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
Now they had forgotten to take bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. And Jesus ordered them, “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!” So they began to discuss with one another about having no bread. When he learned of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you arguing about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Have your hearts been hardened? Though you have eyes, don’t you see? And though you have ears, can’t you hear? Don’t you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the 5,000, how many baskets full of pieces did you pick up?” They replied, “Twelve.” “When I broke the seven loaves for the 4,000, how many baskets full of pieces did you pick up?” They replied, “Seven.” Then he said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
Then they came to Bethsaida. They brought a blind man to Jesus and asked him to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and brought him outside of the village. Then he spit on his eyes, placed his hands on his eyes and asked, “Do you see anything?” Regaining his sight he said, “I see people, but they look like trees walking.” Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again. And he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, “Do not even go into the village.”
Then Jesus and his disciples went to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They said, “John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and still others, one of the prophets.” He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him. (Mark 8.14–30 NET)
Parallels:
More bread!! 😅
I have always been fascinated that Mark includes two miraculous feedings-- first the 5000, then the 4000. I read recently that perhaps both are included because of their locations? That maybe the first was in Jewish area, the second in Gentile. If that's true, then maybe the second meal induced Gentiles?
I also love symbolism. So twelve baskets of bread harkens back to the twelve tribes--that "first to the Jews" idea Paul talks so much about in Romans? Then seven is a number of wholeness, completeness, which hints at the bringing together of all people--"then to the Gentiles." I haven't gone and researched more. Has anyone else?
@shelley-johnson You wrote:
So twelve baskets of bread harkens back to the twelve tribes--that "first to the Jews" idea Paul talks so much about in Romans? Then seven is a number of wholeness, completeness, which hints at the bringing together of all people--"then to the Gentiles."
It sure feels like something is going on with these two accounts and the numbers. What's interesting is that Matthew puts this latter feeding in a bit different context than Mark, Luke leaves it out completely, and, as is typical compared to synoptic narratives, so does John—thought John does have the story of the feeding of the 5,000.
Scholars have discussed the numbers a lot, and it doesn't seem that anyone has really come up with a satisfactory answer. Twelve is an important number, and so is seven. Also, in the first feeding, Jesus has the 5000 (about the size of a Roman legion) sit down in groupings that resemble military breakdowns. But does that automatically mean these numbers carry some larger meaning? The other factor is that sometimes (even in the Bible) a number is just a number. That may be the case here. The bigger message is that Jesus, with God's power, provided food for hungry people from the disciples meager means. That's a story that is pretty clear.
But, man, it sure feels like there is something to these two accounts and their numbers, and that Mark wants us to feel that! 😉
The wild ride that is the Disciples. Mark is very clear on the way the disciples both know and receive and use Jesus's authority, yet time and time again they are hard of heart and don't really get what Jesus is doing. I find this encouraging for my struggles in different seasons.
Are there other places in scripture besides this one with the blind man that it takes Jesus a couple of attempts to fully heal someone? It’s interesting to me that it takes him a couple tries when we know that he has fully authority and power to just speak and fully heal someone and even raise someone from the dead.
@mallary-malwick, you wrote:
Are there other places in scripture besides this one with the blind man that it takes Jesus a couple of attempts to fully heal someone?
This is the only place. It is interesting. Also, though Matthew and Luke contain most of Mark (Matthew almost all of Mark), they do not contain this story. Maybe they didn't like that Jesus had to do this. 😉
True. Maybe they didn’t like it especially since he went to the extra effort of spitting on his eyes and touching his eyes which doesn’t seem to be a practice that he did often (at least not mentioned often). My first thought was “maybe he had to wipe that spit off so the guy could see more clearly and it wasn’t blurry.” Haha