Mark 8:11 kjv
And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.
Mark 8:11 nkjv
Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.
Mark 8:11 niv
The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven.
Mark 8:11 esv
The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.
Mark 8:11 nlt
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had arrived, they came and started to argue with him. Testing him, they demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.
Mark 8 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 12:38-39 | Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." ...An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign... | Similar demand for a sign and Jesus' response. |
| Matt 16:1 | The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him, they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. | Another instance of leaders testing Jesus with a sign demand. |
| Luke 11:16 | Others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. | Luke's account mirroring the same request. |
| Luke 11:29-30 | ...This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. | Jesus' rebuke and only promised sign (Jonah). |
| Mark 8:12 | And sighing deeply in his spirit, he said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation." | Jesus' immediate sorrowful rejection of the demand. |
| John 2:18 | So the Jews said to him, "What sign do you show us for doing these things?" | Jewish leaders demanding a sign for Jesus' authority in cleansing the temple. |
| John 4:48 | So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe." | Jesus lamenting people's reliance on physical signs rather than faith. |
| John 20:29 | Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." | Emphasis on faith without physical proof. |
| Deut 6:16 | You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah. | Biblical prohibition against testing God. |
| Matt 4:7 | Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’" | Jesus' response to Satan tempting Him to test God. |
| Exod 7:3-5 | But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you... | Pharaoh's hardness of heart despite multiple signs. |
| Isa 6:9-10 | "Go, and say to this people: 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.'" | Spiritual blindness and hardening, applicable to the Pharisees. |
| John 3:19-20 | And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. | Those who reject truth because of their motives. |
| John 9:40-41 | Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, "Are we also blind?" Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no guilt... | The Pharisees' spiritual blindness and their rejection of light. |
| Acts 2:22 | "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him among you... | Peter's sermon, identifying Jesus' miracles as God's authentication. |
| Rom 1:20 | For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen... | God's revelation being evident to all, yet some refuse to acknowledge it. |
| 2 Thess 2:9 | The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders... | Warning against deceptive signs, highlighting that not all signs are from God. |
| 1 Cor 1:22 | For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified... | Distinguishes Jewish tendency to seek signs from faith in the cross. |
| Heb 2:4 | while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. | God attesting His message through signs. |
| Luke 16:31 | He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’ | Illustrates that unbelief is a heart issue, not a lack of evidence. |
Mark 8 verses
Mark 8 11 Meaning
The verse describes the antagonistic encounter where the religious leaders, the Pharisees, directly challenged Jesus. They aggressively debated with Him, demanding that He perform a miraculous sign from heaven. Their intent was not to genuinely seek truth or confirmation but to critically examine and entrap Him, likely hoping to find a reason to discredit or condemn Him.
Mark 8 11 Context
This verse is situated immediately after Jesus miraculously feeds four thousand people (Mark 8:1-10), demonstrating His immense power and compassion. This act was yet another in a series of powerful miracles that validated His claims and authority. However, instead of accepting these obvious signs, the Pharisees confront Him with a fresh demand for a specific, undeniably divine sign from heaven. This indicates their hardened hearts and spiritual blindness, refusing to see the divine presence in the "earthly" signs Jesus already performed. The confrontation marks a continuous pattern of opposition from the religious establishment to Jesus’ ministry. Following this exchange, Jesus will depart and warn His disciples against the "leaven" (influence/teaching) of the Pharisees.
Mark 8 11 Word analysis
The Pharisees: (Greek: Pharisaios from Hebrew perushim meaning "separated ones"). A powerful, influential Jewish religious party emphasizing strict adherence to the Law and oral traditions. They were typically antagonistic to Jesus, viewing Him as a threat to their authority and interpretation of the Law. Their pursuit of outward righteousness often masked an inward spiritual void and hostility towards genuine divine manifestation.
came: Indicates a deliberate action; they specifically approached Jesus for this confrontation.
and began to argue: (Greek: synzēteō - literally "to seek with, dispute, contend together"). Implies a challenging, combative discussion or dispute, not a sincere inquiry. It conveys an adversarial encounter where their aim was to corner or challenge Jesus’ authority.
