The Meaning of Mark 8:2 Explained

Mark 8:2

KJV: I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:

YLT: 'I have compassion upon the multitude, because now three days they do continue with me, and they have not what they may eat;

Darby: I have compassion on the crowd, because they have stayed with me already three days and they have not anything they can eat,

ASV: I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I have compassion  on  the multitude,  because  they have  now  been  with me  three  days,  and  have  nothing  to eat: 

What does Mark 8:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Mark 8:1-21 - The Demand For Signs Rebuked
Notice the Master's tender considerateness, Mark 8:1-9. He would not have the people faint on their way home. There are distinct differences between this miracle and the feeding of the five thousand. Most of these are evident to the English reader, but that between the baskets used for the fragments is clear only from the original-those used in the case of the five thousand being quite different from the large ones used here, Mark 8:20; Matthew 15:37. Our Lord never repeats His work.
The Savior sighed in the previous chapter over physical need; here He sighs over moral obtuseness, Mark 8:10-21. The language is very strong, and gives a glimpse into the Redeemer's heart. Had the Pharisees been as willing to discern the signs of the age as to read the weather, they must have been able to recognize Him and His claims; but their foolish heart was darkened. Having sighed over the hard-heartedness of the Pharisees, might He not equally have done so over the obtuseness of the Twelve? They thought that He was referring to their carelessness in omitting to take bread. How little they realized that the cause lay far deeper! Let us be quick to read the divine intention in very simple incidents, and to learn that all God's past dealings contain lessons for the present! [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 8

1  Jesus feeds the people miraculously;
10  refuses to give a sign to the Pharisees;
14  admonishes his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod;
22  gives a blind man his sight;
27  acknowledges that he is the Jesus who should suffer and rise again;
34  and exhorts to patience in persecution for the profession of the gospel

Greek Commentary for Mark 8:2

Now three days [ηδη ημεραι τρεις]
This text preserves a curious parenthetic nominative of time (Robertson, Grammar, p. 460). See note on Matthew 15:32. [source]
I have compassion [σπλαγχνίξομαι]
A peculiar verb, from σπλάγχνα , the inward parts, especially the nobler entrails - the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys. These came gradually to denote the seat of the affections, like our word heart. This explains the frequent use of the word bowels in the A. V. in the sense of tender mercy, affection, compassion. See Luke 1:78; 2 Corinthians 7:15; Philemon 1:8; Philemon 1:7, Philemon 1:12, Philemon 1:20. The Rev. has properly rejected it in every such case, using it only in its literal sense in the single passage, Acts 1:18. [source]
They have been with me [προσμένουσιν]
Lit., they continue, as Rev. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 8:2

