Mark 8:19

KJV

When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.

KJV (with Strong's)

When {G3753} I brake {G2806} the five {G4002} loaves {G740} among {G1519} five thousand {G4000}, how many {G4214} baskets {G2894} full {G4134} of fragments {G2801} took ye up {G142}? They say {G3004} unto him {G846}, Twelve {G1427}.

Complete Jewish Bible

When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?" "Twelve," they answered him.

Berean Standard Bible

When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?” “Twelve,” they answered.

American Standard Version

When I brake the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Mark 8:19 captures a pivotal moment in Jesus's patient instruction to His disciples, who, despite witnessing profound miracles, consistently struggle with spiritual perception. Following His warning against the "leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod," Jesus gently prompts their memory by recalling the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, using a rhetorical question about the twelve baskets of fragments collected. This exchange underscores the disciples' spiritual dullness and Jesus's persistent effort to awaken their understanding of His divine power and identity as the abundant Provider.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is embedded within a broader section of Mark's Gospel (Mark 8:14-21) where Jesus confronts the disciples' lack of understanding and their spiritual blindness. Immediately preceding this, Jesus warns them about the "leaven" (symbolizing corrupt teaching and influence) of the Pharisees and Herod, which the disciples misinterpret as a concern about their forgotten bread supply. Jesus's subsequent questions, beginning in [Mark 8:17](/mark/8-17 "Mark 8:17 - Jesus Questions Disciples' Understanding"), are designed to expose their spiritual dullness and guide them to recall His past miraculous provisions, particularly the feeding of the five thousand ([Mark 6:35-44](/mark/6-35-44 "Mark 6:35-44 - The Feeding of the Five Thousand")) and the four thousand ([Mark 8:1-10](/mark/8-1-10 "Mark 8:1-10 - The Feeding of the Four Thousand")). The disciples' correct factual answer in Mark 8:19 ("Twelve") highlights their memory of the event's details, yet their ongoing confusion reveals a deeper spiritual disconnect.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Bread was a staple of the ancient Near Eastern diet, symbolizing sustenance and life itself. The act of breaking bread and sharing meals carried deep communal and covenantal significance within Jewish culture. The disciples' concern over a single loaf of bread, despite having just witnessed two massive feeding miracles, reflects a common human tendency to focus on immediate physical needs rather than trusting in divine provision. Baskets, specifically the _kophinos_ (κοφίνος) mentioned here, were common portable containers for travelers, often used by Jews to carry their own food to avoid ritual impurity from gentile food. The large quantities of leftovers, collected in these baskets, would have been a profoundly memorable and culturally significant detail, demonstrating an abundance that far surpassed the initial scarcity.
* **Key Themes:** Mark 8:19 contributes significantly to several key themes in Mark's Gospel. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **Divine Provision and Abundance**, showcasing Jesus's supernatural power to provide beyond human limitations, with an overflow that speaks to His boundless resources. The "twelve baskets full of fragments" from the feeding of the five thousand, detailed in [Mark 6:43](/mark/6-43 "Mark 6:43 - Abundance of Fragments"), is a powerful testament to this. Secondly, the verse highlights the **Disciples' Spiritual Dullness and Misunderstanding**, a recurring motif throughout Mark. Despite witnessing Jesus's miracles firsthand and being privy to His private teachings, they consistently struggle to grasp His identity and the spiritual implications of His actions, as evidenced by Jesus's exasperated questions in [Mark 8:17-18](/mark/8-17-18 "Mark 8:17-18 - Jesus' Rebuke to Disciples"). Finally, it emphasizes the importance of **Remembering God's Faithfulness**. Jesus intentionally prompts their memory, expecting them to connect His past acts of power to their present circumstances, thereby cultivating deeper faith and understanding in His ongoing ability to provide and overcome obstacles.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **brake (Greek, _kláō'_):** G2806, a primary verb meaning "to break (specially, of bread)." This word specifically denotes the act of breaking bread, a common practice in communal meals and a significant action performed by Jesus in both feeding miracles. It highlights His role in distributing the sustenance and foreshadows the breaking of His body in the Eucharist.
* **baskets (Greek, _kóphinos'_):** G2894, referring to a "small basket." This term is significant because it specifically designates the type of basket used to collect the leftovers after the feeding of the five thousand. This contrasts with the larger _sphyris_ (σπυρίς) used after the feeding of the four thousand ([Mark 8:8](/mark/8-8 "Mark 8:8 - Baskets of the Four Thousand")), a subtle but important detail that distinguishes the two miracles and emphasizes the vast quantity of the collected fragments in both instances.
* **took ye up (Greek, _aírō'_):** G142, a primary root meaning "to lift up; by implication, to take up or away." In this context, it refers to the act of gathering or collecting the leftover fragments. The broader semantic range of _aírō_ also includes "to bear (up), carry, remove, take away," which resonates with the idea of Jesus "taking away" or expiating sin, a deeper theological implication of His ministry.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"When I brake the five loaves among five thousand":** This opening clause serves as Jesus's direct reference to the first miraculous feeding, reminding the disciples of the specific details of the event. It sets the stage for His rhetorical question, forcing them to recall His power and the magnitude of His provision. The act of "breaking" the loaves emphasizes Jesus's authority and the miraculous multiplication that followed.
* **"how many baskets full of fragments took ye up?":** This is the core of Jesus's rhetorical question. It is designed not to elicit new information, but to prompt the disciples to reflect on the overwhelming abundance that resulted from His power. The focus on "fragments" highlights that even the leftovers were substantial, exceeding the initial meager supply. The question challenges their lack of spiritual insight despite undeniable physical evidence.
* **"They say unto him, Twelve.":** The disciples' response is factually correct, demonstrating their memory of the event's details. However, the context of Jesus's subsequent questions in [Mark 8:21](/mark/8-21 "Mark 8:21 - Do You Not Yet Understand?") reveals that their factual recall does not translate into spiritual comprehension. They remember the "what" but miss the "who" and the "why" behind the miracle.

