Mark 8 feeding of 4000: disciples may not have expected another miracle because Jesus did not multiply food at every meal; also, Jewish messianic expectation may not have extended to feeding Gentiles

Between the two feeding miracles there would have been many ordinary meals, training disciples not to assume Jesus always multiplies food. Also, the first feeding (Mark 6) involved a largely Jewish crowd on the way to Passover; the second (Mark 8) involved many Gentiles. Jewish disciples may have held a bias that the Messiah feeds Israel, not Gentiles. Jesus feeding the Gentiles demonstrates He is the bread of life for all people — Jew and Gentile alike.