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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Mark 8:1-9

We had the story of a miracle very like this before, in this gospel (Mark 6:35), and of this same miracle (Matt. 15:32), and here is little or no addition or alternation as to the circumstances. Yet observe, 1. That our Lord Jesus was greatly followed; The multitude was very great (Mark 8:1); notwithstanding the wicked arts of the scribes and Pharisees to blemish him, and to blast his interest, the common people, who had more honesty, and therefore more true wisdom, than their leaders, kept up... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Mark 8:1-10

8:1-10 In those days, when there was again a great crowd, and when they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have stayed with me now for three days, and they have nothing to eat. If I send them away to their homes still fasting, they will faint on the road; and some of them have come from a long distance." His disciples answered him, "Where could anyone get bread to satisfy them in a desert place like this?"... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 8:1

In those days ,.... The Ethiopic version reads, on that day; as if it was on the same day that the deaf man was healed; and so it might be; and on the third day from Christ's coming into those parts; and so is very properly expressed, "in those days"; see Mark 7:31 , compared with the following verse: the multitude being very great : for the number of men that ate, when the following miracle was wrought, were about four thousand; see Mark 8:9 . The Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 8:1

The multitude being very great - Or rather, There was again a great multitude. Instead of παμπολλου , very great, I read παλιν πολλου , again a great, which is the reading of BDGLM, fourteen others, all the Arabic, Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Gothic, Vulgate, and Itala, and of many Evangelistaria. Griesbach approves of this reading. There had been such a multitude gathered together once before, who were fed in the same way. See Mark 6:34 , etc. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 8:1-2

The opening words of the first verse seem to imply that our Lord remained for some time on this, the north-east, side of the Sea of Galilee. The multitude being very great . The word here rendered "very great" is παμπόλλου , a word not to be found anywhere else in the New Testament. But according to the best authorities, the true reading is πάλιν πόλλου ; so that the words would run, when there was again a great multitude. It has been supposed with some reason that, as an old... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 8:1-10

The Giver of bread. That the miracle of feeding the multitude should be repeated, and that two evangelists should record both events, is a testimony to the generous and considerate kindness of the Saviour, and to the instructive nature of the sign. We discern in this narrative an illustration I. CHRIST 'S ATTRACTIVE MINISTRY . A great multitude followed him to listen to his teaching, and were so absorbed in his words as to neglect attention to their bodily wants. Far from home,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 8:1-10

Compassion for the many, I. CHRIST 'S COMPASSION FOR THE MANY CONTRASTED WITH THE NARROW HEARTS OF THE DISCIPLES . 1 . Narrow hearts often are caused by narrow means. Alas! grinding poverty makes even naturally kind hearts indifferent to others' sufferings. Where there is "little to earn and many to keep," this will be so. There are circumstances in which the whole kindly current of the man's being is frozen, and he becomes utterly egotistic. 2 . The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 8:1-21

A sign from heaven. "There was again a great multitude, and they had nothing to eat." Again Jesus had "compassion." Again are the disciples perplexed. "Whence shall one be able to fill these men with bread here in a desert place?" Speedily, of "seven loaves" and "a few small fishes" "about four thousand men, beside women and children, did eat and were filled," and "broken pieces remained over" to the extent of "seven baskets." Jesus left the miracle to give its own teachings—the great... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 8:1-21

Parallel passage: Mt 15:30-16:12. The Feeding of the for thousand 1 . The feeding of the four thousand. 2 . The sign sought by the Pharisees. 3 . The leaven of the Pharisees. I. OMISSION . Having pretty fully considered the feeding of the five thousand recorded in the sixth chapter, and its relation to the feeding of the four thousand narrated in the above section of this eighth chapter, we waive further notice of this subject, as the two miracles are in fact twin miracles,... read more

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