Do You Still Not Understand?

Mark 8:1-21

During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 2 “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”

4 His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”

5 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied.

6 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. 7 They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. 8 The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 9 About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, 10 he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

11 The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. 12 He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” 13 Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15 “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”

16 They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”

17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,” they replied.

20 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”

21 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

No, I didn't make a mistake and repost an old story.  This is in fact another mass feeding by Jesus.  And that is where the questions begin.  Why would Mark have such similar stories in his most compact of the gospels?  Surely he would have recognized the similarity between this and the feeding of chapter 6.

But there are differences, not in the story's essentials but in their details.  The plot line is the same.  A crowd is with Jesus, and lacking anything to eat, Jesus tells the disciples to feed them.  When they express exasperation, Jesus takes a small amount of food, blesses it and breaks it with enough resulting leftovers that baskets are filled.

This time it is Jesus who notices that the crowd is hungry.  He does not ask them to give the masses something to eat, but they are quick to remind Jesus that just as before they are in a remote place and there is no food in evidence.  That the disciples have doubt at this point seems incredulous, but it may be Mark showing us that the disciples have trouble even with the Syrophnecian woman and the deaf mute behind them believing that Jesus would use his power to help gentiles.

The numbers vary significantly between the stories.  The first crowd is only with him a day, while this crowd has gone three days, perhaps without eating.  In the earlier story it is five loaves and two fish given to five thousand with twelve baskets of leftovers.  Here it is seven loaves and some fish given to four thousand with only(!) seven baskets of leftovers.

Commenters have struggled mightily over the possible significance of these numbers.  The crowd in this story has been with Jesus for three days, which is the amount of time that Jesus will spend in the grave.  Is this second telling a story intended to bring in mind communion after the resurrection?  Does the hunger of the crowd mirror the hunger of the disciples waiting for Jesus to reappear?

Many have suggested that the twelve baskets of leftovers symbolize God's abundance for the people of Israel.  The five loaves and the five thousand gathered represent the five books of the Torah and thus the nation of Israel.  Seven, on the other hand is the number of completion and seventy was believed to be the number of gentile nations.  Do the seven loaves suggest that just as Jesus has first fed the Jews, now his ministry has expanded to the gentiles.  For the more acrobatic numerologists, the crowd of four thousand represents the four gospels that have become the most important scriptures of the Christian tradition.

Jesus concern about the people collapsing on their way home is another difference.  It seems to draw attention to the fact that these are people who have come a long way.  This makes them good representatives of the foreign nations.  In addition, the two previous stories have highlighted healings that are similar to those done already in Jewish territory.  It seems clear that Mark wants us to understand that Jesus ministry extended to all peoples not just the Jews of Judea.

This time when Jesus feeds the crowd, he dismisses them and gets on the boat with the disciples rather than sending them on their own.  The focus on food/Jesus continues as the disciples despair that they have not brought the leftovers with them and their hunger pangs grow.  Jesus sensing their discomfort decides to make a point and tells them to beware the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod.  Yeast/leaven, unlike today, was considered to be unclean.  It seems another reminder of Jesus expanded mission.  He has declared all foods clean (even those with yeast) and has fed and come into close contact with Gentiles.  Did the disciples not eat at the feeding of the four thousand for fear of impurity?  That might explain why they hunger now!  What leaven/yeast uncleanness should they fear?  Not that of the gentiles, but of the religious leaders and political leaders of their own land that have tried to limit God's action to people like them.

But any abstract lesson is too much for these disciples.  They can't get past their bellies and see no meaning in what Jesus says other than that they have no bread.  They are of course wrong because Mark tells us they have one loaf.  This bread is either Jesus and his abundance or a literal loaf which if it is broken by Jesus has been shown to be enough to feed hundreds with a basket or more of leftovers.  They have no cause for worry!

And so Jesus talks them through the duplicate miracles again after asking if they have hardened hearts (which is indeed the case).  He calls on them to remember the feeding of the five thousand among the Jews.  He calls on them to remember the feeding of the four thousand among the gentiles.

And his question is the same as ours.  Do you still not understand?

A Complicated Healing

³¹ Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. ³² There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.

³³ After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. ³⁴ He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). ³⁵ At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

³⁶ Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. ³⁷ People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Jesus continues his foray into Gentile territory and enters the region of the Decapolis.  The sick and possessed and their families continue to seek him out for help.

