This week’s readings are all from Mark chapters 8-9. Click here to see the full reading and a list of each day’s readings. Each day’s segments of the readings will be posted on this site during the week.
Today's Reading
In those days there was another large crowd with nothing to eat. So Jesus called his disciples and said to them, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have already been here with me three days, and they have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will faint on the way, and some of them have come from a great distance.” His disciples answered him, “Where can someone get enough bread in this desolate place to satisfy these people?” He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They replied, “Seven.” Then he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. After he took the seven loaves and gave thanks, he broke them and began giving them to the disciples to serve. So they served the crowd. They also had a few small fish. After giving thanks for these, he told them to serve these as well. Everyone ate and was satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. There were about 4,000 who ate. Then he dismissed them. Immediately he got into a boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.
Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, asking for a sign from heaven to test him. Sighing deeply in his spirit he said, “Why does this generation look for a sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to this generation.” Then he left them, got back into the boat, and went to the other side. (Mark 8.1–13 NET)
Parallels:
I never realized how often Jesus gets in boats. 😅
And in the last couple of chapters bread has been central -- feeding 5000, Syrophoenician woman, and now the feeding of the 4000. The Gentile woman with great faith is sandwiched between disciples who still don't get it. I haven't listened to the podcast yet, so I'm looking forward to hearing what you say.
@shelley-johnson Seems like I'm in good company when I don't really understand (even the obvious things) that Jesus was to show me and tell me.
bread has been central ... great faith is sandwiched between disciples who still don't get it.
Bread and sandwiched...nice. 🙂
Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, asking for a sign from heaven to test him. Sighing deeply in his spirit he said, “Why does this generation look for a sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to this generation.” Then he left them, got back into the boat, and went to the other side. (Mark 8.1–13 NET)
I get the feeling that Jesus is getting tired of arguing. He is increasingly exasperated in his interactions. Mark, more than any other Gospel, captures these frustrated moments in Jesus' life. The word for "sighing deeply" in Greek is anastenadzō, "to groan deeply" or "lament."
@jimmy Which means it's okay to moan and groan about things sometimes... @jralphsmith said it well on Sunday, and I am processing it to mean that unless we are contending for something we shouldn't complain about it.
So in Jesus's example, he is obviously on this heavy mission with success and road blocks. It's okay to groan about the challenges sometimes, as long as we continue contending for the ultimate goal. Right?
@travisbruno3 I think that's a good take. Take the pressure and expectation off of ourselves to never be frustrated, to never groan in the struggles of this life. But also encourage us to keep going.