Mark 8:11
in Mark 8Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, testing Him by demanding from Him a sign from heaven.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, trying him.
KJV
And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.
⋯
This verse in Mark 8
Commentary
11 notes on this verse(in Marc. 2, 33) The Pharisees, then, seek a sign from heaven, that He, Who had for the second time fed many thousands of men with a few loaves of bread, should now, after the example of Moses, refresh the whole nation in the last time with manna sent down from heaven, and dispersed amongst them all.
This site's exposition
went to the district of Dalmanutha
on Mark 8:10-13
When the Pharisees demand a sign from heaven, Jesus sighed deeply in His spirit, Mark's window into His grief. He answers that no sign will be given to this generation, and He left them and crossed to the other side.
This site's exposition
demanding from Him a sign from heaven
John Gill explains that the arguing was the Pharisees' usual way of disputing by question and answer. John Chrysostom asks what sign they wanted, perhaps the sun held back or thunderbolts brought down. Such signs, he says, met an enemy in Pharaoh's day.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Let no one, however, be perplexed that the answer which Mark says was given to them, when they sought a sign from heaven, is not the same as that which Matthew relates, namely, that concerning Jonah. He says that the Lord's answer was, that no sign should be given to it; by which we must understand such an one as they asked for, that is, one from heaven; but he has omitted to say, what Matthew has related.
The Medieval Church3 voices
Or they seek for a sign from heaven, that is, they wish Him to make the sun and moon stand still, to bring down hail, and change the atmosphere; for they thought that He could not perform miracles from heaven, but could only in Beelzebub perform a sign on earth.
And the Pharisees went out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, tempting Him. Thus they seek a sign, as if what they had seen were not signs. But what they seek is shown when it is said: Seeking …
And the Pharisees demand a sign from heaven, for example, to stop the sun or the moon, to bring down lightning, to produce a change in the air. They thought that He was unable to perform a heavenly sign, having the power to produce by …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the Pharisees came forth,.... Out of their houses; who dwelt in the coasts of Magdala, and parts of Dalmanutha, and came to Jesus, hearing of his being arrived in their neighbourhood: and began to question with him; or to dispute with him, it being their manner to carry on disputations by questions and answers. The Persic version has the question they put, and about which they disputed, "if thou art the Christ"; in proof of which they required a sign: seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him; See Gill on Mat 16:1.
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
Once more we see our Lord feeding a great multitude with a few loaves and fish. He knew the heart of man. He saw the rise of cavilers and skeptics, who would question the reality of the wonderful works He performed. By repeating the mighty miracle here recorded, He stops the mouth of all who are not wilfully blind to evidence. Publicly, and before four thousand witnesses, He shows His almighty power a second time. Let us observe in this passage how great is the kindness and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ .
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him--not in the least desiring evidence for their conviction, but hoping to entrap Him. The first part of the answer is given in Matthew alone (Mt 16:2, 3): "He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather; for the sky is red.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+odd-straight-quotes
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
Once more we see our Lord feeding a great multitude with a few loaves and fish. He knew the heart of man. He saw the rise of cavilers and skeptics, who would question the reality of the wonderful works He performed. By repeating the mighty miracle here recorded, He stops the mouth of all who are not wilfully blind to evidence. Publicly, and before four thousand witnesses, He shows His almighty power a second time. Let us observe in this passage how great is the kindness and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ . He saw around Him a "very great multitude," who had nothing to eat. He knew that the great majority were following Him from no other motive than idle curiosity, and had no claim whatever to be regarded as His disciples. Yet when He saw them hungry and destitute, He pitied them — "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat." The feeling heart of our Lord Jesus Christ appears in these words. He has compassion even on those who are not His people — the faithless, the graceless, the followers of this world. He feels tenderly for them, though they know it not. He died for them, though they care little for what He did on the cross. He would receive them graciously, and pardon them freely, if they would only repent and believe on Him. Let us ever beware of measuring the love of Christ by any human measure. He has a special love, beyond doubt, for His own believing people. But He has also a general love of compassion, even for the unthankful and the evil. His love "passes knowledge." (Ephes. 3:19.) Let us strive to make Jesus our pattern in this, as well as in everything else. Let us be kind, and compassionate, and piteous, and courteous to all men. Let us be ready to do good to all men, and not only to friends and the household of faith.
The words behind it
17 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐξῆλθον | exelthon | went out | G1831 → | 216 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Φαρισαῖοι | pharisaioi | Pharisees | G5330 → | 97 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἤρξαντο | erxanto | began | G757 → | 85 times |
| συζητεῖν | suzetein | to dispute | G4802 → | 10 times |
| αὐτῷ | auto | with Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ζητοῦντες | zetountes | seeking | G2212 → | 117 times |
| παρ᾽ | par᾽ | from | G3844 → | 192 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| σημεῖον | semeion | a sign | G4592 → | 75 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οὐρανοῦ, | ouranou | heaven, | G3772 → | 272 times |
| πειράζοντες | peirazontes | testing | G3985 → | 37 times |
| αὐτόν.¶ | auton | Him. | G846 → | 5565 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐξῆλθονwent out
exelthonG1831 →216 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ΦαρισαῖοιPharisees
pharisaioiG5330 →97 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἤρξαντοbegan
erxantoG757 →85 times
συζητεῖνto dispute
suzeteinG4802 →10 times
αὐτῷwith Him
autoG846 →5565 times
ζητοῦντεςseeking
zetountesG2212 →117 times
παρ᾽from
par᾽G3844 →192 times
αὐτοῦHim
autouG846 →5565 times
σημεῖονa sign
semeionG4592 →75 times
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
οὐρανοῦ,heaven,
ouranouG3772 →272 times
πειράζοντεςtesting
peirazontesG3985 →37 times
αὐτόν.¶Him.
autonG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 4:48Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.”
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 1:22
Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom,
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- John 20:29
Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
- 1 Corinthians 1:22
Through
1 Corinthians 10:9We should not test Christ, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes.
it leads to
- Numbers 21:5–6
and spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you led us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!”
- Psalms 78:18
They willfully tested God by demanding the food they craved.
- Hebrews 3:8–11
do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness,
- Exodus 17:2
So the people contended with Moses, “Give us water to drink.” “Why do you contend with me?” Moses replied. “Why do you test the LORD?”
- Psalms 78:56
But they tested and disobeyed God Most High, for they did not keep His decrees.
- Numbers 21:5–6
Through
Matthew 12:38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”
it leads to
- Mark 8:11–12
Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, testing Him by demanding from Him a sign from heaven.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Mark 8:11–12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
On this verse
About Mark
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Mark; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW, HOMILY 53.3; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark.