorteth to patience in persecution for the profession of the gospel.
1 In those days athe multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,
a Mat.15.32-39.
2 bI have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing1 to eat:
3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.
4 And his disciples answered him, cFrom whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?
c Mat.15.33. 2 Ki.4.42,43;7.2. Nu.11.21,22. ch.6.36,37,52. Jn.6.7-9.
6 And he commanded the people eto sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and ggave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.
e ch.6.39,40. 1 Co.14.33,40. 1 Ki.10.5. Ps.46.10. Phi.4.19.
g ch.6.41;14.22. Ro.14.6. 1 Sa.9.15. De.8.10. 1 Ti.4.4,5. Mat.26.26;24.45.
7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed,h and commanded to set them also before them.
8 Soi they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.
h Mat.14.19.
i Ps.37.16;23.1;68.10;107.5,6;145.16. Pr.13.25. ver.19,20. Mat.15.37,38;16.10. 1 Ki.17.14-16. 2 Ki.4.2-7,42-44.
9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.
10 Andj straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.2
2 Matthew says (15.39), 'into the coasts of Magdala.' Dalmanutha is not elsewhere mentioned; but it was probably some obscure village on the shore of the lake near Magdala.—P.
j Mat.15.39.
11 Andk the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.
A.M. cir. 4036. A.D. cir. 32.
k Mat.16.1-4;12.38;22.23,24. Ac.5.17,34;23.6-8. Jn.7.48. Lu.12.54-57;11.16. Mat.12.38;19.3;22.18. 1 Co.1.22. Jn.4.48;6.30.
12 And he lsighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? nVerily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.
l ch.3.5;9.19.
14 Nowp the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.
p Mat.16.5-12. Ps.37.16.
15 And he charged them, saying, qTake heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.3
q Pr.19.27. Mat.16.6. Lu.12.1. Ex.12.20. Le.2.11. 1 Co.5.6-8. ch.12.13. Mat.xxiii.
3 And of Herod. Matthew says 'of the Sadducees;' whence it is evident our Lord spake both of the Sadducees and of Herod, either because Herod was a Sadducee, or the Sadducees were the political friends of Herod. Matthew, who wrote for the Jews, mentions the Sadducees. Mark, who wrote for the Romans, mentions Herod, with whom they were historically acquainted.—C.
17 And when Jesus sknew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? tperceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?
s Mat.9.4;12.15,25. ch.2.8. Je.17.10. Jn.2.24,25. He.4.12,13. Re.2.23. Ps.139.1-4.
t De.29.4. Ps.69.23;94.8. Is.6.9,10;42.18-20;44.18;63.17. ch.3.5;16.14;6.52;9.19. 2 Pe.1.12.
18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?
19 When uI brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.
u ch.6.34-44. Mat.14.17-21. Lu.9.12-17. Jn.6.2-13.
20 And vwhen the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.
v ver.1-9. Mat.15.34-38. Pr.11.24,25.
21 And he said unto them, xHow is it that ye do not understand?
x Mat.16.11,12. He.5.12. Ps.94.8. 1 Co.3.2. Jn.14.9.
22 And he cometh to yBethsaida;4 and they zbring a blind man5 unto him, and besought him to touch him.
4 Our Lord had embarked at, or near, Dalmanutha, and proceeded to the 'other side' of the sea, i.e. to the eastern or rather north-eastern side. The Bethsaida here mentioned must therefore be the town sometimes called Julias, which was situated on the east bank of the Jordan, about two miles above the lake.—P.
z ch.2.3;5.28,29;6.56. Is.35.5,6. Mat.11.5.
5 This miracle is recorded by Mark alone—a clear internal proof that he is not a mere epitomiser of Matthew.—C.
23 Anda he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.6
a ch.7.32,33. 1 Ki.17.19. 2 Ki.4.33. Is.42.2,6,7. Jn.5.41;7.18;9.6. Re.3.18.
6 This is the only example of a progressive miracle—all others wrought by our Lord, not excepting that at Siloam (Jn. 9.6, 7), were instantaneous. But the miracle, it is evident from ver.26, our Lord did not intend for the public, but for the man himself; therefore this progressive process is adopted the more to arrest his attention.—C.
