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Texts -- Mark 8:1-35 (NET)

Context
The Feeding of the Four Thousand
8:1 In those days there was another large crowd with nothing to eat . So Jesus called his disciples and said to them , 8:2 “I have compassion on the crowd , because they have already been here with me three days , and they have nothing to eat . 8:3 If I send them home hungry , they will faint on the way , and some of them have come from a great distance .” 8:4 His disciples answered him , “Where can someone get enough bread in this desolate place to satisfy these people ?” 8:5 He asked them , “How many loaves do you have ?” They replied , “Seven .” 8:6 Then he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground . After he took the seven loaves and gave thanks , he broke them and began giving them to the disciples to serve . So they served the crowd . 8:7 They also had a few small fish . After giving thanks for these , he told them to serve these as well. 8:8 Everyone ate and was satisfied , and they picked up the broken pieces left over , seven baskets full. 8:9 There were about four thousand who ate. Then he dismissed them . 8:10 Immediately he got into a boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha .
The Demand for a Sign
8:11 Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus , asking for a sign from heaven to test him . 8:12 Sighing deeply in his spirit he said , “Why does this generation look for a sign ? I tell you the truth , no sign will be given to this generation .” 8:13 Then he left them , got back into the boat , and went to the other side .
The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod
8:14 Now they had forgotten to take bread , except for one loaf they had with them in the boat . 8:15 And Jesus ordered them , “Watch out ! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod !” 8:16 So they began to discuss with one another about having no bread . 8:17 When he learned of this, Jesus said to them , “Why are you arguing about having no bread ? Do you still not see or understand ? Have your hearts been hardened ? 8:18 Though you have eyes , don’t you see ? And though you have ears , can’t you hear ? Don’t you remember ? 8:19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand , how many baskets full of pieces did you pick up ?” They replied , “Twelve .” 8:20 “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand , how many baskets full of pieces did you pick up ?” They replied , “Seven .” 8:21 Then he said to them , “Do you still not understand ?”
A Two-stage Healing
8:22 Then they came to Bethsaida . They brought a blind man to Jesus and asked him to touch him . 8:23 He took the blind man by the hand and brought him outside of the village . Then he spit on his eyes , placed his hands on his eyes and asked , “Do you see anything ?” 8:24 Regaining his sight he said , “I see people , but they look like trees walking .” 8:25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again . And he opened his eyes , his sight was restored , and he saw everything clearly . 8:26 Jesus sent him home , saying , “Do not even go into the village .”
Peter’s Confession
8:27 Then Jesus and his disciples went to the villages of Caesarea Philippi . On the way he asked his disciples , “Who do people say that I am?” 8:28 They said , “John the Baptist , others say Elijah , and still others , one of the prophets .” 8:29 He asked them , “But who do you say that I am ?” Peter answered him , “You are the Christ .” 8:30 Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him .
First Prediction of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection
8:31 Then Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders , chief priests , and experts in the law , and be killed , and after three days rise again. 8:32 He spoke openly about this . So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him . 8:33 But after turning and looking at his disciples , he rebuked Peter and said , “Get behind me , Satan . You are not setting your mind on God’s interests , but on man’s .”
Following Jesus
8:34 Then Jesus called the crowd , along with his disciples , and said to them , “If anyone wants to become my follower , he must deny himself , take up his cross , and follow me . 8:35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it , but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel will save it .