#### Literary Devices
Mark 8:19 primarily employs **Rhetorical Question** as its central literary device. Jesus's question, "how many baskets full of fragments took ye up?", is not posed to gain information, but to provoke thought, expose the disciples' spiritual dullness, and guide them toward a deeper understanding of His divine power and identity. This technique forces the audience (both the disciples and the reader) to confront their own memory and comprehension. There is also an element of **Irony** present; the disciples, who have witnessed such an extraordinary display of divine provision, are still preoccupied with a lack of physical bread, demonstrating a profound disconnect between their empirical experience and their spiritual faith. Furthermore, **Symbolism** is at play, with the "fragments" and "baskets" symbolizing the superabundant nature of God's provision, which always exceeds the immediate need and points to a greater spiritual reality.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Mark 8:19 powerfully illustrates the contrast between physical sight and spiritual insight, a recurring theme in the Gospels. Jesus's question about the "twelve baskets full of fragments" is not merely a test of memory, but a profound theological inquiry into the disciples' understanding of His identity and the nature of God's kingdom. The abundance of leftovers, symbolized by the twelve baskets, speaks to God's lavish provision, which is always more than sufficient, even in the face of immense need. This divine generosity should have instilled unwavering trust, yet the disciples' continued focus on earthly concerns reveals a hardened heart and a failure to connect past miracles with present faith. The passage challenges believers to move beyond mere intellectual recall of God's acts to a deep, transformative trust in His character and power.

