Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Mark: Chapter 8]
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8:1 {Had nothing to eat} (\m• echont•n ti phag•sin\). Genitive
absolute and plural because \ochlou\ a collective substantive.
Not having what to eat (deliberative subjunctive retained in
indirect question). The repetition of a nature miracle of feeding
four thousand in Decapolis disturbs some modern critics who
cannot imagine how Jesus could or would perform another miracle
elsewhere so similar to the feeding of the five thousand up near
Bethsaida Julias. But both Mark and Matthew give both miracles,
distinguish the words for baskets (\kophinos, sphuris\), and both
make Jesus later refer to both incidents and use these two words
with the same distinction (Mr 8:19f.; Mt 16:9f.). Surely it is
easier to conceive that Jesus wrought two such miracles than to
hold that Mark and Matthew have made such a jumble of the whole
business.
8:2 {Now three days} (\•d• h•merai treis\). This text preserves a
curious parenthetic nominative of time (Robertson, _Grammar_, p.
460). See on ¯Mt 15:32.
8:3 {Are come from far} (\apo makrothen eisin\). This item alone
in Mark.
8:4 {Here} (\h•de\). Of all places, in this desert region in the
mountains. The disciples feel as helpless as when the five
thousand were fed. They do not rise to faith in the unlimited
power of Jesus after all that they have seen.
8:6 {Brake and gave} (\eklasen kai edidou\). Constative aorist
followed by imperfect. The giving kept on. {To set before them}
(\hina paratith•sin\). Present subjunctive describing the
continuous process.
8:7 {A few small fishes} (\ichthudia oliga\). Mark mentions them
last as if they were served after the food, but not so Mt
15:34f.
8:8 {Broken pieces that remained over} (\perisseumata
klasmat•n\). Overplus, abundance, remains of broken pieces not
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Word Pictures in the New Testament
(Mark: Chapter 8)