Mark 8:21

8:21 Don’t you understand yet? This question implies a time when they would truly understand. Mark’s readers knew that Jesus’ resurrection would give the disciples understanding of Jesus’ identity and power (see, e.g., Acts 4:23-31).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

How cometh it to pass, that you understand not these things which are so plain and evident?

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

21. ye do not understand] They seem to have thought that He was warning them against buying leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he said unto them,.... Since this was the case, and they so well remembered the miracles he had wrought, and the circumstances of them:

how is it that ye do not understand? my words concerning the leaven of the Pharisees, of the Sadducees, and of Herod, as to imagine I spoke of bread, taken in a literal sense; or that I concerned myself about the scantiness of your provisions, when you, might have learnt from my late miracles, how able I am to support you, if you had not so much as one loaf with you: wherefore it argues great want both of understanding and faith, and shows great stupidity, ignorance, and unbelief, to give such a sense of my words, and to be anxiously concerned on the score of your provisions.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

21 And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?

Ver. 21. How is it that ye do not understand?] It is very ill taken when we improve not experiments. Of all things God can least abide to be forgotten.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

How is it that ye do not understand? A better reading here is oupw instead of pwv ou . Therefore the words should run, Do ye not yet understand? It is as though our Lord said, "You ought to have perceived, both from my words and from my actions, that I was not speaking concerning earthly leaven or earthly bread, but concerning spiritual doctrine." St. Matthew here (Mat_16:12) is careful to tell us that this reproof of Christ quickened their intellects, and forced them to understand.

"Do ye not understand?

The last of a series of surprised, sorrowful, and indignant questions on the part of Christ.

I SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING WAS A RESULT TO BE LOOKED FOR FROM CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.

1. From the teaching of Scripture. It unfolds the will of God, and reveals his mind and character. It is the record of the spiritual history of man in the past. The lives of the Old Testament saints and the history of God"s chosen

2. people were intended to acquaint us with the principles of the Divine kingdom, and the purpose of God"s dealings with men. "Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come". (1Co_10:11) "These are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God". (Joh_20:31)

3. From personal experience. In the case of the disciples, the teaching, example, and miracles of Christ were intended to reveal the merciful and loving purpose of God to redeem the world. This was to be

a. the basis of a personal faith;

b. a principle for interpreting the circumstances of life;

c. an influence for delivering and elevating the human spirit.

The consistent lesson of Christ"s works especially of his crowning miracle of the loaves was that men were to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all needful things of the earthly life would be added. Instead of being lost in anxious deliberations and "reasonings" about ways and means, the true disciple was to look steadfastly to the great end.

III THE LACK OF IT IN HIS DISCIPLES DISAPPOINTED CHRIST. He was astonished and pained at their hardness of heart. The works specially intended to produce faith and understanding had hitherto failed of their legitimate result. We seem to detect in his tone:

1. Wounded feeling. He had yearned for spiritual companionship and co-operation. It was ever his desire to draw his disciples into a closer fellowship; but they were discovered to be unfit and unworthy of the privilege. It is as if, too, he was indignant that the honor and love of his Father should be suspected.

2. Apprehension. They were in a dangerous spiritual condition, ready to be the prey of every passing temptation. It was as if the foreboding, "When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?", (Luk_18:8) had already flitted across his spirit.

III IT IS AN ACQUIREMENT TO BE DILIGENTLY CULTIVATED.

1. How? By remembrance. The dealings of God with others are plainly set forth in Scripture; but every Christian has a special history of his own in which God has revealed himself. None of the incidents of that personal history should be forgotten. Let him remember all the way by which the Father has led him, the gracious interpositions and revelations that have marked it, etc. By meditation. These circumstances are to be pondered and studied, that their inward meaning may be discovered. Above all, we ought to consider "what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us". (1Jn_3:1)

2. Why? Because

(1) it is essential to the usefulness and happiness of the Christian;

(2) it may be increased. In some it can hardly be said to exist at all. Yet if there be faith as a grain of mustard seed it will grow, where diligence and prayerfulness are exercised. Of even those very men Christ at last declared, "No longer do I call you servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my Father I have made known unto you". (Joh_15:15) "He that doeth the will shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God. M.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. οὔπω ([1651][1652][1653][1654][1655][1656]) rather than πῶς οὔπω ([1657][1658][1659][1660] or πῶς οὐ ([1661][1662], d). Note the difference between [1663] and d.

[1651] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine on Mount Sinai. Now at St Petersburg. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1911.

[1652] Codex Ephraemi. 5th cent. A palimpsest: the original writing has been partially rubbed out, and the works of Ephraem the Syrian have been written over it; but a great deal of the original writing has been recovered; of Mark we have Mar 1:17 to Mar 6:31, Mar 8:5 to Mar 12:29, Mar 13:19 to Mar 16:20. In the National Library at Paris.

[1653] Codex Cyprius. 9th cent. One of the seven uncials which have the Gospels complete, the others being אBMSUΩ. At Paris.

[1654] Codex Regius. 8th cent. An important witness. At Paris. Contains Mar 1:1 to Mar 10:15; Mar 10:30 to Mar 15:1; Mar 15:20 to Mar 16:20, but the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9, showing that the scribe preferred it to the longer one.

[1655] Codex Sangallensis. 9th or 10th cent. Contains the Gospels nearly complete, with an interlinear Latin translation. The text of Mark is specially good, agreeing often with CL. At St Gall.

[1656] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mar 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

[1657] Codex Alexandrinus. 5th cent. Brought by Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Constantinople, from Alexandria, and afterwards presented by him to King Charles I. in 1628. In the British Museum. The whole Gospel. Photographic facsimile, 1879.

[1658] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mar 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

[1659] Codex Campianus. 9th cent. At Paris. Gospels complete.

[1660] Codex Monacensis. 10th cent. Contains Mar 6:47 to Mar 16:20. Many verses in 14, 15, 16 are defective.

[1661] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[1662] Codex Oxoniensis. 9th cent. Contains Mark, except Mar 3:35 to Mar 6:20.

[1663] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mar 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

21. Οὔπω συνίετε; A repetition of the reproach in Mar 8:17. Mt. lessens the reproach by amplifying the question and suggesting the answer. In Mk Christ continues His education of the Twelve by letting them find the answer. Their error was twofold; they did not see that “leaven” in this connexion must be a metaphor; still worse, they did not see that One who had fed thousands with a few loaves and fishes was not likely to be disturbed because, in a brief cruise, they were ill supplied with bread. They were not only ἀσύνετοι (Mar 7:18), but ὀλιγόπιστοι (Mat 16:8). Evidently, the manner of feeding the multitudes had not greatly impressed the disciples. The second time they are almost as anxious as the first; and in this third and trifling difficulty they are anxious again.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. οὔπω συνίετε;—Do you not yet understand?

Omit πῶς, How, Tisch. WH. RV. א CKL ΔΠ 1, 118, 127, 209, one ms. Lat. Vet. οὔπω, instead of οὐ, Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. א ACDgr. LMNUX ΔΠ mss. Lat. Vet. Syrr.

HEALING OF A BLIND MAN AT BETHSAIDA

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.