Pericope

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Arts

Hymns

(Note: In "active" or "on" condition, the hymns music will be played automatically when mouse hover on a hymns title)
  • 'Ku Mengasihi Yesus, Tuhanku [KJ.305]
  • Asal Yesus Jua Tuhan Hidupku [KJ.380]
  • Berkatilah, ya Tuhan, Nikah Ini [KJ.316]
  • Hai Dunia, Lihat Tuhan [KJ.168a]
  • Hai Dunia, Lihat Tuhan [KJ.168b]
  • Hai Dunia, Lihat Tuhan [KJ.168c]
  • Haruskah Hanya Penebus [KJ.430]
  • Ikut Dikau Saja, Tuhan [KJ.376]
  • Inginkah Kau Ikut Tuhan [KJ.372]
  • Insan, Tangisi Dosamu [KJ.157]
  • Kristus Sudah Bangkit [KJ.196]
  • Lihat Salib di atas Bukit Golgota [KJ.182]
  • Pintu Satu-satunya [KJ.351]
  • Pujilah Sumber Hidupmu [KJ.314]
  • Saya Mau Ikut Yesus [KJ.375]
  • Sungguh Kerajaan Allah [KJ.247]
  • Yesus, Mesias Israel [KJ.159]
  • Yesus, Tuhan, Engkaulah Mesias [KJ.141]
  • Yesus, Tuhanku, Apakah Dosaku [KJ.167]
  • [Mar 8:34] Carry Your Cross With A Smile
  • [Mar 8:34] Cross Is Not Greater, The
  • [Mar 8:34] Cross Of My Redeemer, The
  • [Mar 8:34] For Man The Savior Shed
  • [Mar 8:34] Take Up Thy Cross (ackley)
  • [Mar 8:34] Where He Leads Me
  • [Mar 8:34] Where The Savior Leads
  • [Mar 8:34] Who Will Suffer With The Savior?

Questions

Sermon Illustrations

Who Is Jesus Christ?; General; Luke 17:32; Influences of Culture; Self Denial

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 12:1-2 The Lord came to Ezekiel with another message.190He told His servant that the people among whom he lived, the house of Israel, were rebellious against Him (cf. 2:3-8). Their blindness to the things that they saw and th...
  • 7:13 Daniel again saw something happening in heaven. One like a son of man was brought before the Ancient of Days. The angelic attendants in heaven's court probably ushered Him forward. This description glorifies the Ancient ...
  • 16:18 "I say to you"(cf. 5:18, 20, 22, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44; 8:10) may imply that Jesus would continue the revelation the Father had begun. However the phrase occurs elsewhere where that contrast is not in view. Undoubtedly it ...
  • Early tradition says Mark wrote in Italy5and in Rome.6This external testimony finds support in the internal evidence of the Gospel itself. Many indications in the text point to Mark's having written for Gentile readers origin...
  • These characteristics help us understand Mark's purpose for writing, which he did not state directly. Mark's purpose was not just to give his readers a biographical or historical account of Jesus' life. He had a more practica...
  • It is common today for scholars to hold Markan priority. This is the view that Mark wrote his Gospel first and the other Gospel evangelists wrote after he did. This view has become popular since the nineteenth century. Before...
  • I. Introduction 1:1-13A. The title of the book 1:1B. Jesus' preparation for ministry 1:2-131. The ministry of John the Baptist 1:2-82. The baptism of Jesus 1:9-113. The temptation of Jesus 1:12-13II. The Servant's early Galil...
  • Mark may have intended this sentence to introduce the ministry of John the Baptist since that is what follows immediately. It could also refer to the inception of Jesus' public ministry and therefore be a title of the Gospel'...
  • The writer pointed out that the ministry of Jesus' forerunner fulfilled prophecy. It made a significant impact on those whom John contacted. Then Mark recorded the essence of John's message.1:2-3 Mark began with a quotation f...
  • Mark next recorded two events that immediately preceded the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, His baptism and His temptation. The first of these events signaled His appearing as Messiah and His induction into that office. ...
  • Jesus' temptation by Satan was another event that prepared the divine Servant for His ministry. Mark's account is brief, and it stresses the great spiritual conflict that this temptation posed for Jesus. The writer omitted an...
  • Mark omitted Jesus' year of early Judean ministry (John 1:15-4:42), as did the other Synoptic evangelists. He began his account of Jesus' ministry of service in Galilee, northern Israel (1:14-6:6a). Because of increasing oppo...
  • 2:1-2 These two verses are an introduction to what follows. Mark frequently used summaries such as this one (cf. 1:14-15, 39; 2:13; 3:7-12, 23; 4:1, 33-34; 8:21-26, 31; 9:31; 10:1; 12:1). They are a mark of his literary style...
  • The following incident demonstrated Jesus' sovereign authority over the Sabbath. This is the last in this series of conflict accounts. It provides the climax in this section of Mark's narrative.3:1-2 This event happened on a ...
  • Many unique features of Mark's narrative indicate that it came from an eyewitness account, probably Peter. These include mention of "that day"(v. 35), "as He [Jesus] was"and the other boats (v. 36), the stern and the cushion ...
  • This is one of the sections of Mark's Gospel that has a chiastic structure (cf. 3:22-30; 6:14-29; 11:15-19).A The appeal of Jairus for his daughter 5:21-24B The healing of the woman with the hemorrhage 5:25-34A' The raising o...
  • Even though Jesus gave ample evidence that He was more than a mere man (4:35-5:43) those who knew Him best on the physical plane still refused to believe in Him (6:1-6a). This refusal led Jesus to turn increasingly from the m...
  • The increasing hostility of Israel's religious leaders and the rejection of the multitudes (3:7-6:6a) led Jesus to concentrate on training His disciples increasingly. This section of Mark's Gospel shows how Jesus did that. Wh...
  • This is another of Mark's "sandwich"or chiastic sections. The main event is Jesus' sending the Twelve on a preaching and healing mission that extended His own ministry. Within this story, between their departing and their ret...
  • Mark's account of this miracle plays an important role in his Gospel. The unusually long introduction provides the setting for this miracle. It stresses Jesus' humanity, and the miracle itself demonstrates His deity. Mark lat...
  • Jesus continued His response to the critics by focusing on the particular practice that they had objected to (v. 5). The question of what constituted defilement was very important. The Jews had wandered far from God's will in...
  • Mark was the only evangelist to record this miracle. He apparently included it in his Gospel because it is another instance of Jesus healing a Gentile. This particular miracle is also significant because it prefigured Jesus o...
  • The disciples had not yet understood the lessons that Jesus sought to teach them. Mark constructed his Gospel to show that in His discipleship training Jesus repeated lessons to train them. One writer noticed the following re...
  • This miracle repeated the lesson of the feeding of the 5,000 for the disciples who had not learned what they should have from the former miracle (vv. 17-21).1878:1-3 Jesus and His disciples were still in the Decapolis region ...
