Mark 8 16

Mark 8:16 kjv

And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.

Mark 8:16 nkjv

And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have no bread."

Mark 8:16 niv

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

Mark 8:16 esv

And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread.

Mark 8:16 nlt

At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn't brought any bread.

Mark 8 verses

Mark 8 16 Meaning

Mark 8:16 reveals the disciples' profound spiritual dullness and lack of comprehension, as they misinterpret Jesus' warning about the "leaven" of the Pharisees and Herod, believing He is speaking of literal bread scarcity. This verse highlights their preoccupation with physical needs and a failure to grasp the spiritual implications of His teaching and previous miraculous provisions.

Mark 8 16 Context

Mark 8:16 is situated immediately following Jesus' warning to His disciples: "Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod" (Mk 8:15). This discussion occurs as Jesus and the disciples are crossing the Sea of Galilee by boat, having just left the region of Dalmanutha. The disciples have inadvertently forgotten to bring bread, having only one loaf in the boat (Mk 8:14). This forgetfulness precipitates their literal-minded reasoning in verse 16. The historical context for the original audience would underscore the pervasive influence of both the Pharisees (representing strict Jewish legalism and hypocrisy) and Herod (representing the worldly, morally compromised political power). "Leaven" (ζύμη, zymē) was a powerful symbol in Jewish culture, often associated with corruption and defilement (e.g., in Passover regulations, leaven had to be purged). Jesus uses this metaphor to warn against the pervasive, corrupting influences of their spiritual and political leadership, which seek power and control rather than promoting true faith and submission to God's will. The disciples' misinterpretation in this verse underscores a deep polemic against their tendency, common in that age, to seek immediate, material solutions and blessings, rather than understanding deeper spiritual truths or recognizing God's supernatural provision, which they had witnessed firsthand moments before.

Mark 8 16 Word analysis

• And they reasoned: Greek: καὶ διελογίζοντο (kai dielógizonto). The conjunction "And" connects this action directly to Jesus' preceding warning. The verb "reasoned" is in the imperfect tense, suggesting an ongoing internal debate or discussion among them. This verb implies a deep consideration or calculation, but in this context, it leads to a flawed conclusion, demonstrating a misdirection of mental effort. It reflects a tendency for individuals to engage in internal or group deliberation rather than turning to Jesus for clarification.
• among themselves: Greek: πρὸς ἀλλήλους (pros allēlous). This phrase emphasizes the internal nature of their discussion. It suggests they were talking to each other, perhaps even excluding Jesus from their thought process, or at least not immediately seeking His understanding. This collective misinterpretation highlights a shared spiritual blind spot within the group.
• saying: Greek: λέγοντες (légontes). A simple participle indicating what their reasoning led them to articulate.
• ‘It is because we have no bread.’: Greek: ὅτι ἄρτους οὐκ ἔχομεν (hoti ártous ouk echomen). This phrase is their mistaken conclusion.
  • "bread": Greek: ἄρτους (ártous), plural, referring to loaves of bread. Their singular focus on this physical, perishable commodity reveals their failure to transcend the immediate material concern. Despite recently witnessing Jesus miraculously feed thousands with minimal provisions (Mk 6:41-44, Mk 8:6-9), they attribute their present predicament (and Jesus' metaphorical warning) solely to a practical lack of food. This indicates a complete oversight of Jesus' omnipotent provision and a deep spiritual amnesia.
  • This phrase encapsulates their misunderstanding of "leaven" (ζύμη, zymē) as literal, physical bread. They missed the metaphor entirely, applying a literal interpretation to a spiritual warning. Their concern was practical, daily sustenance, whereas Jesus' warning was about destructive spiritual doctrines and influences that subtly corrupt.
• "leaven of the Pharisees": Refers to their religious hypocrisy (Lk 12:1), legalism, external observance without internal piety (Mt 23:25-28), and false teachings that lead away from true spiritual life.
• "leaven of Herod": Refers to the political corruption, worldly ambitions, moral decay, and pragmatic compromise with pagan power structures (Mk 6:17-29 on John the Baptist's imprisonment and death, which exposed Herod's corruption and susceptibility to worldly influence).
• Words-group by words-group analysis:
  • "they reasoned among themselves, saying": This cluster highlights the collective failure of discernment among the disciples. Instead of relying on Jesus, or connecting His words to His past actions, they relied on their own limited, earthly logic. This reveals a dangerous self-sufficiency in their thinking that blinded them to spiritual truth.
  • "It is because we have no bread": This single explanation from the disciples reveals their total preoccupation with the material realm and an astounding spiritual amnesia. It serves as a stark contrast to Jesus' profound spiritual warning and emphasizes the vast chasm between His divine perspective and their earthly understanding, even after repeated miraculous interventions. It points to the common human tendency to literalize spiritual truths and neglect the miraculous power of God right before their eyes.

Mark 8 16 Bonus section

The disciples' specific failure to "remember" in this context is underscored in Jesus' subsequent questions in Mark 8:19-20. He explicitly refers back to the miraculous feedings of the five thousand (where they gathered "twelve baskets full of broken pieces") and the four thousand (where they gathered "seven baskets full"). These specific numbers of leftover baskets serve as concrete, tangible evidence of Jesus' boundless power to provide, yet they seemingly slipped the disciples' minds when confronted with their present lack of bread. This demonstrates a deep-seated spiritual forgetfulness—an inability to apply past divine encounters to current challenges. This common human frailty highlights the continuous need for believers to consciously remember God's faithfulness and provision in the past to bolster faith in the present.

Mark 8 16 Commentary

Mark 8:16 serves as a powerful testament to the disciples' ongoing spiritual obtuseness and their ingrained tendency to interpret spiritual realities through a stubbornly carnal lens. Immediately following Jesus' potent warning about the "leaven" (the corrupting influences/teachings) of the Pharisees and Herod, the disciples conclude, "It is because we have no bread." This reveals a profound disconnect. They focus entirely on a practical, logistical issue (lack of food) despite having witnessed Jesus miraculously feed thousands on two separate occasions just recently. Their earthly mindset prevents them from perceiving the deep spiritual danger Jesus warned against—the subtle, pervasive hypocrisy and legalism of the Pharisees, and the worldly, corrupt ambition of Herod. The irony is poignant: Jesus warns of a spiritual defilement that silently pervades, and their response reveals a mind already permeated by materialistic anxiety and spiritual amnesia, failing to see God's immediate, available provision and power. This verse highlights a critical spiritual lesson: a preoccupation with the material aspects of life often blinds us to vital spiritual warnings and divine truths, hindering our ability to truly understand and rely on Christ's sufficient power and wisdom. It calls believers to cultivate spiritual discernment, lest they mistake metaphors for literal statements and neglect God's abundant provision and clear warnings.