Marks Formula for Discernment Text: Mark 8 Introduction: 1Cor 2:14-15 I. INFORMATION Mark 8:1-9 II. ELIMINATION Mark 8:11-13 III. APPLICATION Prov 21:11 Conclusion: Discernment Mark 8:19-21

1. Marks Formula for
Discernment
Text: Mark 8
Introduction:
1Cor 2:14-15
14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither
can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself
is judged of no man.
I. INFORMATION
Mark 8:1-9
1In those days the multitude being very great, and having
nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and
saith unto them,
2I have compassion on the multitude, because they
have now been with me three days, and have nothing to
eat:

2. There is a proper time and place for chastisement but
not this time in this place.
Matt 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written,
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth
of God. KJV
Jesus is the word of God, but he tells the disciples
these men need bread.
Man shouldn’t be overly concerned about the flesh
but neither should he ignore it.
God made the body but expects man to take care of
it.
This multitude had been with Jesus 3 days. (Not
Jesus had been with them.)
The people had done what they knew to do to
listen to Jesus.
Now Jesus has compassion on their inability to
feed themselves.

3. 3And if I send them away fasting to their own houses,
they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from
far.
Jesus is taking preventative measures. The issue is
they would “faint”.
This passage doesn’t mention the multitude worrying
about fainting, but Jesus knew what they didn’t.
4And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man
satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?
5And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they
said, Seven.
6And he commanded the people to sit down on the
ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks,
and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them;
and they did set them before the people.
7And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and
commanded to set them also before them.
8So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the
broken meat that was left seven baskets.
9And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and
he sent them away.
II. ELIMINATION

4. Mark 8:11-13
11And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question
with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting
him.
12And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth
this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you,
There shall no sign be given unto this generation.
13And he left them, and entering into the ship again
departed to the other side.
Prov 26:4 Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest thou also be like unto him. KJV
Prov 19:25 Smite a scorner, and the simple will
beware: and reprove one that hath understanding,
and he will understand knowledge. KJV
III. APPLICATION
Prov 21:11
When the scorner is punished, the simple is made
wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth
knowledge. KJV

5. How wise can he be if he needs the instruction used on a
scorner?
The wise man here is not perfect but is in pursuit of it.
Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye
which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of
meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be
tempted. KJV
Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something,
when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. KJV
Mark 8:14-21
14Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither
had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.
They should have known better. The disciples lack of
bread and the multitudes lack of bread are for
different reasons.
The multitude was ignorant of their need.
The disciples were inconsiderate of their need.
15And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of
the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of
Herod.

6. 16And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is
because we have no bread.
Here Jesus doesn’t reprimand them for their
physical error. Life has already done that. They
now remember that they forgot.
17And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why
reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not
yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?
Jesus demonstrates how symptoms point to the
root cause. They have a memory problem. The
bread was a benign bother when compared to the
significant spiritual casualty of memory loss.
18Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not?
and do ye not remember?
Conclusion: Discernment
Mark 8:19-21
Here is what should have been deposited in their
memory banks so when they heard the word of God
they could decern a proper application and
interpretation.

7. 19When I brake the five loaves among five thousand,
how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say
unto him, Twelve.
In the parallel accounts, we are given a panorama of
details that should have been remembered.
1. The time was far “passed” as well as “past” (Mark
6:35).
Mark 6:35 And when the day was now far spent,
his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a
desert place, and now the time is far passed: KJV
2. The word “bread” in Mat. 14 is substituted for
“victuals” (Mark 6:36) and the word “meat” is used in
Luke 9:13 in place of “bread” or “victuals” giving you a
list of synonyms.
3. They argued with Jesus in unbelief before He
actually commanded them to bring the food (Mark
6:37; John 6:7–9).
4. The desert place turns out to be a grassy desert
(John 6:10) not a sandy desert.

8. Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of
full age, even those who by reason of use have their
senses exercised to discern both good and evil. KJV
The answer is always more Bible.
Discernment in the Bible is not a mysterious intuition
as a fortune-teller.
The Bible definition of discernment is knowing the
difference between Good and Evil.
Gen 27:23 And he discerned him not, because his
hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he
blessed him. KJV
Gen 31:31-32 31 And Jacob answered and said to
Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure
thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him
not live: before our brethren discern thou what is
thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not
that Rachel had stolen them. KJV
Gen 38:25-26 25 When she was brought forth, she
sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose
these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I
pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and

9. bracelets, and staff. 26 And Judah acknowledged
them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I;
because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he
knew her again no more. KJV
2Sam 14:17 Then thine handmaid said, The word of
my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an
angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good
and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with
thee. KJV
2Sam 19:35 I am this day fourscore years old: and
can I discern between good and evil? can thy
servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any
more the voice of singing men and singing women?
wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden
unto my lord the king? KJV
1Kgs 3:9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding
heart to judge thy people, that I may discern
between good and bad: for who is able to judge this
thy so great a people? KJV
20And when the seven among four thousand, how many
baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said,
Seven.

10. 21And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not
understand?
Memory, meditation and application equels
Understanding (or Discernment).
Marks Formula for Discernment
Text: Mark 8
Introduction:
1Cor 2:14-15
I. INFORMATION
Mark 8:1-9
II. ELIMINATION
Mark 8:11-13
III. APPLICATION
Prov 21:11
Conclusion: Discernment
Mark 8:19-21