Mark's Gospel: Chapter 8
And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
Key words
- Give thanks: the act of saying or showing that you are grateful, especially to God
We give thanks for this food.
- Sigh: to breathe out a deep breath that can be heard, esp. because you are tired, sad, pleased, or bored
She sighed deeply and sat down.
- Leaven: something that modifies or lightens
They eat unleavened bread.
- Take up your cross: to suffer with patience for Jesus
He was willing to take up his cross and face any challenge for his beliefs.
- Ashamed: feeling guilty or embarrassed because you are aware that others know that you, or someone connected with you, has done something wrong
You have nothing to be ashamed of.
Read the article to find the answers
- What did Jesus refuse to do ?
- Who did people think Jesus was?
- Who did the disciples think Jesus was?
- Who will Jesus be ashamed of when He returns?
Jesus feeds 4,000 people
The large crowd following Jesus had nothing to eat, so Jesus called his disciples together and spoke to them:
"I feel sorry for this crowd, because they've been with me for three days and have nothing to eat. Some of them live so far away that if I send them home without food they will faint on the way."
His disciples said it was impossible to find enough bread to feed all these people in such a remote place. So Jesus asked them how many loaves they had. They told Him they had seven.
Jesus told the people to sit on the ground, took the seven loaves, gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to distribute to the crowd. They also had some small fish, which Jesus blessed and told His disciples to distribute as well. About four thousand people ate until they were full, and they gathered seven baskets full of leftovers. Then Jesus sent them on their way.
Jesus refuses to perform a miracle
Jesus and His disciples boarded a boat and sailed to another region. When they arrived the religious scholars there began to question Him, demanding a miracle.
With a deep sigh in His spirit, He exclaimed:
"Why does this generation ask for a sign? I assure you, no sign will be given to this generation."
Turning away from them, He got back into the boat and sailed to the other side. But, the disciples only took one loaf of bread with them.
Jesus warned them, saying:
"Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod."
They thought He was talking about the lack of bread so Jesus asked them:
"Why are you talking about the lack of bread? Haven't you understood the lesson yet? You have eyes, but do you not see? You have ears, but do you not hear? Don't you remember what happened when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand? How many baskets of leftovers did you gather?"
They replied, "Twelve."
Then He asked:
"And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets of leftovers did you gather?"
They answered, "Seven."
Jesus replied:
"How is it that you do not understand?"
Jesus prophesies His resurrection
Jesus asked His disciples:
"Who do men say that I am?"
They told Him that people thought He was one of the prophets.
Jesus then asked:
"But who do you say that I am?"
Peter replied, "You are the Christ."
Jesus taught them that He would be rejected and killed by the religious leaders, but He would rise again after three days. Peter objected, so Jesus rebuked him, saying:
"Get behind me, Satan! You are not interested in the things of God, but the things of men."
Gathering the crowd and His disciples, Jesus stated:
"Whoever wants to follow me, will have to take up his cross. Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me, will save it."
"What profit is there, if a man gains the whole world, and loses his soul? What can a man give in exchange for his soul?"
"When I return in the glory of my Father, I will be ashamed of everyone who is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation."
Discussion questions
- Do you have any questions about any of the vocabulary or grammar in this article?
- Do you know the Bible passage quoted at the top of this article?
- What do you think Jesus meant when He said: "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod"?
- Do you think Jesus meant when He said: "When I return in the glory of my Father"?