Mark 8

Mark 8:1-9

In this chapter we have, 1. Christ’s miraculous feeling fear thousand with from leaves and a few small fillets, ver. 1—9. 2. His religion to give the Pharisees a sign from heaven, ver. 10—13. 3. His continuing his disciples to take heed of the leaves of Pharisaides and Harshanides, ver. 14—24. 4. His giving light to a blind man at Bethfaida, ver. 22—26. 5. Peter’s confession of him, ver. 27—30. 6. The notice to gave his disciples of his own approaching sufferings, ver. 31—33. and the warning he gave them to prepare for sufferings likewise, ver. 34—38.

1. “IN those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and faith unto them, 2. “I have compulsion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3. And if I lend 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, ‘From whence can a man satisfy their men with bread here in the wilderness? 5. And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. 6. 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. 7. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to let them also before them. 8. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left, seven baskets. 9. And they that had eaten were about four thousand; and he sent them away.

The compassions of Jesus now without ceasing towards the wretched and indigent. Vail multitudes followed him; and, so eager were the people to attend him, that neither did not hunger discouraged them. He therefore who graciously led their souls with his heavenly doctrine, here again is pleased by a miracle to feed their famished bodies. We have seen it recorded in nearly the same words, Mat. xv. 32. and may learn, (1.) To count nothing hard in the way of duty, whilst we are following Christ. (2.) To trust him with our bodies as well as souls, and verily we shall be fed. (3.) Not to be discouraged if we do not sometimes see any immediate prospect of relief under our difficulties: the Lord can open an unexpected door of deliverance for us.

10. ¶ And flraitway he entred into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha. 11. And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, ‘Seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. 12. And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and faith, ‘Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, ‘There shall no sign be given to this generation. 13. And he left them, and cutting into the ship again, departed to the other side. 14. ¶ Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. 15. And he charged them, saying, ‘Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. 16. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. 17. 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? 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. 21. And he said unto them, ‘How is it that ye do not understand?

Mark 8:10-21

Dalmanutha was a place not far from Magdala, Mat. xv. 39. thither our Lord bent his course.

1. The Pharisees there met him, and carishing as usual, demanded a sign from heaven, as if all his other miracles did not sufficiently prove his divine mission: not that they desired to be convinced, but sought a presence for these unfaithly. Therefore,

2. Christ refused to grant their request. Not that he could not work the miracle they sought, but because he knew the wickedness of their intentions in asking it; and therefore giving deeply, as grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he capacitates with them on the unreasonableness of their unfaithly, when such amazing signs had been given them for their conviction already; and denying their request, he abandons them to their ruin. Note, They who will not submit to the evidence of the scriptures, are justly given up to the blindness of their minds, and left to perish in their unfaith.

3. On this he took occasion, as they were crossing the lake, to caution his disciples against the leaves of the Pharisees and of Herod; which they, having forgotten to take scarce any bread with them, interpreted literally as a rebuk for their carelessness, and an admonition not to apply to the Pharisees for relief, or to eat of their bread. And whilst they were calling the blame of their negligence upon each other, Jesus, who perceived their folly and stupidity, sharply rebuked them for their uneasiness in this matter, as arguing great unfaith of his power, which they had seen so wonderfully and lately exerted, whereof he reminds them; and therefore it was strange they should be so tenetified, and their hearts yet hardened, as not to perceive, that he meant not his discourse concerning bread literally, which he could so easily supply, but of the doctrines of the Pharisees and Herod, which were to be shunned as dangerously pernicious. Note, (1.) It is amazing to think of the hardness of our hearts, that, after multiplied experience of God’s goodness, we are yet again so disgruntled to care the moment new difficulties arise. (2.) The more we know and understand what Christ is, and hath done for his people, the more will our hearts be engaged to trust him in every emergence.

4. ¶ And he cometh to Bethfaida, 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 upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. 24. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees walking. 25. After that he put his hands again 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, saying, Neither go into the town, ’nor tell it to any in the town.

Mark 8:22-26

This miracle is related by Mark alone, and is probably identical from the innumerable multitude of others, because some circumstances in it are singular.

1. The application was made to Jesus by this poor blind man’s friends, who led him to the Saviour, defining that he would touch him, persuaded that this would effectually work the cure. Note, In our prayers we should not cease to pray for poor blind souls, intreating the Lord to open the eyes of their mind.

2. He took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town, churing to heal him secretly, and perhaps in just judgment upon the place, where so many miracles had been wrought, and yet they continued in their infidelity.

3. He healed him; and this he did not by a word, but in an unusual manner, and gradually. He spat on his eyes, and asking what he saw, some glimmerings of light broke in upon him, and he behold men as trees making, his vision being yet indistinct and confused; but when Jesus had put his hands upon his eyes, and had him look up again, then he saw every object clearly. Thus often is he pleased to work in the heart: at first the light, like the dawning day, breaks upon the soul, and some glimmerings of spiritual things are perceived; of the danger and guilt of sin; the necessity of caring for the soul; the want of a Redeemer, &c. Afterwards our views enlarge; we gain deeper discoveries of our own corruption, and Christ’s all-sufficiency; till at last we come to the perfect day in glory, and know even as we are known.

4. He charges the man not to return to Bethfaida, nor acquaint any one there with his cure: their indignant impendence under the miracles they had seen rendered them unworthy of