The Word Am I

The Gospel According to St. Mark

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- Chapter 8 -

(2 Kings 4:42–44; Matthew 15:29–39)
1
In those days the crowd once again became very large, and they had nothing to eat. Jesus called the disciples to Him and said,
2
“I have compassion for this crowd, because they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat.
3
If I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For some of them have come a great distance.”
4
His disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could anyone find enough bread to feed all these people?”
5
“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied.
6
And He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then He took the seven loaves, gave thanks and broke them, and gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And they distributed them to the crowd.
7
They also had a few small fish, and Jesus blessed them and ordered that these be set before them as well.
8
The people ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
9
And about four thousand men (a) were present. As soon as Jesus had dismissed the crowd,
10
He got into the boat with His disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.

The Demand for a Sign

(Matthew 16:1–4; Luke 12:54–56)
11
Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, testing Him by demanding from Him a sign from heaven.
12
Jesus sighed deeply in His spirit and said, “Why does this generation demand a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
13
And He left them, got back into the boat, and crossed to the other side.

The Leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod

(Matthew 16:5–12; Luke 12:1–3)
14
Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat.
15
“Watch out!” He cautioned them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod.”
16
So they began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread.
17
Aware of their conversation, Jesus asked them, “Why are you debating about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Do you have such hard hearts?
18
‘Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?’(b) And do you not remember?
19
When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?” “Twelve,” they answered.
20
“And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?” “Seven,” they said.
21
Then He asked them, “Do you still not understand?”

The Blind Man at Bethsaida

22
When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.
23
So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then He spit on the man’s eyes and placed His hands on him. “Can you see anything?” He asked.
24
The man looked up and said, “I can see the people, but they look like trees walking around.”
25
Once again Jesus placed His hands on the man’s eyes, and when he opened them his sight was restored, and he could see everything clearly.
26
Jesus sent him home and said, “Do not go back into the village.”(c)

Peter’s Confession of Christ

(Matthew 16:13–20; Luke 9:18–20; John 6:67–71)
27
Then Jesus and His disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way, He questioned His disciples: “Who do people say I am?”
28
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
29
“But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”
30
And Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about Him.

Christ’s Passion Foretold

(Matthew 16:21–23; Luke 9:21–22)
31
Then He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He must be killed and after three days rise again.
32
He spoke this message quite frankly, and Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.
33
But Jesus, turning and looking at His disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

Take Up Your Cross

(Matthew 16:24–28; Luke 9:23–27)
34
Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
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.
36
What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
37
Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
38
If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Footnotes

(a)8:9 Men is implied here, that is, in addition to women and children; see Matthew 15:38.
(b)8:18 See Deuteronomy 29:4, Isaiah 42:20, Jeremiah 5:21, and Ezekiel 12:2.
(c)8:26 BYZ and TR “Do not go and tell anyone in the village.”
(2 Kings 4:42–44; Matthew 15:29–39)
1
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,
2
“I have compassion on the multitude, because they have stayed with me now three days and have nothing to eat.
3
If I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way, for some of them have come a long way.”
4
His disciples answered him, “From where could one satisfy these people with bread here in a deserted place?”
5
He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.”
6
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.
7
They also had a few small fish. Having blessed them, he said to serve these also.
8
They ate and were filled. They took up seven baskets of broken pieces that were left over.
9
Those who had eaten were about four thousand. Then he sent them away.
10
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)
11
The Pharisees came out and began to question him, seeking from him a sign from heaven and testing him.
12
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.”
13
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)
14
They forgot to take bread; and they didn’t have more than one loaf in the boat with them.
15
He warned them, saying, “Take heed: beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”
16
They reasoned with one another, saying, “It’s because we have no bread.”
17
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?
18
Having eyes, don’t you see? Having ears, don’t you hear? Don’t you remember?
19
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.”
20
“When the seven loaves fed the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They told him, “Seven.”
21
He asked them, “Don’t you understand yet?”

The Blind Man at Bethsaida

22
He came to Bethsaida. They brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him.
23
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.
24
He looked up, and said, “I see men, but I see them like walking trees.”
25
Then again he laid his hands on his eyes. He looked intently, and was restored, and saw everyone clearly.
26
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)
27
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?”
28
They told him, “John the Baptizer, and others say Elijah, but others, one of the prophets.”
29
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”
30
He commanded them that they should tell no one about him.

Christ’s Passion Foretold

(Matthew 16:21–23; Luke 9:21–22)
31
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.
32
He spoke to them openly. Peter took him and began to rebuke him.
33
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)
34
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.
35
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.
36
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?
37
For what will a man give in exchange for his life?
38
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”.
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