Matthew 20:34 Touched their eyes [ηπσατο των ομματων]
A synonym for οπταλμων — ophthalmōn in Mark 8:23 and here alone in the N.T. In the lxx and a common poetic word (Euripides) and occurs in the papyri. In modern Greek ματια μου — matia mou (abbreviation) means “light of my eye,” “my darling.” The verb απτομαι — haptomai is very common in the Synoptic Gospels. The touch of Christ‘s hand would sooth the eyes as they were healed. [source]
Matthew 7:5 Shalt thou see clearly [διαβλεπσεις]
Only here and Luke 6:42 and Mark 8:25 in the New Testament. Look through, penetrate in contrast to βλεπεις — blepeis to gaze at, in Matthew 7:3. Get the log out of your eye and you will see clearly how to help the brother get the splinter out (εκβαλειν — ekbalein) of his eye. [source]
Mark 8:22 Unto Bethsaida [εις ητσαιδαν]
On the Eastern side not far from the place of the feeding of the five thousand, Bethsaida Julias. Note dramatic presents they come This incident in Mark alone (Mark 8:22-26). [source]
Mark 8:32 Spake the saying openly [παρρησιαι τον λογον ελαλει]
He held back nothing, told it all (παν — pān all, ρησια — rēsia from ειπον — eipon say), without reserve, to all of them. Imperfect tense ελαλει — elalei shows that Jesus did it repeatedly. Mark alone gives this item. Mark does not give the great eulogy of Peter in Matthew 16:17, Matthew 16:19 after his confession (Mark 8:29; Matthew 16:16; Luke 9:20), but he does tell the stinging rebuke given Peter by Jesus on this occasion. See discussion on Matthew 16:21, Matthew 16:26. [source]
Luke 9:28 Into the mountain [εις το ορος]
Probably Mount Hermon because we know that Jesus was near Caesarea Philippi when Peter made the confession (Mark 8:27; Matthew 16:13). Hermon is still the glory of Palestine from whose heights one can view the whole of the land. It was a fit place for the Transfiguration.To pray (προσευχασται — proseuxasthai). Peculiar to Luke who so often mentions Christ‘s habit of prayer (cf. Luke 3:21). See also Luke 9:29 “as he was praying” (εν τωι προσευχεσται — en tōi proseuchesthai one of Luke‘s favourite idioms).His countenance was altered Literally, “the appearance of his face became different.” Matthew 17:2 says that “his face did shine as the sun.” Luke does not use the word “transfigured” Literally, And his raiment white radiant. There is no and between “white” and “dazzling.” The participle εχαστραπτων — exastraptōn is from the compound verb meaning to flash The simple verb is common for lightning flashes and bolts, but the compound in the lxx and here alone in the N.T. See note on Mark 9:3 “exceeding white” and the note on Matthew 17:2 “white as the light.” [source]
John 1:21 And they asked him [και ηρωτησαν αυτον]
Here the paratactic και — kai is like the transitional ουν — oun (then). What then? Argumentative ουν — oun like Paul‘s τι ουν — ti oun in Romans 6:15. Quid ergo? Art thou Elijah? The next inevitable question since Elijah had been understood to be the forerunner of the Messiah from Malachi 4:5. In Mark 9:11. Jesus will identify John with the Elijah of Malachi‘s prophecy. Why then does John here flatly deny it? Because the expectation was that Elijah would return in person. This John denies. Jesus only asserts that John was Elijah in spirit. Elijah in person they had just seen on the Mount of Transfiguration. He saith Vivid dramatic present. I am not Short and blunt denial. Art thou the prophet? “The prophet art thou?” This question followed naturally the previous denials. Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15) had spoken of a prophet like unto himself. Christians interpreted this prophet to be the Messiah (Acts 3:22; Acts 7:37), but the Jews thought him another forerunner of the Messiah (John 7:40). It is not clear in John 6:15 whether the people identified the expected prophet with the Messiah, though apparently so. Even the Baptist later became puzzled in prison whether Jesus himself was the true Messiah or just one of the forerunners (Luke 7:19). People wondered about Jesus himself whether he was the Messiah or just one of the looked for prophets (Mark 8:28; Matthew 16:14). And he answered First aorist passive (deponent passive, sense of voice gone) indicative of αποκρινομαι — apokrinomai to give a decision from myself, to reply. No Shortest possible denial. [source]
John 6:13 Twelve baskets [δωδεκα κοπινους]
