Mark 8:7
in Mark 8They also had a few small fish, and Jesus blessed them and ordered that these be set before them as well.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they had a few small fishes: and having blessed them, he commanded to set these also before them.
KJV
And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.
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This verse in Mark 8
Commentary
11 notes on this verseThe small fishes blessed are the books of the New Testament, for our Lord when risen asks for a piece of broiled fish; or else in these little fishes, we receive the saints, seeing that in the Scriptures of the New Testament are contained the faith, life, and sufferings of them who, snatched away from the troubled waves of this world, have given us by their example spiritual refreshment.
This site's exposition
Where in this desolate place could anyone find enough bread
on Mark 8:4-9
The disciples' question, Where in this desolate place could anyone find enough bread, comes as though the five thousand fed earlier were forgotten. Jesus feeds them from seven loaves, and the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
This site's exposition
a few small fish
Adam Clarke points out that the parallel account at Matthew 15:36 does not notice this separate blessing of the fish. Mark sets the two acts apart. The bread is given thanks for first, and then the fish are blessed and served.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
And not only the bread, but the fish also He blessed, and ordered to be set before them. For there comes after, And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.
The Medieval Church3 voices
After the Lord had performed the former miracle concerning the multiplication of the loaves, now again, a fitting occasion presents itself, and He takes the opportunity of working a similar miracle; wherefore it is said, In those days, the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and, saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat.
And they had some small fishes, and he blessed them and ordered them to be set before them. If in the seven loaves is signified the Scripture of the New Testament, in the reading of which we find internal feasts for the mind through the …
The Lord had already performed a similar miracle before. He works wonders now as well, having a fitting occasion for it. And the occasion was this: the people had been with Him for three days, and the food supply they had taken for the journey …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And they had a few small fishes,.... Which they also acquainted Christ with, and brought out unto him: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.
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
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.
And they had a few small fishes - This is not noticed in the parallel place, Mat 15:36.
The words behind it
11 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 |
| εἶχον | eichon | they had | G2192 → | 707 times |
| ἰχθύδια | ichthudia | small fish | G2485 → | |
| ὀλίγα· | oliga | a few; | G3641 → | 40 times |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εὐλογήσας | eulogesas | having blessed | G2127 → | 41 times |
| αὐτὰ | auta | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἶπεν | eipen | He ordered | G2036 → | 925 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ταῦτα | tauta | these | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| παρατιθέναι. | paratithenai | to be set before [them]. | G3908 → | 19 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἶχονthey had
eichonG2192 →707 times
ἰχθύδιαsmall fish
ichthudiaG2485 →
ὀλίγα·a few;
oligaG3641 →40 times
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εὐλογήσαςhaving blessed
eulogesasG2127 →41 times
αὐτὰthem
autaG846 →5565 times
εἶπενHe ordered
eipenG2036 →925 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ταῦταthese
tautaG3778 →1381 times
παρατιθέναι.to be set before [them].
paratithenaiG3908 →19 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
Luke 6:41Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?
it leads to
- John 8:7
When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.”
- James 1:24
and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
- Romans 2:21–24
you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?
- Romans 2:1
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
- Matthew 7:3–5
Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?
- John 8:7
Through
Matthew 14:19And He directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and…
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 9:13
As soon as you enter the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the…
- Mark 8:6–7
And He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then He took the seven loaves, gave thanks and broke them, and gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And…
- 1 Samuel 9:13
Through
John 21:5So He called out to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” “No,” they answered.
it leads to
- Philippians 4:19
And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
- Philippians 4:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
On this verse
About Mark
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; 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 Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Pseudo-Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Remigius of Rheims, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark.