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Mark 8

In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,

I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:

And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.

And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?

And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.

And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.

And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.

So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.

And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.

And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.

And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.

And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.

Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.

And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.

And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.

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?

Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.

And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.

And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?

And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.

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 upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.

And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.

After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.

And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?

And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.

And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.

And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.

And 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.

And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

For 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.

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

What does Mark 8:21 mean?

Explanation

Mark 8:21 contains a rhetorical question posed by Jesus to His disciples.

This question, "How is it that ye do not understand?", is directed at the disciples following a conversation about the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod, and after Jesus had just performed the miracle of feeding the four thousand with seven loaves of bread.

The disciples were discussing their lack of physical bread, and Jesus cautioned them about the metaphorical "leaven" of the Pharisees and Herod.

Jesus was expressing frustration and perhaps even disappointment at His disciples' inability to comprehend the deeper spiritual meaning behind His words and actions , that Jesus' ministry was not about material supplies but about spiritual enlightenment and the teachings of the kingdom of God.

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Historical Context

The passage is set during Jesus' ministry in the region of Galilee around the first century.

During that period, bread was a staple in the daily diet, and leaven, which was used to make bread rise, was a common household item.

Baking and bread-making were part of daily life, making Jesus’ use of bread and leaven as metaphors easily relatable to His audience.

Leaven, due to its nature of slowly pervading the dough and changing its composition, was sometimes used in Jewish thought as a symbol for influence, whether for good or evil.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this passage touches upon the theme of spiritual blindness and misunderstanding.

Despite witnessing Jesus' miracles and teachings, the disciples often failed to understand the full scope of His mission and message.

One insight is that spiritual understanding is not automatically granted by physical proximity to or observation of Jesus; rather, it requires faith and openness to divine enlightenment.

Practical Applications

This verse can encourage individuals to seek deeper understanding and reflection on spiritual matters rather than focusing only on the superficial or literal meaning of events and teachings.

It reminds believers that even if one has been a follower of Christ for some time, there is always more to learn and understand about faith and that one must remain vigilant against complacency in one’s spiritual journey.

Cross-References

Matthew 16:9 - "Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?"
Luke 12:1 - "...Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy."
1 Corinthians 2:14 - "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

Language Study

In the Greek text, the term "ου νοεῖτε" (ou noeite) is used, which translates as "do not understand." "Noeite" comes from "νοέω" (noeō), which means to comprehend, perceive, think, or understand.

It indicates the use of the mind to grasp the truth.

This shows that Jesus was speaking about intellectual and spiritual comprehension, not just seeing or hearing.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In many ancient religious traditions, metaphors and parables are used to convey deeper spiritual truths.

Comparing the leaven metaphor in this verse to other cultures, for instance, we find that ancient Egyptian religious texts and Greek myths often employed everyday objects to illustrate moral and spiritual lessons, though the specifics of those lessons would be framed within each culture's unique pantheon and belief system.

Scientific Perspectives

While this verse does not directly intersect with science, it implicitly touches on the understanding of perception and cognition.

Modern psychological studies have shown that people often have cognitive biases that affect their judgment and perception, which would resonate with the scriptural notion that humans can be spiritually unaware or "blind" to deeper truths.

Commentaries

Prominent Bible commentators have different takes on this verse, with many agreeing that Jesus is expressing a concern about His disciples' failure to understand the spiritual significance behind His miracles and teachings:

Matthew Henry's commentary emphasizes how Jesus admonishes the disciples for their lack of faith and understanding despite the miracles they witnessed, suggesting they were too concerned with worldly matters.
John Calvin's commentary stresses that the warning against the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod is a lesson in spiritual vigilance and the necessity of discerning truth from deceptive appearances.
The MacArthur Study Bible notes that Jesus used this question not only as a rebuke but also as a teaching moment to deepen the disciples' faith and understanding.

Mark 8

Mark 8

What does Mark 8:21 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 8:21 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?