* [Mark 6:41-44](/mark/6-41-44 "The Feeding of the Five Thousand")
* [Mark 8:6-9](/mark/8-6-9 "The Feeding of the Four Thousand")
* [Matthew 16:11-12](/matthew/16-11-12 "Understanding the Leaven")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Mark 8:19 serves as a timeless mirror for believers, reflecting our own tendencies toward spiritual amnesia and dullness. Like the disciples, we often forget God's past faithfulness and abundant provision when faced with new challenges, allowing present anxieties to overshadow the testimony of His character. This verse calls us to actively remember and meditate on the instances where God has intervened, provided, and delivered in our lives. Such remembrance is not mere nostalgia but a vital spiritual discipline that fortifies our faith and cultivates a deeper trust in His limitless resources. It encourages us to move beyond a superficial understanding of God's power to a profound, heart-level comprehension that shapes our responses to scarcity, fear, and uncertainty, always expecting His more-than-enough provision.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How often do I, like the disciples, allow immediate physical concerns to overshadow my memory of God's past faithfulness and abundant provision?**
* **In what specific areas of my life am I demonstrating spiritual dullness, failing to connect God's character revealed in His Word with my present circumstances?**
* **What practical steps can I take this week to intentionally recall and meditate on God's past acts of provision and power in my life, thereby strengthening my trust for the future?**

### FAQ
**Why does Jesus ask rhetorical questions like this if He already knows the answer?**

Answer: Jesus frequently uses rhetorical questions, not because He lacks information, but as a pedagogical tool to prompt reflection, expose spiritual blindness, and guide His disciples toward deeper understanding. In [Mark 8:19](/mark/8-19 "Mark 8:19 - Jesus' Question to Disciples"), He is forcing them to recall the undeniable evidence of His power and provision, hoping that the act of remembering the "twelve baskets" will trigger a spiritual breakthrough and help them grasp the true nature of His identity and the spiritual implications of His teaching, especially concerning the "leaven" of the Pharisees and Herod mentioned in [Mark 8:15](/mark/8-15 "Mark 8:15 - Warning Against Leaven").

**What is the significance of the "Twelve" baskets of fragments?**

Answer: The "Twelve" baskets are highly significant. Firstly, they represent an astonishing superabundance, demonstrating that Jesus's provision not only met the immediate need of five thousand people but far exceeded it, with more leftovers than the initial amount of bread. Secondly, the number twelve often symbolizes the twelve tribes of Israel and, by extension, God's complete provision for His people. It suggests that Jesus's miraculous provision is for all of God's chosen, and that His grace is always sufficient, even overflowing, for the entire community of faith, as seen in the gathering of the fragments after the feeding of the five thousand in [Mark 6:43](/mark/6-43 "Mark 6:43 - Twelve Baskets of Fragments").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Mark 8:19, with its emphasis on Jesus's superabundant provision and the disciples' spiritual dullness, profoundly points to Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises. The "twelve baskets full of fragments" foreshadow the boundless grace and life found in Jesus, who is the true [Bread of Life](/john/6-35 "John 6:35 - Jesus, the Bread of Life"). Unlike the physical bread that perishes, Jesus offers eternal sustenance, His body broken for the life of the world ([John 6:51](/john/6-51 "John 6:51 - Jesus' Flesh for the Life of the World")). The disciples' struggle to comprehend Jesus's power and identity, despite witnessing His miracles, highlights humanity's inherent spiritual blindness, which only Christ can overcome. It is through His atoning work that our spiritual eyes are opened, and our hearts are softened to truly understand the depths of God's provision and love. The ultimate "taking up" (from the Greek _aírō_) of sin and death occurs through Christ's sacrifice on the cross, where He bore the weight of humanity's transgressions, providing an abundance of grace that far exceeds our need, just as the fragments exceeded the initial loaves. His resurrection then confirms His victory and His ongoing power to provide all that we need for life and godliness ([2_peter/1-3](/2-peter/1-3 "2 Peter 1:3 - God's Divine Power")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Luke 9:12

And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.

Luke 9:17

And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.

Mark 6:38

He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.

Mark 6:44

And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.

John 6:5

When Jesus then lifted up [his] eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

John 6:13

Therefore they gathered [them] together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

Matthew 14:17

And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.