24 And he looked up, and said, I bsee men as trees, walking.7
* As the former miracle (ch. 7.32) seems to have been wrought upon a man who was not born, but had become, deaf and dumb—so this seems to be wrought on a man who was not born blind, but had become so, probably early in life, by ophthalmia. This seems plain from his capacity of distinguishing between men and trees, which he could not have done had he been born totally blind.—Note, Both miracles are intended to exemplify the restorations, and the latter the gradual progress to spiritual vision, frequently exemplified in the children of God.—C.
7 See note * in first column.
b Ju.9.36. Is.29.18. 1 Co.13.11,12. Pr.4.18. Job 17.9.
25 After that he put his hands cagain upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
26 And he sent him away to his house,c saying, dNeither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.
A.M. cir. 4036. A.D. cir. 32.
8 As our Lord sent him to his house, yet prohibited him from going into the village, Bethsaida, it is evident the man was not of that town, and therefore he will not allow him to expend his evidence where he was not known, but to go to his house, where, from the knowledge of his character, every word would tell upon the people.—C.
d Mat.9.30;12.16;16.20;17.9;8.4. ch.7.36. Is.42.2. Jn.5.41;7.18.
27 Ande Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Cæsarea Philippi:9 and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?
9 Cæsarea Philippi stood on the southern slope of Hermon, beside the upper fountain of the Jordan. See note on Mat. 16. 13. In going to it our Lord most probably travelled along the east bank of the Jordan, through the rich and beautiful scenery of western Bashan.—P.
28 And they answered, gJohn the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.1
g Mat.14.2. ch.6.14. Mal.4.5. Lu.9.7-9,19.
1 i.e. risen from the dead, Lu.9.8,19.
29 And he saith unto them, But hwhom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, iThou art the Christ.2
h ch.4.11. Jn.14.9.
i Jn.1.41-49;6.69;11.27;4.42. 1 Jn.4.15;5.1,5. Ac.8.37;9.20.
2 The omission here of all the favourable circumstances mentioned by Matthew gives strong corroboration to the opinion that Mark wrote under the immediate eye of Peter; who, so far from allowing his own praise to be celebrated, is at pains, as it were, to suppress whatever might seem intended for his personal honour. And intended as his Gospel was for Roman converts, the omission ministers a providential rebuke to the system of despotism in this world, and of assumed power in the world to come, which the Papal power has attempted to establish and maintain by a false interpretation of our Lord's reply to Peter.—C.
30 And jhe charged them that they should tell no man of him.
j ch.9.9;ver.26;ch.7.36. Lu.9.21,22. 1 Co.2.8.
31 Andk he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32 And he spake that saying lopenly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
l Jn.16.25,29;2.19;3.14;6.51.
33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, nhe rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou osavourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, pWhosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
35 Forq whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Notes
**Reflections.—**In following Christ, let me count nothing too hard. Let me trust him with my body as well as my soul: and bread shall be given me, my water shall be sure. Never let my unbelief arise, or hesitate at difficulties, as if they were too great for Christ to surmount. And let me never misinterpret his words or providence, nor ever forget his former mighty works. It is highly absurd to reject the most plain and proper evidences which he gives of his dignified character, and insist to be gratified with others, far less useful, merely because they are of our own contriving. Yea, infidelity and impenitent hardness of heart will work the most fearful ruin for those who indulge them. And Jesus will perform no miracles to gratify men's humours; but will abandon those who insist upon them to the heavy judgments which they deserve. But great is his readiness to bear with, help, heal, and save them who, sensible of their wants and maladies, apply to him for relief; and in an instant, or more gradually,—in public or private, as best promotes his glory and their good,—kindly will he bestow it. What mean thoughts men have of Christ! and what carnal views have some real saints of the real glories of his office and work! And never doth Satan more readily cast the saints down than after some signal token of Jesus' regard. Nothing doth Jesus more detest than low thoughts of his sufferings and death; and in nothing does he manifest more true love than in administering sharp rebukes. If we expect glory with him, we must now take up our cross and follow him: for if we be ashamed of him now, we must not expect to be honoured by him in the last judgment. And if in forsaking him we court worldly profits, pleasures, or honours, we shall fall into everlasting perdition. In death or judgment it will little avail us what our external circumstances in life were. And surely our great concern ought to be what shall become of our immortal souls in the eternal state.