Mark 8:1 –10 The Gentile Feeding Story

We are aware that this story functions as the Gentile equivalent to the extravagant messianic feast on the Jewish side of the lake. Its beginning “in those days,” marks it off as a significant event in Mark (cf. 1:9; 2:20; 14:25)

In terms of their detail, the stories are different. This story has 4,000 people (the other, 5,000 men), seven loaves plus some fish (5 and 2), this is motivated by Jesus’ compassion for their hunger (sheep without a shepherd), Jesus raises the issue of how the crowd might be fed (the disciples raise it), the crowd have been with Jesus and have traveled a long way (they arrive independently from across the lake and get there first), their return home is out of the question, purchase of food is out of the question in this locality (the cost of food is the issue), no OT allusions in the sitting down, (allusions to the Messianic feast), there is a blessing of the fish, seven small baskets of leftovers (twelve large baskets).

Which, if any, differences are significant and what is their significance? Donahue (p. 245f) suggests the numbers seven and four, the absence of OT allusions and the more Pauline language of the formula of thanks­giving provide a Greek flavor to this story.

This concludes the mission of Jesus to the Gentiles. A balance that includes Jew and Gentile in the healing and table fellowship of the new family has been established within Mark’s community as having its origin in the life of Jesus.

Mark 8:11 –13 They Seek a Sign

The Pharisees seek a sign: we would expect this of the “chief priests and the scribes”. It is a hostile seeking that is a seeking him to have him killed (8:12, 11:18, 12:12, 14:1, 55) or their agent Judas (14:11). The sign is neither a symbol nor a work of power: in Mark it is a “mark of authentica­tion,” here coming from God. The expected “Prophet like Moses” will be authenticated by his words coming true (Deut. 18:18-22); the words of the Son of Man will be (have been) authenticated by his crucifixion. All other signs are denied this (evil and adulterous 8:38) generation.

Mark 8:14 –21 The Misunderstanding of the Bread

Outside of its use in baking, “leaven” is often a metaphor for a corrupting influence (mould?). The leaven of the Pharisees may be their need for an authenticating sign in the previous section. What of the “leaven of Herod”? It might be a reference to Herod misunderstanding of Jesus (6:14-16).

The narrator makes us privy to the musing of the disciples as the “suppose among themselves” just as Jesus will read their thoughts. Why did they suppose it was because they had no bread? Are we intended to make the connection from the “one loaf” that is in the boat to Jesus? This would require that we commit to accepting the eucharistic overtones of the two extravagant meals we have just seen. The insight that the disciples cannot receive brings together these meals with the community’s inclusive eucharist in which the one loaf is broken (14:22) Maybe. This is one of the most enigmatic sections of Mark’s Gospel (Donahue p. 251).

If this is about the misunderstanding of the significance of Jesus by the disciples than it serves as a link into the central section of Mark’s Gospel that now begins (8:22 – 10:51) where the misunderstanding by the disciples acts as a foil for the teaching of the Son of Man.