  • Matthew's account of this incident is fuller than Mark's. Probably Mark just summarized it here to parallel 7:1-23 and so advance his theme of discipleship training.8:11 Matthew noted that the Sadducees accompanied the Pharis...
  • This pericope parallels and recalls Jesus' teaching about bread when He cast the demon out of the Phoenician girl (7:24-30). In both cases leavened bread metaphorically represented teaching. The Gentile woman wanted Jesus' te...
  • Mark is the only evangelist who recorded this miracle. It corresponds to the healing of the deaf man with the speech impediment (7:31-36), the only other miracle that Mark alone recorded. This is the only miracle in Mark that...
  • The healing of the deaf man with the speech impediment resulted in a confession of Jesus' greatness that fell short of identifying Him as God (7:37). The healing of the blind man was the incident that God used to open the dis...
  • Having comprehended Jesus' true identity the disciples next turned south with Jesus and headed from Caesarea Philippi toward Jerusalem. This section of the Gospel traces that journey and stresses Jesus' preparation of His dis...
  • In this section, Mark recorded Jesus' first clear prediction of His passion (8:31), the disciples' reaction to it (8:32-33), and several lessons on discipleship (8:34-9:29)....
  • 8:31 Jesus' clear revelation of His coming suffering, death, and resurrection resulted from Peter's confession of faith. The disciples were now ready to receive what would have been completely incomprehensible if they still v...
  • Jesus now proceeded to explain to His disciples that suffering would not only be His destiny but theirs too.8:34 Jesus addressed the crowds as well as the disciples because the requirements are the same for anyone who contemp...
  • This event not only fulfilled Jesus' prediction in verse 1, but it also confirmed what Peter had confessed in 8:29. Despite Jesus' coming death (8:31-32) it assured His disciples of eventual glory (8:38). Jesus had just finis...
  • The appearance of Elijah on the mountain led to a discussion of his role as Messiah's forerunner. This conversation developed as the disciples followed Jesus down the mountain.9:9 Jesus again commanded secrecy (cf. 1:34, 43-4...
  • For a second time, Jesus told His disciples of His coming death and resurrection (cf. 8:31). Again they failed to understand what He meant (cf. 8:32-33). Jesus responded by teaching them additional lessons on discipleship (cf...
  • The simple trust in Jesus that the children in this pericope demonstrated contrasts with the hostility of the Pharisees in the previous paragraph.10:13-14 Mark's account of this incident is very similar to Matthew's. However,...
  • Jesus used the incident just past to teach His disciples about riches. Matthew's account is the fullest.10:23 The case of this unbeliever had important significance for Jesus' believing disciples. Rather than being a preview ...
  • This is the last time Jesus told His disciples that He was going to die and rise again as He approached Jerusalem. Each time Jesus gave them more information than He had given before. The first time the disciples reacted viol...
  • 10:32 Jesus and His disciples were travelling to Jerusalem from somewhere in Perea or Judea. They had not yet passed through Jericho (vv. 46-52). Jesus' position in front of them, in typical rabbinic fashion, suggests His det...
  • Mark probably included this incident in his Gospel because it illustrates how Jesus would open the spiritual eyes of His disciples that were still shut (cf. 8:22-26). This is the last healing miracle that Mark recorded."This ...
  • Several themes peak in this section. Here we have the clearest evidence that Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God (cf. 1:1; 8:29). Here, too, Jesus' conflict with the religious leaders, His foes, came to a head (cf. 3:1, ...
  • Matthew and Mark's accounts of this event are similar, but Paul's is more like Luke's.14:22 The bread Jesus ate would have been the unleavened bread that the Jews used in the Passover meal. The blessing Jesus pronounced was a...
  • 14:53 The high priest in view here was Caiaphas. Interestingly Mark never mentioned him by name. He was the high priest that the Romans had appointed in 18 A.D., and he served in this capacity until 36 A.D.This was an unoffic...
  • This event happened below in the courtyard while the hearing just described continued on the floor above. These verses resume what Mark introduced in verse 54. The events were contemporaneous with Jesus' examination by the Sa...
  • 15:21 Probably only Mark mentioned Simon's sons because the Christians in Rome knew them or knew of them (cf. Rom. 16:13). Evidently Simon became a believer in Jesus. Mark mentioned very few people by name other than the Twel...
  • Mark's account of Jesus' death included five climactic events: the darkness, two of Jesus' cries, the tearing of the temple veil, and the Roman centurion's confession. All of these events happened during the last three of the...
  • Adams, J. McKee. Biblical Backgrounds. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1965.Alexander, Joseph Addison. The Gospel According to Mark. 1881. Reprint ed. London: Banner of Truth, 1960.Alexander, William M. Demonic Possession in the N...
  • Luke omitted several incidents here that the other evangelists included (Matt. 14:22-16:12; Mark 6:45-8:26; John 6:16-66). By doing so, he tied the questions of Herod and the multitude about Jesus' identity with Peter's answe...
  • Luke omitted Jesus' prediction of the church (Matt. 16:17-19), Peter's rebuke of Jesus (Matt. 16:22; Mark 8:32), and Jesus' counter-rebuke of Peter (Matt. 16:23; Mark 8:33). These omissions enabled him to stress Jesus' predic...
  • In contrast to the humble attitude of Jesus demonstrated in His willingness to submit to betrayal and death in God's will, the disciples manifested pride. They had their own ideas about the coming kingdom, and they wanted to ...
