Mark 8:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.

NIV: The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

NASB: And they ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces.

CSB: They ate and were satisfied. Then they collected seven large baskets of leftover pieces.

NLT: They ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food.

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

NKJV: So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments.

"Satisfied" is from the Greek root word chortazo and means to be filled or fulfilled. "Basket" is from the Greek root word spuris. When Jesus fed the five thousand-plus outside of Bethsaida, the disciples collected twelve small wicker baskets (Mark 6:43). Now they fill larger hampers that may be big enough to fit a man (Acts 9:25).

Mark 8:8–9 and Mark 8:14–21 shadow the first of Jesus' temptations by Satan after His baptism (Matthew 4:1–4). After Jesus had fasted in the wilderness, it would have been no more sinful for Him to turn the stones into bread than it is for Him to turn seven loaves into a feast for thousands. The issue is context. Jesus' time with these people is at an end, and He feeds them because He's worried they will faint on their way home. His doing so seems to be similar to the angels ministering to Him after His fasting and temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:11). Food is now necessary for the people to accomplish God's work: get home safely (Mark 8:3). So Jesus ministers to them with this physical provision.

There will be times in our Christian service when we will have to make sacrifices. We may refuse a well-paying but unethical job, or leave the comforts of home to help those who have been devastated by a hurricane. But God will also provide moments of peace and support. Twice, God provided for Elijah when he needed it most (1 Kings 17:3–6; 19:4–8). We need to take advantage of those times, as well.

Mark 8:1–10 is the third of a series of stories about bread and the proper place of ceremonial cleanness. In Mark 7:1–5, the Pharisees condemn Jesus' disciples for eating bread with unclean hands. In Mark 7:24–30, a Syrophoenician woman boldly requests the metaphoric ''crumbs'' of God's provision. Here, Jesus feeds bread to a great crowd of Gentiles and Jews. Later, He will equate the insidious false teachings of the Pharisees with leaven (Mark 8:14–21). This account is also found in Matthew 15:32–39.

This chapter describes another miraculous feeding of thousands by Jesus. He also counters the hard-hearted and selfish hypocrisy of the Pharisees in seeking even more miraculous signs. Speaking to the disciples, Jesus rebukes their short memories and reminds them about God's intent to provide for His followers. After healing a blind man, Jesus accepts Peter's proclamation that Jesus is the Messiah. Almost immediately, though, Jesus rebukes Peter for resisting the idea that the Messiah must suffer and die.

Mark 8 continues Jesus' attempts to teach the disciples God's plan for the Messiah. Jesus has not come for the religious Pharisees but for the meek who willingly respond to Him. He has not yet come as the glorious and victorious champion of Israel, but to die for the whole world. And His followers must also be willing to sacrifice their lives. The chapter marks a turning point in Jesus' ministry as His miracles grow fewer and His teaching increases. Interestingly, Jesus also faces a repeat of the temptations He experienced in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–11).

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.