One for each of the apostles. What about the lad? Stout wicker baskets (coffins, Wycliff) in distinction from the soft and frail σπυριδες — sphurides used at the feeding of the four thousand (Mark 8:8; Matthew 15:37). Here all the Gospels (Mark 6:43; Matthew 14:20; Luke 9:17; John 6:13) use κοπινοι — kophinoi The same distinction between κοπινοι — kophinoi and σπυριδες — sphurides is preserved in the allusion to the incidents by Jesus in Mark 8:19, Mark 8:20; Matthew 16:9, Matthew 16:10. Unto them that had eaten Articular perfect active participle (dative case) of βιβρωσκω — bibrōskō old verb to eat, only here in N.T., though often in lxx. [source]
John 6:69 We have believed [ημεις πεπιστευκαμεν]
Perfect active indicative of πιστευω — pisteuō “We have come to believe and still believe” (John 6:29). And know Same tense of γινωσκω — ginōskō “We have come to know and still know.” Thou art the Holy One of God Bernard follows those who believe that this is John‘s report of the same confession given by the Synoptics (Mark 8:27.; Matthew 16:13-20; Luke 9:18.), an utterly unjustifiable conclusion. The details are wholly different. Here in the synagogue in Capernaum, there on Mt. Hermon near Caesarea Philippi. What earthly difficulty is there in supposing that Peter could make a noble confession twice? That is to my mind a wooden conception of the apostles in their growing apprehension of Christ. [source]
John 9:2 Who did sin? [τις ημαρτεν]
Second aorist active indicative of αμαρτανω — hamartanō See Acts 3:2; Acts 14:8 for two examples of lameness from birth. Blindness is common in the Orient and Jesus healed many cases (cf. Mark 8:23; Mark 10:46) and mentions this fact as one of the marks of the Messiah in the message to the Baptist (Matthew 11:5). This is the only example of congenital blindness healed. It is not clear that the disciples expected Jesus to heal this case. They are puzzled by the Jewish notion that sickness was a penalty for sin. The Book of Job had shown that this was not always the case and Jesus shows it also (Luke 13:1-5). If this man was guilty, it was due to prenatal sin on his part, a curious notion surely. The other alternative charged it upon his parents. That is sometimes true (Exodus 20:5, etc.), but by no means always. The rabbinical casuists loved to split hairs on this problem. Ezekiel (Ezekiel 18:20) says: “The soul that sinneth it shall die” (individual responsibility for sin committed). There is something in heredity, but not everything. That he should be born blind Probably consecutive (or sub-final) use of ινα — hina with first aorist passive subjunctive of γενναω — gennaō f0). [source]
John 9:6 He spat on the ground [επτυσεν χαμαι]
First aorist active indicative of the old verb πτυω — ptuō for which see Mark 7:33. Χαμαι — Chamai is an old adverb either in the dative or locative (sense suits locative), in N.T. only here and John 18:6. Jesus was not asked to cure this man. The curative effects of saliva are held in many places. The Jews held saliva efficacious for eye-trouble, but it was forbidden on the Sabbath. “That Jesus supposed some virtue lay in the application of the clay is contradicted by the fact that in other cases of blindness He did not use it” (Dods). Cf. Mark 8:23. Why he here accommodated himself to current belief we do not know unless it was to encourage the man to believe. He made clay Only use of πηλος — pēlos old word for clay, in N.T. in this chapter and Romans 9:21. The kneading of the clay and spittle added another offense against the Sabbath rules of the rabbis. Anointed his eyes with the clay First aorist active indicative of επιχριω — epichriō old verb, to spread on, anoint, here only and John 9:11 in N.T. “He spread the clay upon his eyes.” B C read επετηκεν — epethēken (first aorist active indicative of επιτιτημι — epitithēmi to put on). [source]
Acts 17:19 And they took hold of him [επιλαβομενοι δε αυτου]
Second aorist middle participle of επιλαμβανω — epilambanō old verb, but in the N.T. only in the middle, here with the genitive αυτου — autou to lay hold of, but with no necessary sense of violence (Acts 9:27; Acts 23:27; Mark 8:23), unless the idea is that Paul was to be tried before the Court of Areopagus for the crime of bringing in strange gods. But the day for that had passed in Athens. Even so it is not clear whether “unto the Areopagus It was all very polite. [source]
Galatians 4:14 Ye despised not nor rejected [οὐκ ἐξουθενήσατε οὐδὲ ἐξεπτύσατε]