  • Jesus used His condemnation of the Pharisees' hypocrisy as an occasion to warn His disciples against being hypocritical. The context of this teaching in Matthew's Gospel is Jesus' instruction of the Twelve before He sent them...
  • The writer now turned his attention from John the Baptist's witness to Jesus to record the reactions of some men to Jesus' witness. Two of John the Baptist's disciples left him to follow Jesus when they heard John's testimony...
  • The Synoptics record Jesus' cleansing of the temple after His triumphal entry (Matt. 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-16; Luke 19:45-46). Only John noted this cleansing of the temple at the beginning of Jesus' ministry. The differences b...
  • 6:66 Jesus lost many of His followers because of the Bread of Life discourse (cf. v. 60). His explanation to them following the discourse did not change their minds. He had made no concessions. They had understood Him correct...
  • This chapter continues the theme of Jesus as the Light of the World (8:12; 9:5). When the Light shone, some received spiritual sight, as this blind man received physical and spiritual sight. However the Light blinded others (...
  • The exact time of this miracle and Jesus' resultant discourse is unclear. Evidently these events transpired sometime between the feast of Tabernacles (7:2, 10; September 10-17, 32 A.D.) and the feast of Dedication (10:22-39; ...
  • In this pericope John stressed Jesus' deliberate purpose in allowing Lazarus to die and the reality of his death.11:1-2 "Lazarus"probably is a variant of "Eleazar"meaning "God helps."379The Synoptic writers did not mention hi...
  • 14:5 Thomas voiced the disciples' continuing confusion about Jesus' destination. Apparently the "Father's house"did not clearly identify heaven to them. Without a clear understanding of the final destination they could not be...
  • "This paragraph is crucial not only to the present argument (1:10-4:21) but to the entire letter as well. Indeed, it is one of the truly great moments in the apostle Paul. Here he argues, with OT support, that what God had al...
  • Paul argued for the man's removal from the church with this analogy. It was primarily for the sake of the church that they should remove him, not for the man's sake.5:6 It was not good for the Corinthians to feel proud of the...
  • In this pericope Paul reminded Timothy of the apostasy that Jesus Christ had foretold to equip him to identify and to deal with it.143"The change that occurs at 4:1 following the hymn of victory, then, is not unexpected. Oppo...
  • "The comparison between Christ and Moses leads to one between their followers. The writer uses the conduct of the Israelites as a means of challenging his readers to a closer walk with God."109The writer next reminded his rea...
  • Having explored the concept of Jesus as a faithfulhigh priest (3:1-4:14), the writer proceeded next to develop the idea that Jesus is a mercifulhigh priest in the service of God (cf. 2:17). A high priest must be faithful to G...
  • The writer pointed out the consequences of not pressing on to maturity to motivate his readers to pursue spiritual growth diligently.Christians have interpreted this passage in many different ways. Some believe that those who...
  • The Arminian interpretation of this verse (view one above) is as follows. If a person claims to be a Christian but gives no evidence of true faith by the way he lives, he may never have been saved or he may no longer be saved...
  • "The main thread of Peter's rhetoric [in this pericope] can . . . be expressed in one sentence: Then you will rejoice with inexpressible and glorious delight, when you each receive the outcome of your faith, your final salvat...
  • 20:1 The first word, "And,"supports the idea of chronological sequence. It implies a continuation from what John just revealed (cf. 19:11, 17, 19; 20:4, 11, 12; 21:1, 2, 22). Amillennial interpreters disagree."John says nothi...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Mark 1-9
  • Jesus put forth His hand, and touched him.'--Mark 1:41.BEHOLD the servant of the Lord' might be the motto of this Gospel, and He went about doing good and healing' the summing up of its facts. We have in it comparatively few ...
  • And He looked round about to see her that had done this thing.'--Mark 5:32.THIS Gospel of Mark is full of little touches that speak an eye-witness who had the gift of noting and reproducing vividly small details which make a ...
  • There are three instances of this class. The first is when He looked round on His disciples and said,' Behold My mother and My brethren!' (Mark 3:34). Perhaps no moment in all Christ's life had more of humiliation in it than ...
  • And when Jesus knew it, He saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? 18. Having eyes, see ye not? having ears, hear ye not? and do ye n...
  • Do ye not remember?'--Mark 8:18.THE disciples had misunderstood our Lord's warning against the leaven of the Pharisees,' which they supposed to have been occasioned by their neglect to bring with them bread. Their blunder was...
  • And Jesus cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto Him, and besought Him to touch him. 23. And 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 up...
  • Asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? 28 And they answered, John the Baptist: but some [say], Elias; and others, One of the prophets. 29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter...
  • Christ's followers must follow, but men can choose whether they will be His followers or not. So the must' is changed into let him,' and the if any man will' is put in the forefront. The conditions are fixed, but the choice a...
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