In a scene reminiscent of the friends who bring the paralytic to Jesus in Jewish territory, a man who is deaf and unable to speak is brought before Jesus.  These people who care about the deaf and dumb man beg Jesus to touch him.  Jesus has shown that he can heal in a variety of ways--he can touch, speak and even do it remotely (the woman's daughter in the story that immediately precedes this one), but it appears that most people believe that a touch is necessary.  And yet in this case, a simple touch will not be enough.

Jesus removes the man from the crush of the crowd.  It is as if he hopes to keep what will happen here private, but as we have followed along with Jesus in Mark, we know that there is little chance that this will succeed.  And then, Jesus begins the most elaborate healing so far in the gospel.  It involves touch, saliva, prayer and words.  In previous cases, it has been just enough for Jesus to command a person to stand or for him to be unwittingly touched to bring a cure.  But now, it is almost as if the healing has become more difficult.  Too emphasize this, Mark includes the unusual detail that before Jesus speaks "Ephphatha", he lets loose a deep sigh.  Is he still tired and  unable to find rest from the swirling vortex of need that always centers around him?  Is it a hint that the focus of the gospel is about to turn away from healing?  Is he frustrated that he comes to announce the Kingdom of God, but everyone focuses on the dramatic cures?

Despite the difficulty, the healing is successful.  The man can hear and speak clearly.  The outcome is ironic because Jesus will tell him not to tell anyone, but he does exactly the opposite.  When he finally can hear, he doesn't listen.  When he is told to be silent he speaks.  The healed man entirely misuses the gifts that God has given him.  Maybe that is why it is such an effort for Jesus to heal him, he knows that the deaf and dumb man will use his new found health to serve his own purposes rather than follow God's instruction.

Jesus commands everyone to keep it quiet, but the people are disobedient.  Everyone is amazed, Mark tells us, which is a word that has occurred before.  It is a response to the power of God, but not the one God wants.  God wants obedience and worship rather than amazement.  Jesus makes the deaf hear and the mute speak but they don't listen to what he commands and they talk about what he asks them to be silent about.  The storm clouds are forming on the horizon.

Even The Dogs

²⁴ Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. ²⁵ In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. ²⁶ The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

²⁷ “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

²⁸ “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

²⁹ Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”

³⁰ She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Following his conflict with the scribes and pharisees about what defiles a person, Jesus goes towards Tyre.  It is important to keep in mind that in the dispute with the leaders from Jerusalem, Jesus has essentially argued that external practices of differentiation are not the way that God judges who is pure or impure.  Jesus' position is that a pure heart not any particular set of actions is what is necessary to be undefiled in God's judgment.  This foreshadows the opening of the boundaries of God's people beyond those who rigorously adhere to Jewish tradition.

Jesus seems unable to do anything in secret in Mark.  He tries to get away with his disciples for rest only to be followed by the crowds.  He tells some of the people he heals not to tell anyone (a tactic that is largely unsuccessful).  Now he tries to go in a house surreptitiously, but once again fails at concealing his presence.  This is an interesting facet of Jesus ministry that is rarely mentioned, Jesus seems in Mark to fail at two things to this point--making his disciples understand and keeping away from the ever present mob who want Jesus to bring them healing.

The face of one from this mob is a woman whose daughter was possessed.  In the three encounters with Jesus in Mark chapter five, all include the person falling at Jesus' feet (the Gerassene Demoniac, Jairus, the woman with the issue of blood) while beseeching his intervention.  Then Mark goes away from people approaching Jesus with open hearts to his rejection at his hometown, the beheading of John and the continued hardened hearts of the disciples.  But that rejection is now left behind as this woman falls at Jesus' feet and calls to mind Jesus' acts of power in the fifth chapter.  The reader clearly expects that this encounter will end with a healing, just as the others have.

But there is a complication, the woman is not from Judea, she is a Greek from the Syrian part of Phoenicia.  Jesus has refused to allow the scribes and pharisees to draw behavioral boundaries as what delineates the people of God, and so it is no surprise when Jesus begins a conversation that will lead to a healing that mirrors that of Jairus' daughter.  While Jairus is a Jewish man who is a religious leader (and thus it is not unexpected that Jesus responds to his appeal), this is a woman who is a foreigner and lacks status of any kind.  When Jesus acts, it is a confirmation of what he has just told the scribes and pharisees.

It is not an immediate healing, however.  Jesus says that the children should be fed first because their food should not be thrown to the dogs.  Does he say this to reveal her heart to those who are listening in on the conversation?  Does he say this to make sure that those who are around do not miss that Jesus is turning things upside down?  Does he say this because it really is an open question and the woman's answer will determine what action he takes?