Commonly explained by making both verbs govern your temptation. Thus the meaning would be: “You were tempted to treat my preaching contemptuously because of my bodily infirmity; but you did not despise nor reject that which was a temptation to you.” This is extremely far fetched, awkward, and quite without parallel in Paul's writings or elsewhere. It does not suit the following but received me, etc. It lays the stress on the Galatians' resistance of a temptation to despise Paul; whereas the idea of a temptation is incidental. On this construction we should rather expect Paul to say: “Ye did despise and repudiate this temptation.” Better, make your temptation, etc., dependent on ye know (Galatians 4:13); place a colon after flesh, and make both verbs govern me in the following clause. Rend. “Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel to you the first time, and (ye know) your temptation which was in my flesh: ye did not despise nor reject me, but received me.” The last clause thus forms one of a series of short and detached clauses beginning with Galatians 4:10. Ὁυκ ἐξουθενήσατε yedid not set at nought, from οὐδέν nothingThe form οὐθέν occurs Luke 22:35; Luke 23:14; Acts 19:27; Acts 26:26; 1 Corinthians 13:2; 2 Corinthians 11:8. For the compound here, comp. Luke 18:9; Luke 23:11; Acts 4:11; 2 Corinthians 10:10. oClass. Ἑξεπτύσατε spurnedN.T.oLit. spat out. A strong metaphor, adding the idea of contempt to that of setting at nought. Comp. Hom. Od. v. 322; Aristoph. Wasps, 792. The two verbs express contemptuous indifference. Ἑμέσαι tovomit, as a figure of contemptuous rejection, is found in Revelation 3:16. The simple πτύειν tospit only in the literal sense in N.T. Mark 7:33; Mark 8:23; John 9:6, and no other compound occurs. [source]
Colossians 1:19 All the fulness [παν το πληρωμα]
The same idea as in Colossians 2:9 παν το πληρωμα της τεοτητος — pān to plērōma tēs theotētos (all the fulness of the Godhead). “A recognized technical term in theology, denoting the totality of the Divine powers and attributes” (Lightfoot). It is an old word from πληροω — plēroō to fill full, used in various senses as in Mark 8:20 of the baskets, Galatians 4:10 of time, etc. The Gnostics distributed the divine powers among various aeons. Paul gathers them all up in Christ, a full and flat statement of the deity of Christ. Should dwell (κατοικησαι — katoikēsai). First aorist active infinitive of κατοικεω — katoikeō to make abode or home. All the divine attributes are at home in Christ (εν αυτωι — en autōi). [source]
1 Timothy 6:12 Lay hold [ἐπιλαβοῦ]
oP. Frequent in Luke and Acts. Occasionally in this strong sense, as Luke 20:20; Luke 23:26; Acts 18:17, but not usually. See Mark 8:23; Luke 9:47; Acts 9:27. [source]
Hebrews 12:9 Furthermore [εἷτα]
Everywhere else in N.T. this particle marks a succession of time or incident. See Mark 4:17; Mark 8:25; Luke 8:12; 1 Corinthians 15:5, 1 Corinthians 15:7. Here it introduces a new phase of the subject under discussion. [source]
Hebrews 11:16 Is not ashamed [οὐκ ἐπαισχύνεται]
Because they have commended themselves to God by their faith, so that he acknowledges them as his own. Comp. Hebrews 2:11; Mark 8:28, Mark 8:38; Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 1:8, 2 Timothy 1:16. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 8:2 mean?

I am moved with compassion upon the crowd because already days three they continue with Me and nothing have that they might eat
Σπλαγχνίζομαι ἐπὶ τὸν ὄχλον ὅτι ἤδη ἡμέραι τρεῖς προσμένουσίν μοι καὶ οὐκ ἔχουσιν τί φάγωσιν

Σπλαγχνίζομαι  I  am  moved  with  compassion 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 1st Person Singular
Root: σπλαγχνίζομαι  
Sense: to be moved as to one’s bowels, hence to be moved with compassion, have compassion (for the bowels were thought to be the seat of love and pity).
ἐπὶ  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
ὄχλον  crowd 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ὄχλος  
Sense: a crowd.
ὅτι  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
ἤδη  already 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἤδη  
Sense: now, already.
ἡμέραι  days 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Plural
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
τρεῖς  three 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Plural
Root: τρεῖς 
Sense: three.
προσμένουσίν  they  continue 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: προσμένω  
Sense: to remain with, to continue with one.
μοι  with  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
οὐκ  nothing 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐ  
Sense: no, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer.
τί  that 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: τίς  
Sense: who, which, what.
φάγωσιν  they  might  eat 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἐσθίω  
Sense: to eat.