Blog 2023-05-18
Mk 8:13-21 Verse 13 actually ends the previous pericope. Crossing the sea is a symbol of death and resurrection. Mark wrote before Matthew. If he understood the symbol, he did not explain it outright and left it to the reader to make the connection.
Mr 8:12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. Mr 8:13 And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.
Ten to fifteen years later Matthew made the connection and spelled it out.
Mt 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:[which he further signified by crossing the sea.]
forgotten to take bread - The sequence of events: He fed 4000, he crossed the sea [sig. death]. The Pharisees met him and wanted a sign. He says there will be no sign given. He crosses the sea [resurrection]. One does not forget to bring food unless you are preoccupied. The Pharisees wanted a sign, but so did the disciples. They did not forget bread, but had forgotten to bring more bread, knowing they had a loaf in the boat. Why carry more knowing that Jesus could multiply it. They had fallen into the 'leaven of the Pharisees'. They wanted the sign of multiplying loaves again. Jesus was not going to be their circus monkey; performing at their whim.
When miracles happen, they do not do so by our command or power, but by the will and for the purpose of God.
Leaven is symbol of 'teaching', not 'sin' as so many teach.
Mt 16:12 Then understood they how that he bade [them] not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
He warned them not to fall into the teaching of the Pharisees, which was to seek a sign, and to judge God by their own reason. They wished to see signs to know if Jesus was who he said he was.
teaching of Herod - 'Herod' means 'heroic'. It was a family name. The Herod that rules at the time of Jesus thought he was the Messiah since he was in power at the time expected for the Messiah. The disciples were tempted to think more highly of themselves than they should. Remember that they argued among themselves who should be in power at Jesus's side. After all, they distributed the bread to the people. They were Jesus's posse.
Our position, no matter the wonders we see, is one of humility as we lift up Christ. It is a privilege to be where we can see him work. "I saved three people and healed two" is a claim that is unbecoming of a disciple. We watch Jesus work and always give him the glory.
five the number of man (not six as so many teach)
thousand - the number meaning king
four - the full word of God in spirit as the four voices: prophet, judge, priest, king.
twelve - the people of God in the flesh
seven - complete unity
loaf broken - teaching of the cross; his body broken for us
He said to beware of the teaching of the Pharisees and Herod, then teaches them properly, about the cross.
"When I taught about the flesh of the cross, (five) there remained twelve; sufficient for all men. This is parallel to "as in Adam all men die, so in Christ, all live". When I taught of the spiritual ramifications of the cross fully (seven) there remained seven. "There is no end to the living water.
Together, the twelve and seven are the 'increase' and 'multiplying' prophesied in Genesis to Adam on day 6. Five increased to 12, and 7 multiplied to 7 because seven is the unity of completeness and 1 x 1 = 1.
Who did he feed? 5 thousand and 4 thousand. He fed the future kings, those who would rule their own flesh in obedience.
We are a nation of kings and priests. As kings we rule our flesh. As priests we intercede for others by preaching and prayer.
They still did not understand the teaching, since it was not plain. Jesus did not speak plainly, but in riddles.
It was still hidden in riddle. If they could understand and be saved, then the cross would not be necessary. The teaching of the cross had to remain hidden until after his resurrection.
