Feeding the Four Thousand
Study note
In a scene remarkably parallel to the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus has compassion on a crowd that has been with him for three days in a remote area. With seven loaves and a few fish, he feeds four thousand people with seven baskets of leftovers. This second feeding likely occurs in Gentile territory, suggesting that Jesus' provision extends to all peoples. The disciples' question about where to find bread, despite having witnessed the previous miracle, highlights their persistent spiritual blindness.
1 Around that time, another enormous crowd had gathered. They had been with Jesus and had nothing to eat. So Jesus called his disciples over and said, In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,
2 "My heart goes out to these people. They have been here with me for three days now, and their food is completely gone." I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:
3 "If I send them home with empty stomachs, some of them will collapse on the way. Many them traveled a long distance to get here." 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 His disciples said, "How could anyone find enough food for all these people way out here in the middle of nowhere?" And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?
5 Jesus asked, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" They answered, "Seven." And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.
6 He had the crowd sit down on the ground. Then he picked up the seven loaves, thanked God for them, broke them apart, and passed them to his disciples to distribute. They handed the bread out to the crowd. 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 They also had a few small fish. Jesus blessed these too and told the disciples to pass those around as well. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.
8 Everyone ate until they were satisfied. When they gathered up the leftovers, there were seven baskets full. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.
9 About four thousand people had eaten that day. Then Jesus sent the crowd on their way. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.
10 Right away, he got in the boat with his disciples and sailed to the area of Dalmanutha. And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.
The Pharisees Demand a Sign
Study note
The Pharisees come seeking a miraculous sign from heaven to test Jesus, essentially demanding that he prove himself on their terms. Jesus sighs deeply in his spirit, a rare glimpse of his emotional frustration, and categorically refuses to give this generation a sign. Their demand reveals that no amount of evidence will satisfy those who have already decided not to believe. Jesus leaves them and crosses to the other side, physically distancing himself from their willful unbelief.
11 Some Pharisees arrived and started arguing with Jesus. They demanded a miraculous sign from heaven to prove who he was. And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.
12 Jesus let out a deep sigh and said, "What is it with you people? Why do you keep demanding proof? I am telling you plainly: this generation will not get the kind of sign it is looking for." 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 He turned around, got back in the boat, and crossed to the other side of the lake. And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.
The Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod
Study note
When Jesus warns the disciples about the 'leaven' of the Pharisees and Herod, they misunderstand and think he is talking about their failure to bring bread. Jesus challenges them with a series of pointed questions: do they still not see, hear, or remember? He recalls both feeding miracles and their abundant leftovers. This exchange painfully exposes the disciples' hardened hearts, placing them closer to the Pharisees' blindness than they would like to admit. The passage functions as a diagnosis of spiritual dullness that sets up the healing that follows.
14 The disciples realized they had forgotten to pack food. All they had was a single loaf of bread in the boat. Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.
15 Jesus warned them, "Keep your eyes open. Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod." And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.
16 The disciples talked about it and said, "He must be saying this because we forgot to bring bread." And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.
17 Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, "Why are you worrying about bread? After everything you have seen, do you still not get it? Are your hearts still closed?" 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 "You have eyes -- use them! You have ears -- use them! Think back and remember:" Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?
19 "When I broke five loaves to feed five thousand people, how many baskets of leftovers did you collect?" They answered, "Twelve." 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 I broke seven loaves for four thousand people, how many baskets of leftovers were there?" They said, "Seven." And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.
21 He said, "After all that, how can you still not understand?" And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?
Healing the Blind Man at Bethsaida
Study note
The only miracle in the Gospels that occurs in two stages, this healing serves as a powerful parable of discipleship. After Jesus' first touch, the man sees people but they look like trees walking. Only after a second touch does he see everything clearly. This gradual restoration mirrors the disciples' own journey: they can see that Jesus is special, but their vision of who he truly is remains blurry. Full understanding will come only after the cross and resurrection.
22 They arrived at Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man to Jesus. They begged him to touch the man. And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.
23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and walked him outside the village. He spit on the man's eyes and laid his hands on him. Then he asked, "Can you see anything?" And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.
24 The man squinted and said, "I can partly see people, but they look blurry, like trees moving around." And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
25 Jesus placed his hands on the man's eyes once more. This time, when the man opened his eyes, his vision was crystal clear. He could see every detail perfectly. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
26 Jesus sent him straight home with the instruction, "Do not even go into the village, and do not tell the people there." And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.
Peter's Confession and the First Passion Prediction
Study note
At Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asks the decisive question: 'Who do you say that I am?' Peter's answer, 'You are the Christ,' is the turning point of the Gospel. But when Jesus immediately teaches that the Son of Man must suffer, be rejected, and be killed before rising again, Peter rebukes him. Jesus' sharp reply, 'Get behind me, Satan,' reveals that Peter's idea of the Messiah is satanic in its refusal to accept the path of suffering. From this point forward, the Gospel moves steadily toward the cross.
27 Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages near Caesarea Philippi. Along the way, he asked them, "When people talk about me, who do they say I am?" And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Cæsarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?
28 They told him, "Some say you are John the Baptist. Others think you are Elias. And others believe you are one of the prophets." And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.
29 "And what about you?" Jesus pressed. "Who do you believe I am?" Peter spoke up and said, "You are the Christ." And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.
30 Jesus strictly told them not to share that with anyone. And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.
31 Then he started explaining what lay ahead for him. He told them that the Son of man would go through terrible suffering. The elders, the chief priests, and the scribes would reject him. He would be killed, but three days later he would come back to life. And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32 He said all of this openly, holding nothing back. Peter pulled him aside and started telling him he should not talk that way. And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
33 But Jesus turned around, glanced at his other disciples, and spoke firmly to Peter: "Get behind me, Satan! You are looking at this from a human point of view, not from God's." But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
The Cost of Discipleship
Study note
Jesus extends the implications of his suffering to all who would follow him: they must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him. The paradox at the heart of the gospel is stated clearly: whoever tries to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Jesus' sake and the gospel's will save it. The sobering question about gaining the whole world but losing one's soul puts all earthly achievement in eternal perspective. Those ashamed of Jesus now will find him ashamed of them at his glorious return.
34 Then he called both the crowd and his disciples together and told them, "Anyone who wants to walk my road must stop putting themselves first. They must be willing to carry their own cross and follow me." And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
35 "Truly, if you cling to your life and try to protect it, you will lose it. But if you let go of your life for my sake and for the sake of the good news, you will save it." For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
36 For what does it profit someone to gain the whole world and lose their own soul? For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
37 "Is there anything valuable enough to trade for your soul? Nothing." Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 "If anyone is ashamed to be connected to me and my message in this sinful world, then the Son of man will be ashamed of that person too. He will feel the same way when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.