The Gospel According to St. Mark

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- Chapter 8 -

(2 Kings 4:42–44; Matthew 15:29–39)

In those days, again, when there was a great crowd, and they did not have anything to eat, calling together his disciples, he said to them:

“I have compassion for the multitude, because, behold, they have persevered with me now for three days, and they do not have anything to eat.

And if I were to send them away fasting to their home, they might faint on the way.” For some of them came from far away.

And his disciples answered him, “From where would anyone be able to obtain enough bread for them in the wilderness?”

And he questioned them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.”

And he instructed the crowd to sit down to eat on the ground. And taking the seven loaves, giving thanks, he broke and gave it to his disciples in order to place before them. And they placed these before the crowd.

And they had a few small fish. And he blessed them, and he ordered them to be placed before them.

And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up what had been leftover from the fragments: seven baskets.

And those who ate were about four thousand. And he dismissed them.

And promptly climbing into a boat with his disciples, he went into the parts of Dalmanutha.

The Demand for a Sign

(Matthew 16:1–4; Luke 12:54–56)

And the Pharisees went out and began to contend with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, testing him.

And sighing deeply in spirit, he said: “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, if only a sign will be given to this generation!”(a)

And sending them away, he climbed into the boat again, and he went away across the sea.

The Leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod

(Matthew 16:5–12; Luke 12:1–3)

And they forgot to take bread. And they did not have any with them in the boat, except one loaf.

And he instructed them, saying: “Consider and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the leaven of Herod.”

And they discussed this with one another, saying, “For we have no bread.”

And Jesus, knowing this, said to them: “Why do you consider that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet know or understand? Do you still have blindness in your heart?

Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? Do you not remember,

when I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments you took up?” They said to him, “Twelve.”

“And when the seven loaves were among the four thousand, how many baskets of fragments did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.”(b)

And he said to them, “How is it that you do not yet understand?”

The Blind Man at Bethsaida

And they went to Bethsaida. And they brought a blind man to him. And they petitioned him, so that he would touch him.

And taking the blind man by the hand, he led him beyond the village. And putting spit on his eyes, laying his hands on him, he asked him if he could see anything.

And looking up, he said, “I see men but they are like walking trees.”

Next he placed his hands again over his eyes, and he began to see. And he was restored, so that he could see everything clearly.

And he sent him to his house, saying, “Go into your own house, and if you enter into the town, tell no one.”

Peter’s Confession of Christ

(Matthew 16:13–20; Luke 9:18–20; John 6:67–71)

And Jesus departed with his disciples into the towns of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way, he questioned his disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?”

And they answered him by saying: “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others perhaps one of the prophets.”

Then he said to them, “Yet truly, who do you say that I am?” Peter responded by saying to him, “You are the Christ.”

And he admonished them, not to tell anyone about him.

Christ’s Passion Foretold

(Matthew 16:21–23; Luke 9:21–22)

And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and by the high priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

And he spoke the word openly. And Peter, taking him aside, began to correct him.

And turning away and looking at his disciples, he admonished Peter, saying, “Get behind me, Satan, for you do not prefer the things that are of God, but the things that are of men.”

Take Up Your Cross

(Matthew 16:24–28; Luke 9:23–27)

And calling together the crowd with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone chooses to follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

For whoever will have chosen to save his life, will lose it. But whoever will have lost his life, for my sake and for the Gospel, shall save it.

For how does it benefit a man, if he gains the whole world, and yet causes harm to his soul?(c)

Or, what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

For whoever has been ashamed of me and of my words, among this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man also will be ashamed of him, when he will arrive in the glory of his Father, with the holy Angels.”

And he said to them, “Amen I say to you, that there are some among those standing here who shall not taste death until they see the kingdom of God arriving in power.”

Footnotes

(a)8:12 Many people have questioned why Mark says that no sign will be given, but Matthew says that a sign will be given. But in the Latin, it is not saying exactly that no sign will be given, but something less definitive and more akin to Matthew’s ‘no sign except’ phrasing.(Conte)

(b)8:20 There is an interesting difference here, between the two events: one uses ‘cophinos’ to describe the containers, and the other uses ‘sportas.’ This difference points to a difference in the event, in the spiritual meaning of the event, but I do not know what it is.(Conte)

(c)8:36 This verse, in Latin, does not say ‘if he loses his soul,’ but clearly says instead, ‘if he causes harm to his soul.’(Conte)

(2 Kings 4:42–44; Matthew 15:29–39)

In those days, when there was a very great multitude, and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to himself and said to them,

“I have compassion on the multitude, because they have stayed with me now three days and have nothing to eat.

If I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way, for some of them have come a long way.”

His disciples answered him, “From where could one satisfy these people with bread here in a deserted place?”

He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.”

He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves. Having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to serve, and they served the multitude.

They also had a few small fish. Having blessed them, he said to serve these also.

They ate and were filled. They took up seven baskets of broken pieces that were left over.

Those who had eaten were about four thousand. Then he sent them away.

Immediately he entered into the boat with his disciples and came into the region of Dalmanutha.

The Demand for a Sign

(Matthew 16:1–4; Luke 12:54–56)

The Pharisees came out and began to question him, seeking from him a sign from heaven and testing him.

He sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation (a) seek a sign? Most certainly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.”

He left them, and again entering into the boat, departed to the other side.

The Leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod

(Matthew 16:5–12; Luke 12:1–3)

They forgot to take bread; and they didn’t have more than one loaf in the boat with them.

He warned them, saying, “Take heed: beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”

They reasoned with one another, saying, “It’s because we have no bread.”

Jesus, perceiving it, said to them, “Why do you reason that it’s because you have no bread? Don’t you perceive yet or understand? Is your heart still hardened?

Having eyes, don’t you see? Having ears, don’t you hear? Don’t you remember?

When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They told him, “Twelve.”

“When the seven loaves fed the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They told him, “Seven.”

He asked them, “Don’t you understand yet?”

The Blind Man at Bethsaida

He came to Bethsaida. They brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him.

He took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village. When he had spat on his eyes, and laid his hands on him, he asked him if he saw anything.

He looked up, and said, “I see men, but I see them like walking trees.”

Then again he laid his hands on his eyes. He looked intently, and was restored, and saw everyone clearly.

He sent him away to his house, saying, “Don’t enter into the village, nor tell anyone in the village.”

Peter’s Confession of Christ

(Matthew 16:13–20; Luke 9:18–20; John 6:67–71)

Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?”

They told him, “John the Baptizer, and others say Elijah, but others, one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”

He commanded them that they should tell no one about him.

Christ’s Passion Foretold

(Matthew 16:21–23; Luke 9:21–22)

He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

He spoke to them openly. Peter took him and began to rebuke him.

But he, turning around and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men.”

Take Up Your Cross

(Matthew 16:24–28; Luke 9:23–27)

He called the multitude to himself with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?

For what will a man give in exchange for his life?

For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Footnotes

(a)8:12 The word translated “generation” here (genea) could also be translated “people”, “race”, or “family”.