Extremely astonished - Mark 7:36-37
Again Jesus told them to keep this a secret. The last time he was in the Decapolis he told the healed Gerasene demoniac to tell of his healing (5:19, 20). It seems that Jesus was now far better known in this area and that led him to want less publicity about his healing powers. In any case, the people ignored him and spread the news. Again they were
astonished , this time extremely astonished.
For the Gentiles as well - Mark 8:1-10
This second feeding of a multitude was during Jesus' time in the Gentile Decapolis. Jesus provided life not just for the Jews, but for the Gentiles as well. The Syrophoenecian woman was right. There were enough crumbs under the table everyone. See 7:28.
Have compassion - Mark 8:2
Again the miracle was prompted when Jesus announced he would
"have compassion". See 6:34. The reference to the
three days focuses attention on Jesus' growing popularity with the crowds.
Deserted place - Mark 8:4
Certainly the disciples must have remembered the feeding of the 5,000, but they still wondered where they would get food for the crowd. As Mark pointed out in the following verses they still did not fully understand who Jesus was and what he was capable of doing. As in the account of the feeding of the 5,000 this event took place in a
deserted place. Mark continued to set Jesus ministry in the context of the wilderness.
Baskets were evidence - Mark 8:8
The seven large
baskets were evidence that Jesus could provide more than they would ever need.
4,000 - Mark 8:9
The text is not clear whether the 4,000 was the total of men, women, and children, or only of men. The parallel account in Matt 15:38 makes it clear that the 4,000 refers to only men and the women and children present were in addition to that number.
Dalmanutha - Mark 8:10
Dalmanutha is mentioned only in this verse in the whole Bible. Nor is it mentioned in any other ancient literature. Matthew (15:39) called it Magadan. Neither place can be identified with certainty. It may have been a region on the western shore of the lake.A sign from heaven - Mark 8:11
The Pharisees again came to argue with Jesus. They were not coming to learn or to be healed. They came to test him. This is the same Greek word used to describe Satan tempting Jesus (1:13). They argued with him and challenged him to give them a sign. Earlier Jesus would not perform miracles when confronted with hardhearted unbelief in Nazareth and elsewhere.Jesus sighed deeply - Mark 8:12-13
Jesus' emotions are evident when Mark states that he sighed deeply. The repeated unbelief and antagonistic challenges frustrated and discouraged Jesus. This was not a fleeting, momentary emotion, but rather a sensitivity that was rooted in his spirit deep inside him. See note at 7:34 regarding Jesus' emotional life. Jesus' use of the word generation set this confrontation in the context of the unbelieving wilderness generation of Israel's history (Num. 32:13; Deut. 32:5). On this occasion he refused to give any kind of a sign to those whose hearts were already firmly set against him. Jesus' intensity of feeling comes out in his use of the words truly I say to you and his refusal to give a sign. Jesus' miracles had already been a sign of the presence of the kingdom of God. Those signs demanded a response of faith. Jesus refused to submit to the testing of the hard hearted unbelief of the Pharisees. His put his refusal into action by leaving them.
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