with Jesus: Highlights Jesus as the specific target of their hostile questioning and challenge.
seeking: (Greek: zēteō - "to search for, require, demand"). Shows an active and persistent demand, not merely a casual request. It denotes a deliberate attempt to force a specific action from Jesus.
from him: The sign was expected to come directly from Jesus, validating His claims or exposing their perceived falsehood.
a sign: (Greek: sēmeion - "a distinguishing mark, token, miracle"). Refers to a miraculous display that attests to divine power or authentication. Throughout the Bible, signs are given by God to confirm His word or His chosen servants (e.g., Moses' staff, Gideon's fleece).
from heaven: This is a crucial qualifier. They were not content with Jesus' existing miracles (healings, feeding thousands, controlling nature), which occurred on earth. They demanded a cosmic, overtly supernatural sign directly from the sky, like fire descending (similar to Elijah, 1 Kgs 18) or manna (Exod 16). This demand likely stemmed from their desire for a visible, incontrovertible display that would align with their apocalyptic expectations or allow them to manipulate the narrative. It also showed a distrust of Jesus' previous works.
to test him: (Greek: peirazō - "to try, put to the proof, examine, tempt"). In this context, it carries a negative connotation, meaning to tempt, trick, or challenge with a malicious or skeptical intent, similar to how Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness (Matt 4) or how Israel tested God in the desert (Exod 17:7, Ps 78:18). Their aim was not honest inquiry but to find fault, lay a trap, or see if Jesus would fail or resort to something they could condemn as sorcery or blasphemy.
Words-group Analysis:
- "The Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus": This phrase sets the adversarial tone of the encounter. It shows their consistent posture of opposition and their intent to challenge Jesus directly in a disputatious manner, rather than engaging in a dialogue of genuine spiritual inquiry.
- "seeking from him a sign from heaven": This reveals their deliberate refusal to acknowledge the many 'signs' Jesus had already given on earth through His mighty works of healing, deliverance, and provision. Their demand for a sign "from heaven" points to a specific, perhaps grander, type of divine intervention they presumed was necessary for true messianic authentication, indicating a spiritual blindness to the divine activity already manifest among them.
- "to test him": This phrase is key to understanding their motivation. It highlights their ill intent – they were not seeking to believe but to find grounds for accusation or dismissal. Their "test" was a malicious act of unbelief, designed to corner or expose Jesus, mirroring past biblical instances of people tempting or challenging God.
Mark 8 11 Bonus section
The concept of "signs" in the Bible carries dual significance. While God often provides signs to confirm His presence, power, or messages through His prophets and Messiah, there is also a clear distinction made between signs given for authentication and signs demanded out of unbelief or manipulation. The Pharisees' demand for a sign here falls into the latter category, reflecting a generation that was already steeped in revelation but refused to truly perceive it (Isa 6:9-10). Their spiritual dullness made them unable to discern "the signs of the times" that Jesus had already manifested through His kingdom ministry (Matt 16:3). This highlights a critical lesson: genuine faith is a response to divine revelation with an open heart, not a conditional acceptance based on demanding spectacles to satisfy pre-determined criteria or to provide grounds for disbelief.
Mark 8 11 Commentary
Mark 8:11 powerfully illustrates the spiritual hardening and skepticism of the religious establishment towards Jesus. Despite witnessing numerous demonstrable miracles (His earthly "signs") – healing the sick, casting out demons, walking on water, and multiplying food – the Pharisees refused to acknowledge Jesus' divine authority. Their demand for a specific "sign from heaven" was not a plea for proof to foster belief, but a cynical challenge intended to put Jesus on trial. They aimed to control the narrative, forcing Him into a display they could either endorse as proof by their standards or, more likely, condemn if it did not meet their preconceived notions or if He refused. Their motive of "testing" Him exposes their hostile intent, revealing their deep spiritual opposition rather than an intellectual curiosity. This highlights a fundamental truth: unbelief is often a matter of the will, a resistance of the heart, rather than a lack of evidence. Jesus often refused such manipulative requests for signs, understanding that true faith does not coerce God, nor does it wait for signs if ample evidence is already provided through His character and works.