AM Feb 22nd Mark 8

February 22^nd     Mark 8              The 4,000 fed

1: In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 2: I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3: And if I send 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 these 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 set 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. 10: And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.

Objection – Give us a sign

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 saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. 13: And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.

Jesus – Pharisees & Herod

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?

In those days Christ fed another multitude of people. On this occasion there were four thousand. Christ the Messiah of Israel is the great provider for his people. The Pharisees came asking for a sign from heaven but Christ refuses to give them one. When Christ spoke of the corrupting influence of the Pharisaic teaching the disciples misunderstood him, thinking that he was talking about the bread of the feeding of the multitudes.