Jesus Heals a Deaf Man
31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
 
Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand
8 In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3 And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.” 4 And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” 5 And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” 6 And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. 7 And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. 8 And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 9 And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. 10 And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.
 
The Pharisees Demand a Sign
11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.
 
The Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod
14 Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

Jesus is not only for the Jews but for the Gentiles as well. He will bring salvation to all people and fulfill God's promise of blessing Abraham's offspring, ultimately fulfilled in Revelation 5:9—where every tribe and nation worships Him. He travels twenty miles north of the Decapolis or 'ten towns' before returning to their vicinity. Within Gentile territory, He encounters a deaf and mute man requiring healing. Instead of magic or charm, His words are "Ephphatha!" meaning 'Be opened!' These commands convey divine authority rather than a magical incantation.

Mark narrates a second time when Jesus satisfied the appetites of thousands. Jesus had compassion on a large crowd of Gentiles gathered in an isolated area (7:24, 31; 8:1) and presented his disciples with the challenge of feeding them. His followers were perplexed as they pointed out that they had no means to do so (8:4). However, when he asked how many loaves they possessed, the answer was seven (8:5). With a heart of joy, Jesus took the bread, gave thanks for all that God had provided, and broke it. The disciples shared in the task of distributing what was available among all present; each person received their portion and more. There were even seven baskets full left over once everyone had been served. It was an incredible demonstration of His power and compassion to those gathered there. Mark's inclusion of two nearly identical stories might seem confusing. While some believe the numbers are essential, Mark does not explain their meaning or purpose. Perhaps the point is that Jesus is feeding both Jews and Gentiles.

The Pharisees were so hardened in their hearts that they requested a sign from Jesus, even though he had already given them many. In response to their persistent inquiry, Jesus expressed despair and questioned their intentions before denying their request and leaving. After all, it is not miracles that bring forth faith.

The disciples were unprepared and lacked bread. Jesus highlights their spiritual blindness and deafness. Despite witnessing many miraculous signs from Jesus, the disciples, like the Pharisees, still seek more proof (8:11–13), and although they have followed him for some time now, they fail to understand His words about bread (8:14-21). Their disbelief could spread rapidly like yeast in flour. Jesus wasn't telling them they would never need bread again. Instead, he wanted them to understand and trust in the Son of God. Preoccupation with earthly matters renders one unable to grasp spiritual instruction.