Her first word is Lord, which is the first time someone other than the narrator (prepare the way of the Lord) or Jesus (tell what the Lord has done for you) have used this title for Jesus.  She is the first person in all the gospel to call Jesus Lord.  This has to be significant.  When she continues that even the dogs get the crumbs, she doesn't challenge the children's right to the food, but argues that the crumbs (leftovers) are eaten by the dogs.  It calls to mind the feeding of the five thousand with all the baskets of leftovers.  Surely God's grace is so abundant that there is more than enough for the Jews to have theirs and her daughter also to be healed.

Jesus tells her that her reply--her recognition of who he is (Lord) and the recognition of the abundance of God's grace--has brought healing to her daughter.  He sends her away and she finds her daughter well.  Just as he can not keep his presence a secret, Jesus' good news overwhelms the boundaries that the Jews want to erect to keep it to themselves.

What Defiles A Person?

The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus ² and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. ³ (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. ⁴ When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.)

⁵ So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

⁶ He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
⁷ They worship me in vain;
    their teachings are merely human rules.’

⁸ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”

⁹ And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! ¹⁰ For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ ¹¹ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— ¹² then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother.¹³ Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

¹⁴ Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. ¹⁵ Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” ^[16] 

¹⁷ After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. ¹⁸ “Are you so dull?”he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? ¹⁹ For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)

²⁰ He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. ²¹ For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, ²² adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. ²³ All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

The gospel of Mark turns again in Chapter 7 to the critics of Jesus.  Once again, they are not only the local religious leaders, but those from Jerusalem.  These agents from the home office remind the readers that Jesus may have friends and followers, but those in authority are strongly against him.  They "gathered around" Jesus just as students would, but their purpose is anything but learning.

They watch and record the "offenses" of Jesus and his disciples.  On this occasion, they have seen Jesus' followers eat without washing their hands prior.  This was of course not the washing for hygiene that our Mothers required, but a ritual act that was to spiritually cleanse the hands to ensure that impurity did not enter the body.  Impurity could be picked up in any number of ways--touching unclean animals, touching unclean people (any gentile for example), or touching unclean items.

This ritual cleansing is not required in the scripture, but was an additional layer of protection added by tradition.  The thought was that by keeping the stricter traditions that were added to the law, the law was kept safe.  In addition to the rules regarding ritual washing of the hands there were a large number of others including those mentioned by Mark of washing cups, pitchers and kettles.

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law directly challenge Jesus about his disciples failure to keep the tradition of the elders.  But rather than engage them in a rabbinic argument from tradition, Jesus instead goes straight to the authoritative prophet (Isaiah).  He calls those who challenge him hypocrites, which is the Greek word for "stage actors."  In their challenge and actions they are merely playing a role for the world to see rather than demonstrating their true nature.  As the prophet has described they say the right things with the wrong hearts.  Their worship is invalid and they teach human rules rather than God's rules.

This seems to always be an issue for religious authorities and churches.  It is easy to turn God into yet another rationale for requiring behavior that benefits those in power.  Jesus refuses to allow this misappropriation of God's authority.

He further continues to turn the tables by pointing out the way that the Jewish officials have allowed exceptions to God's law while refusing to bend their own traditions.  He refers particularly to one of the ten commandments.  God requires that children honor their parents.  This was more than an instruction to young children to eat their vegetables.  It was in the time before welfare a commandment to ensure that aging parents who could no longer work were provided for--a sort of social security.

But the religious types had figured a way around this seemingly straightforward command.  By declaring their wealth korban--or set aside for God--the children were able to live on their resources even as they denied the responsibilities of their parents because their estate was  dedicated to a higher purpose.

Jesus points out that not only have the authorities accused his disciples not of breaking God's law but human tradition.  They themselves erected traditions that broke God's law.

He then turns the focus back to the question of being defiled or impure.  The traditions teach that what comes into a person from the outside makes a person unclean on the inside.  But Jesus reminds them that everything that comes into the body goes from the mouth to the stomach and then is excreted, not to the heart.  Mark feels the need to emphasize that when Jesus said this he was declaring all foods clean.  Making this assertion seems to be directed towards Jews who read the gospel and practiced strict food guidelines.  It may have seemed ironic to those who read because here Jesus clearly institutes a new teaching that modifies not tradition, but the teaching of the Torah.

Jesus has an entirely definition of impurity.  Defilement is what comes out of your mouth not what goes in it.  A person's heart is revealed by their actions and words.  The Pharisees and teachers of the law reveal the corruption of their hearts as they act as if they are committed to God, but their words reveal that their commitments are really towards their own benefit.