81 At about this same time he again found himself with a hungry crowd on his hands. He called his disciples together and said, 2 "This crowd is breaking my heart. They have stuck with me for three days, and now they have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they'll faint along the way - some of them have come a long distance." 4 His disciples responded, "What do you expect us to do about it? Buy food out here in the desert?" 5 He asked, "How much bread do you have?" "Seven loaves," they said. 6 So Jesus told the crowd to sit down on the ground. After giving thanks, he took the seven bread loaves, broke them into pieces, and gave them to his disciples so they could hand them out to the crowd. 7 They also had a few fish. He pronounced a blessing over the fish and told his disciples to hand them out as well. 8 The crowd ate its fill. Seven sacks of leftovers were collected. 9 There were well over four thousand at the meal. Then he sent them home.
10 He himself went straight to the boat with his disciples and set out for Dalmanoutha.
11 When they arrived, the Pharisees came out and started in on him, badgering him to prove himself, pushing him up against the wall. 12 Provoked, he said, "Why does this generation clamor for miraculous guarantees? If I have anything to say about it, you'll not get so much as a hint of a guarantee." 13 He then left them, got back in the boat, and headed for the other side.
14 But the disciples forgot to pack a lunch. Except for a single loaf of bread, there wasn't a crumb in the boat. 15 Jesus warned, "Be very careful. Keep a sharp eye out for the contaminating yeast of Pharisees and the followers of Herod." 16 Meanwhile, the disciples were finding fault with each other because they had forgotten to bring bread. 17 Jesus overheard and said, "Why are you fussing because you forgot bread? Don't you see the point of all this? Don't you get it at all? 18 19 Remember the five loaves I broke for the five thousand? How many baskets of leftovers did you pick up?" They said, "Twelve." 20 "And the seven loaves for the four thousand - how many bags full of leftovers did you get?" "Seven." 21 He said, "Do you still not get it?"
22 They arrived at Bethsaida. Some people brought a sightless man and begged Jesus to give him a healing touch. 23 Taking him by the hand, he led him out of the village. He put spit in the man's eyes, laid hands on him, and asked, "Do you see anything?" 24 He looked up. "I see men. They look like walking trees." 25 So Jesus laid hands on his eyes again. The man looked hard and realized that he had recovered perfect sight, saw everything in bright, twenty-twenty focus. 26 Jesus sent him straight home, telling him, "Don't enter the village."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 8:1-26
Commentary on Mark 8:1-10
(Read Mark 8:1-10)
Our Lord Jesus encouraged the meanest to come to him for life and grace. Christ knows and considers our frames. The bounty of Christ is always ready; to show that, he repeated this miracle. His favours are renewed, as our wants and necessities are. And those need not fear want, who have Christ to live upon by faith, and do so with thanksgiving.
Commentary on Mark 8:11-21
(Read Mark 8:11-21)
Obstinate unbelief will have something to say, though ever so unreasonable. Christ refused to answer their demand. If they will not be convinced, they shall not. Alas! what cause we have to lament for those around us, who destroy themselves and others by their perverse and obstinate unbelief, and enmity to the gospel! When we forget the works of God, and distrust him, we should chide ourselves severely, as Christ here reproves his disciples. How is it that we so often mistake his meaning, disregard his warnings, and distrust his providence?
Commentary on Mark 8:22-26
(Read Mark 8:22-26)
Here is a blind man brought to Christ by his friends. Therein appeared the faith of those that brought him. If those who are spiritually blind, do not pray for themselves, yet their friends and relations should pray for them, that Christ would be pleased to touch them. The cure was wrought gradually, which was not usual in our Lord's miracles. Christ showed in what method those commonly are healed by his grace, who by nature are spiritually blind. At first, their knowledge is confused; but, like the light of the morning, it shines more and more to the perfect day, and then they see all things clearly. Slighting Christ's favours is forfeiting them; and he will make those who do so know the worth of privileges by the want of them.