Year of the Bible
Mark 8
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Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Mark, Chapter 8:
A crowd has again gathered around Jesus, who has compassion on them because they have followed him and are hungry (vs. 2). Mark builds a clear thread through 6:30-52, 7:2-19, and 7:25-30, that Jesus wants people to have bread--and eat of it, in abundance! (vs. 8). Ironically, as Jesus and the disciples head back, westward across the Sea of Galilee away from the Gentile, Decapolis region, the disciples forget to bring enough bread for the trip (vs. 14). On a deeper level, the disciples are not yet seeing, not yet understanding, who Jesus is (vs. 17, 21). Yet there is hope--healing, coming to truly see, can happen gradually (vs. 24, 29-30, 33). Jesus’ invitation is an open one, each and every person is invited to follow Him (vs. 34).
The Gospel According to St. Mark, Chapter 8:
Feeding the Four Thousand
1 In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him, and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days, and have nothing to eat; 3 and if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come a long way.” 4 And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these men with bread here in the desert?” 5 And he asked them, “How many loaves have you?” They said, “Seven.” 6 And he commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. 7 And they had a few small fish; and having blessed them, he commanded that these also should be set before them. 8 And they ate, and were satisfied; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 9 And there were about four thousand people. 10 And he sent them away; and immediately he got into the boat with his disciples, and went to the district of Dalmanutha.
The Demand for a Sign
11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, to test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.” 13 And he left them, and getting into the boat again he departed to the other side.
The Leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod
14 Now they had forgotten to bring bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 And they discussed it with one another, saying, “We have no bread.” 17 And being aware of it, Jesus said to them, “Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”
Jesus Cures a Blind Man at Bethsaida
22 And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man, and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the village; and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, “Do you see any thing?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see men; but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and saw every thing clearly. 26 And he sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”
Peter’s Declaration That Jesus Is the Christ
27 And Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he charged them to tell no one about him.
Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection
31 And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men.”
34 And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? 37 For what can a man give in return for his life? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
Jesus does not want us to simply know about him. He also wants a personal relationship and our declaration of faith in him. This question from Jesus could easily be directed at each of us individually, “Who do you say I am?” (Mk 8:29) Take a few minutes to tell Jesus who he is to you and listen for his affirmation of your identity in Him.
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan, an adult faith formation apostolate. cbsmich.org/join
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further
Marcos 8
1 En aquellos días, reunida de nuevo una
gran muchedumbre que no tenía qué
comer, llamando a los discípulos les dijo:
2 –Me da mucha pena la muchedumbre,
porque ya llevan tres días conmigo
y no tienen qué comer; 3 y si los despido
en ayunas a sus casas desfallecerán
en el camino, porque algunos han venido
desde lejos.
4 Y le respondieron sus discípulos:
–¿Quién podrá alimentarlos de pan
aquí, en un desierto?
5 Les preguntó:
–¿Cuántos panes tenéis?
–Siete –respondieron ellos.
6 Entonces ordenó a la multitud que
se acomodase en el suelo. Tomando los
siete panes, después de dar gracias, los
partió y los fue dando a sus discípulos
para que los distribuyeran; y los distribuyeron
a la muchedumbre. 7 Tenían
también unos pocos pececillos; después
de bendecirlos, mandó que los distribuyeran.
8 Y comieron y quedaron satisfechos,
y con los trozos sobrantes recogieron
siete espuertas. 9 Eran unos cuatro
mil. Y los despidió.
10 Y subiendo enseguida a la barca
con sus discípulos, se fue hacia la región
de Dalmanuta.
11 Salieron los fariseos y comenzaron
a discutir con él, pidiéndole, para tentarle,
una señal del cielo. 12 Suspirando
desde lo más íntimo, dijo:
–¿Por qué esta generación pide una
señal? En verdad os digo que a esta generación
no se le dará ninguna señal.
13 Y dejándolos, subió de nuevo a la
barca y se marchó a la otra orilla.
14 Se olvidaron de llevar panes y no
tenían consigo en la barca más que un
pan. 15 Y les advertía diciendo:
–Estad alerta y guardaos de la levadura
de los fariseos y de la levadura de
Herodes.
16 Y ellos comentaban unos con otros
que no tenían pan. 17 Al darse cuenta Jesús,
les dice:
–¿Por qué vais comentando que no
tenéis pan? ¿Todavía no entendéis ni
comprendéis? ¿Tenéis endurecido el corazón?
18 ¿Tenéis ojos y no veis; tenéis oídos
y no oís? ¿No os acordáis 19 de cuántos
cestos llenos de trozos recogisteis,
cuando partí los cinco panes para cinco
mil?
–Doce –le respondieron.
20 –Y cuando los siete panes para los
cuatro mil, ¿cuántas espuertas llenas de
trozos recogisteis?
–Siete –le contestaron.
21 Y les decía:
–¿Todavía no comprendéis? 22 Llegan a Betsaida y le traen un ciego
suplicándole que lo toque. 23 Tomando
de la mano al ciego lo sacó fuera de la aldea
y, poniendo saliva en sus ojos, le impuso las
manos y le preguntó:
–¿Ves algo?
24 Y alzando la mirada dijo:
–Veo a hombres como árboles que
andan.
25 Después le puso otra vez las manos
sobre los ojos, y comenzó a ver y quedó
curado, de manera que veía con claridad
todas las cosas.
26 Y lo envió a su casa diciéndole:
–No entres ni siquiera en la aldea.
27 Salió Jesús con sus discípulos hacia
las aldeas de Cesarea de Filipo. Y en el
camino comenzó a preguntar a sus discípulos:
–¿Quién dicen los hombres que soy
yo?
28 Ellos le contestaron:
–Juan el Bautista. Y hay quienes dicen
que Elías, y otros que uno de los
profetas.
29 Entonces él les pregunta:
–Y vosotros, ¿quién decís que soy
yo?
Le responde Pedro:
–Tú eres el Cristo.
30 Y les ordenó que no hablasen a nadie
sobre esto.
31 Y comenzó a enseñarles que el
Hijo del Hombre debía padecer mucho,
ser rechazado por los ancianos, por los
príncipes de los sacerdotes y por los escribas,
y ser llevado a la muerte y resucitar
después de tres días.
32 Hablaba de esto claramente. Pedro,
tomándolo aparte, se puso a reprenderle.
33 Pero él se volvió y, mirando a sus
discípulos, reprendió a Pedro y le dijo:
–¡Apártate de mí, Satanás!, porque
no sientes las cosas de Dios, sino las de
los hombres.
34 Y llamando a la muchedumbre
junto con sus discípulos, les dijo:
–Si alguno quiere venir detrás de
mí, que se niegue a sí mismo, que tome
su cruz y que me siga. 35 Porque el que
quiera salvar su vida la perderá; pero el
que pierda su vida por mí y por el Evangelio
la salvará.
36 »Porque ¿de qué le sirve al hombre
ganar el mundo entero si pierde su
vida? 37 Pues ¿qué podrá dar el hombre a
cambio de su vida? 38 Porque si alguien
se avergüenza de mí y de mis palabras
en esta generación adúltera y pecadora,
el Hijo del Hombre también se avergonzará
de él cuando venga en la gloria de
su Padre acompañado de sus santos ángeles.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
Jesús no quiere que simplemente sepamos de él. También quiere una relación personal y nuestra declaración de fe en él. Esta pregunta de Jesús podría dirigirse fácilmente a cada uno de nosotros individualmente: "¿Quién dices que soy?" (Mc 8:29) Tómate unos minutos para decirle a Jesús quién es para ti y escucha su afirmación de tu identidad en Él.
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).