“And 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.”
He sighed deeply and said, why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it — the deep sigh (anastenaxas, the same as in 7:34) is Jesus' emotional response to the demand. The why does this generation ask for a sign does not mean no signs have been given — the ministry is full of signs — but that the signs given are not producing the response the Pharisees' demand assumes is still lacking. Truly I tell you, no sign will be given — the absolute refusal differs from Matthew's parallel (the sign of Jonah is offered). Mark presents the bleakest possible response to the demand for a confirming sign.
Church Fathers on Mark 8:12
After that our Lord had worked the miracle of the loaves, He immediately retires into another spot, lest on account of the miracle, the multitudes should take Him to make Him a king.
Now in Matthew we read that He entered into the parts of Magdala [ed. note: Magedam]. But we cannot doubt that it is the same place under another name; for several manuscripts even of St. Mark have only Magdala.
The Pharisees, then, seek a sign from heaven, that He, Who had for the second time fed many thousands of men with a few loaves of bread, should now, after the example of Moses, refresh the whole nation in the last time with manna sent down from heaven, and dispersed amongst them all.
Read all 15 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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