Mark 8

King James Version

Full text for Mark Chapter 8

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

2‹I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing 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.›

4And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these [men] with bread here in the wilderness?

5And he asked them, ‹How many loaves have ye?› And they said, Seven.

6And 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.

7And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before [them].

8So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken [meat] that was left seven baskets.

9And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

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

11And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.

12And 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.›

13And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.

14Now [the disciples] had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.

15And he charged them, saying, ‹Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and [of] the leaven of Herod.›

16And they reasoned among themselves, saying, [It is] because we have no bread.

17And 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? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?›

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

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

21And he said unto them, ‹How is it that ye do not understand?›

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

23And 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.

24And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.

25After that he put [his] hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

26And he sent him away to his house, saying, ‹Neither go into the town, nor tell [it] to any in the town.›

27¶ 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?›

28And they answered, John the Baptist: but some [say], Elias; and others, One of the prophets.

29And he saith unto them, ‹But whom say ye that I am?› And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.

30And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.

31And 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.

32And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

33But 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.›

34And 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.›

35‹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.›

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

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

38‹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.›

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Jesus miraculously feeds four thousand people with seven loaves and a few fishes, demonstrating his compassion. He then warns his disciples against the "leaven" of the Pharisees and Herod, rebuking their lack of understanding. After healing a blind man in stages, Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ, but Jesus immediately teaches of his coming suffering and the necessity of self-denial for true discipleship.

Medium Summary

The chapter opens with Jesus feeding a great multitude of four thousand with seven loaves and a few small fishes, leaving seven baskets of fragments, after which he departs. Pharisees then demand a sign from heaven, which Jesus refuses, lamenting their spiritual blindness. Later, Jesus warns his disciples to beware of the "leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod," prompting their misunderstanding about bread, for which Jesus gently rebukes their hardened hearts and lack of perception, reminding them of his previous miracles. He then heals a blind man in Bethsaida in a two-stage process, restoring his sight fully. Finally, in Caesarea Philippi, Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ, but Jesus immediately reveals his impending suffering, death, and resurrection, and calls all who would follow him to deny themselves, take up their cross, and lose their life for the gospel's sake.

Long Summary

Mark chapter 8 begins with Jesus demonstrating compassion by miraculously feeding a multitude of four thousand people who had been with him for three days and had nothing to eat. With only seven loaves and a few small fishes, he gave thanks, broke the food, and distributed it through his disciples, satisfying everyone and leaving seven baskets of fragments. Subsequently, Jesus and his disciples sailed to Dalmanutha, where the Pharisees confronted him, demanding a sign from heaven to test him. Jesus sighed deeply, refusing to give any sign to that generation, and departed. As they crossed the sea, the disciples realized they had forgotten bread, having only one loaf. Jesus then charged them to "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod," which they misunderstood as a literal concern about bread. Jesus rebuked their lack of understanding and hardened hearts, reminding them of the previous two miraculous feedings and the abundance of fragments collected, questioning why they still did not perceive. Upon arriving at Bethsaida, a blind man was brought to Jesus for healing. Jesus led him out of the town, spit on his eyes, and laid hands on him, asking if he saw anything. The man initially saw men "as trees, walking," indicating partial restoration. Jesus then laid his hands on the man's eyes again, and his sight was fully restored, seeing every man clearly. Jesus sent him home with a command not to enter the town or tell anyone there. Later, in the towns of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples, "Whom do men say that I am?" They reported various popular opinions, such as John the Baptist, Elias, or one of the prophets. Jesus then directly asked them, "But whom say ye that I am?" to which Peter boldly confessed, "Thou art the Christ." Jesus strictly charged them not to tell anyone this. Following this pivotal confession, Jesus began to teach openly about the Son of man's necessity to suffer many things, be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and after three days, rise again. When Peter rebuked him for this teaching, Jesus turned and sharply rebuked Peter, calling him "Satan" for focusing on human desires rather than divine will. Finally, Jesus called the people and his disciples to him, teaching that true discipleship requires self-denial, taking up one's cross, and losing one's life for his sake and the gospel's, emphasizing that gaining the whole world profits nothing if one loses their soul, and warning against being ashamed of him in a sinful generation.

Core Concepts

  • Miraculous ProvisionJesus demonstrates divine power and compassion by feeding four thousand people with minimal resources, leaving an abundance of fragments, highlighting his ability to provide for physical needs.
  • Spiritual BlindnessThe Pharisees' demand for a sign and the disciples' inability to understand Jesus' warning about leaven illustrate a profound lack of spiritual perception and understanding, despite witnessing miracles.
  • The Leaven of Pharisees and HerodThis metaphor represents the corrupting influence of religious hypocrisy (Pharisees) and worldly ambition or political expediency (Herod), which Jesus warns his disciples to actively avoid.
  • Progressive HealingThe healing of the blind man at Bethsaida occurs in two distinct stages, symbolizing a gradual process of spiritual understanding or the need for persistent divine intervention.
  • Peter's Confession of ChristPeter's declaration, "Thou art the Christ," marks a pivotal moment where a disciple articulates Jesus' true identity as the Messiah, though its full implications are yet to be understood.
  • The Necessity of SufferingJesus explicitly teaches that the Son of man must suffer, be rejected, killed, and rise again, revealing the divine plan for his redemptive work contrary to popular messianic expectations.
  • Cost of DiscipleshipJesus outlines the demanding requirements for following him: denying oneself, taking up one's cross, and being willing to lose one's life for his sake and the gospel's, valuing the soul above all worldly gain.