March 23rd, 2024

This Sunday is Palm Sunday. It is also known as Passion Sunday, and the entire Gospel reading connected to that aspect is Mark 14:1-15:47. In the writings of this website we are making our way through the Gospel according to Mark at a much slower pace, usually focusing on just a few paragraphs at a time. And we are currently at the beginning of what is usually called chapter eight.

It is interesting that the first words of this section of the text below are what is usually translated as ‘In those days’. So, what kind of days are those? This phrase also happened near the very beginning of the entire account (1:8). And it does seem that these are different days than the ones that were at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus was just getting started back then, and now he is the midst of a lot of things.

The words that come after those very first ones are ones that have appeared before as well. In this situation, the people around Jesus are described as a ‘great crowd’, and this phrase appeared first in chapters five and six. And the last time it was given was right before the feeding of the five thousand (6:34). And this time, Jesus is going to end up feeding the four thousand. A significantly bad thing happened before the feeding of the five thousand (the death of John the Baptist), and now, after the feeding of the four thousand, some bad things happen.

What follows could be called a somewhat-literal translation of the first part of chapter eight of the Gospel according to Mark (8:1-21; you may wish to look at other translations or a study bible to help understand the text; and the historical presents, where a past-tense verb is expected, but a present tense is given, those will be in bold print):

In those, the days, again, a great crowd being, and not having anything they may eat, having called to himself the disciples, he says to them, “I have compassion upon the crowd, because already days, three, they remain with me, and not, they have anything, they may eat. And if I dismiss them, hungry ones, into house of them, they will faint in the way, and some of them, from far away, they have come.”

And they answered him, the disciples of him, “How these, will he be able, anyone here, to satisfy, with breads upon a wilderness?”

And he was asking them, “How many do you have, breads?”

Now the ones said, “Seven.”

And he commands the crowd to recline upon the ground, and having taken the seven breads, having given thanks, he broke, and he was giving to the disciples of him, that they might set before, and they set before the crowd. And they had small fish, a few; and having blessed them, he said also, these things, to set before. And they ate, and they were satisfied, and they took up excesses of fragments, seven baskets. Now they were as four thousand, and he dismissed them.

And immediately, having embarked into the boat with the disciples of him, he came into the parts of Dalmanutha. And they came out, the Pharisees, and they began to debate him, seeking from him a sign from the heaven, tempting him. And groaning in the spirit of him, he says, “Why the generation, this one, does seek a sign? Amen, I am saying to you, if it will be given, to the generation, this one, a sign.” And having left them again, having embarked, he came away into the other side.

And they forgot to take breads, and if not one bread, not they had with themselves in the boat. And he was charging them, saying, “See, look for the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they were reasoning toward one another that breads, not they have. And knowing, he says to them, “Why are you reasoning that breads, not you have? Not yet do you understand, and not do you realize? Having been hardened, do you have, the heart of you? ‘Eyes having, not do you see? And ears having, not do you hear?’ And not do you remember, when the five breads I broke into the five thousand, how many (wicker, i.e., Jewish) baskets of fragments, full, you took up?”
They say to him, “Twelve.”

“When the seven, into the four thousand, of how many (mat, i.e., Gentile) baskets, fullnesses of fragments you took up?”

And they say to him, “Seven.”

And he was saying to them, “Not yet do you realize?”

Can you believe that the last sentence is the end of the discussion? They will be in Bethsaida in the very next verse. Jesus’ enemies are going after Jesus, and Jesus is starting to go after his disciples. I would imagine that the next step would be for Jesus’ enemies to go after his disciples as well. And some of that can be seen throughout history.

Just so you know, it took me a while to realize that the Jewishness of the baskets does fit with the Jewish number, twelve, and the Gentile-connected baskets are connected to the number seven, a Gentile number. (Everyone has to deal with seven days in a week.) If something is important within a certain culture, something like a basket, which is something so critical when it comes to transportation, you can almost guarantee that there is more than one word for it in that language. I am guessing that the Jewish baskets looked very nice, but the Gentile baskets were much more practical and useful. And Jesus is okay with both of them.
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The ending of the above text is similar to the ending of the entire account. It does get one’s attention. It also reminds us of our sinfulness. And it does remind us that Jesus did enough—and even more than enough. We also have excesses of fragments.