Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 8:19
When I broke the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.
19. how many baskets ] Observe how our Lord reproduces in this allusion to the putting forth of His miraculous power not only the precise number but the precise kind of baskets taken up on each occasion. See above, on Mar 6:43. Wyclif brings out this in his translation: “Whanne I brak fyue looues among fyve pousand, and hou many coffyns ful of brokene mete ye token up? whanne also seuene looues among foure thousand, how many leepis of brokene mete se token up?”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
19. When I brake the five loavesamong five thousand“the five thousand.”
how many baskets full offragments took ye up? &c.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
When I brake the five loaves among five thousand,…. This, with what follows, chiefly regards the last question:
how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? do not you remember? have you forgot what was so lately done? surely you cannot:
they say unto him, twelve. Their memories were hereby refreshed, and they call to mind the exact number of the baskets of fragments that were taken up, which were above double the number of the loaves, the multitude were fed with.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
1) ”When I brake the five loaves among five thousand,(hote tous pente artous elkasa eis tous pentakischilious) ”That I broke the five loaves to satisfy the hunger of the five thousand,” Like a good teacher who uses repetition, Jesus reviews lessons He has sought to teach them by inquiry, as He probed their memories, Mar 6:35-44.
2) “How many baskets full of fragments took ye up?” (posous kophinous klasmaton plereis erate) “How many full baskets of fragments did you gather up?” tell me.
3) ”And they said unto Him, Twelve,” (legousin auto dodeka) ”They replied, twelve,” as also recounted Mar 6:43; Mat 14:20. Note that it was more than the five loaves and the two little fishes, which they had. before they shared with the hungry, Mar 6:41. They observed the blessing of obedient giving, as affirmed in Luk 6:38.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(19-20) How many baskets . . .?The words for baskets are, as has been said, different in the two verses. (See Note on Mat. 15:37.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.
Ver. 19. See Trapp on “ Mat 16:9 “ See Trapp on “ Mat 16:10 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
among = to; or [and gave] to. Greek. eis. App-104. Not the same word as in Mar 8:16.
five = the five. baskets. Greek. kophinos = a Jewish wicker travelling hand-basket, of a definite capacity. From this comes our Eng. “coffin”. Occurs in Mat 14:20; Mat 16:9. Mat 6:43; Mat 8:10. Luk 9:17. Joh 6:13. Not the same word as in Mar 8:20.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the five: Mar 6:38-44, Mat 14:17-21, Luk 9:12-17, Joh 6:5-13
Reciprocal: Mat 15:37 – seven Mar 6:43 – General Mar 8:8 – and were Luk 9:17 – and there Joh 6:9 – which
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
0
To show that it was not a lapse in their memory, Jesus specified that part of the previous feedings that especially demonstrated the greatness of the miracle (the amount of scraps left) and they remembered both instances.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
8:19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. 20 And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. 21 And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?
Oh my what frustration there must have been for Christ, to have called these men, to have taught these men and demonstrated His power to these men and yet they have no idea of His power capabilities or being. They have seen him feed two crowds on two different occasions with verylittle food and they think He is talking about bread.
Even though they have no understanding or perception, He thought they sould at least have remembered what He had done in the previous two occasions of feeding thousands of people.
A word about perception and understanding might be appropriate. Understanding is having knowledge and grasping the meaning of that knowledge. Perception would relate to gaining that knowledge or perceiving it. You can perceive something but not understand it. You can see the complexities of life and perceive that knowledge, but not necessarily understand it.
This may be part of the problem with the demons and angels. They may see and perceive the facts of what is going on in the universe, but not understand it all. They may not understand the complexities of the human mind and experience.
This may also relate somewhat to lost people. They may read the Word, they may hear the Word and they may have proper perception, but not understand it.
Do believers truly understand all that they perceive? They also read and hear the Word, but often do not understand it to the point of changing their lives. Knowing facts does not make one a useful believer. If you do not understand what you have perceived you will not be following that which you have perceived.
Much of what is learned in churches today seems to be the perceived knowledge but little understanding of how it all relates to the Christian life. We were sinner, now we are redeemed. A simple truth perceived by all, but few understand that there is a change that is supposed to happen between the two. Many believers today remain lifestyle wise as they were before redemption.
This may be the reason the church seems to be just like the world – yes that is my perception AND understanding.
Now to the point of the Lord’s comment. 15 “And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.”
Thayer mentions of “leaven” “metaphorically of inveterate mental and moral corruption, viewed in its tendency to infect others.” The Lord tells them that the Pharisees and King Herod are corrupt and that they are to be avoided lest they be corrupted.
How do you suppose that would settle with pastors today if someone started telling congregations that their leadership was corrupt. It hurts to say it but many of today’s leaders are corrupt. They are self-absorbed men/women that are seeking worldly blessing and riches not caring who they hurt nor what they do to gain their worldly riches and attention.
Many men are way more interested in the pay package offered than the ministry possibilities thatGod has set before them. Men are turning down churches because there is not enough money offered while others are jealous when their friends get a bigger and better pay package than they were able to dig up.
Is it too “spiritual” to ask God where He would have you serve? Is it too “spiritual” to allow God to supply the need that is lacking in the pay package – or more to the point, learn to live on less?
I know the rhetoric that is forthcoming from the preceding radical statements. It has all been said before in forums, Internet boards and board rooms – we are called to be responsible, we are responsible to provide for our families – we are called to serve God at His pleasure as bond slaves. Nowhere in the Scripture are we told that we are to be rich, to be famous, or to be some super preacher that commands a high price. We are called to servant hood – if God makes you all of those things then that is His business and you are responsible to be a good steward of what He has given you.
“Beware” has to do with seeing with the eye and discerning – open your eyes and be very careful of what you see. This is a warning that the church has not listened to in our day. They have been looking for their “thing” and jumping from church to church till they find what they like, not necessarily where God might want them to serve. Self-serving seems to be the mind-set of most in the church today.
Nausea is the result when I hear people telling me that they just are not being ministered to. If you are a mature believer you are to be ministering to, not being ministered to. God has gifted each one of us to minister to the body of Christ. He has not gifted a handful to minister to the congregation.
While on the subject the gifts of the Spirit are clearly listed in the New Testament and they do not include the gift of swing, nor the gift of sway, nor the gift of tape deck running, nor the gift of bounce, nor the gift of I will be the loudest, nor the gift of swoon, nor the gift of repeating of words – music is to make sense not put everyone in a trance. We are present to worship the LIVING God, not meditate ourselves into oblivion for fifty-five minutes a week.
Rant complete.