20.Oct.24

1. Can you see? Can you hear? Mark 8:22-26

The healing of the deaf man in chapter 7 (Ephphatha) and the healing of the blind man in today passage are the only two miracles in the Gospel of Mark that are absent in the other Synoptic Gospels (Matthew and Luke). So, this grabs our attention.

Another interesting thing about this miracle is that this is the only miracle of Jesus in the NT that does not take place instantly. The healing was gradual.

Let’s look at what He does.

• Jesus spits on his eyes.
• Jesus lays His hands on him. In the OT, the laying on of the hands were for three purposes: to sacrifice animals (transferring sin), in ordaining Levitical priests (consecration), and to give a blessing as Melchizedek blessed Abraham. But it was not associated with healing.
• Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” The blind man said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.”
• Jesus laid His hands on his eyes again. The man began to see everything clearly.
• Then, Jesus tells him not enter the villages, not to tell anyone.

Why did it take two touches? Jesus healed this man in stages.

Just before this, after the feeding of the 4,000, Jesus asked the disciples, “Do you not see?” (Mark 8:17-18). And before this feeding of the 4,000, Jesus healed a deaf man.

Understanding is seeing and hearing.

The disciples are coming to see gradually. Their understanding is still vague and blurred, but do not understand the full measure of who He is.

There are important redemptive work that God fulfills in twos.

• First Adam and Second Adam
• Writing the Law with His fingers on the stone tablets (twice)
• Old and New Testaments
• First Coming and Second Coming

Through the two, things of heaven will be understood clearly and completely (1 Cor 13:9-12).

It is noticeable that there is a common theme Jesus uses in healing the deaf man and this blind man. He uses His saliva.

In John 7:37-38, Jesus told the Samaritan woman in John 4 that He gives the water that the one who drinks from it will never thirst again. He also said that he who believes in Him will have rivers of living water flowing from his innermost being.

What comes from Jesus’ innermost being? Living water and His teaching (Deut 32:2). The water of life that flows out of the temple sanctuary is the Word that flows out from the throne of heaven. It is through that water of life our eyes and ears are opened to see and hear clearly!

And it may not happen all at once. But our eyes will open gradually when we continue to receive His Word and His touch.

In Mark 8:23-25 when Jesus asks, “Do you see anything,” Jesus uses the word βλέπω (blepo, to see). But when the blindman answered, he said, “I see (blepo), for I see (ὁράω/horao: perceive, conceive, look). When Jesus laid His hands again and his sight was restored, it says that he “began to see (ἐμβλέπω; emblepo, to look closely, directly, straight at) everything clearly”.

He was finally able to see clearly the things as they are. But when the sight was not completely restored, he perceived and guessed with his own thoughts that they look like trees.

2. Who do you say that I am? Mark 8:27-29

This is pretty much the same question as “What do you see?” Is Jesus just one of the trees that’s walking around in your eyes?

Peter represents the rest of the disciples and says, “You are the Christ.”  => You are the Messiah! You are the Promised Son! So, does that mean the disciples now finally see and understand Jesus clearly? What does Jesus say after this?

The gospel of Mark does not talk about Jesus telling Peter, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven…” (Matt 16:17-19), as recorded in the gospel of Matthew.

Instead, Mark jumps right to Jesus telling them about the suffering and death that He will have to face (Mark 8:31-33). Jesus tried several times to inform the disciples about His prophesied suffering (cf. 8:31; 9:30–31; 10:33–34), but they could not understand (cf. 8:32–33; 9:32–34; 10:35–37).

In verse 33. Jesus rebuked Peter saying, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

What makes a Satan?

Without realizing it, Peter was tempting Jesus in the very same way that Satan did in the wilderness (cf. 1:12–13; Matt. 4:1–11). Peter did not realize that Jesus’ suffering and death was the plan of God (cf. 10:45; Acts 2:23; 3:18; 4:28; 13:29; 2 Cor. 5:21).

It probably did not make sense that the Messiah would die. Peter recognized Jesus as the Messiah, even made a confession; and Jesus’ response was that He would suffer and die. That’s why he stood up and even scolded Jesus for saying that (Mark 8:32).

Why did Jesus call Peter “Satan”? Satan causes people to depend on what we think is right and good. This shows the great divide between godliness and godlessness. The godly person is deeply concerned about the things of God, but the godless person has no concern for the things of God. He’s preoccupied with this world.

We need to ask ourselves what it means for you and me to be the disciple to follow the Messiah. He said, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” Mark 8:34.

Jesus just told the disciples that He will need to die. And now, Jesus is telling them to take up their own cross. “Taking up a cross” to the people during that time under the Roman regime was the worst and most shameful thing that could happen to them. Crucifixion was a punishment for treason. The Jews and disciples were expecting Jesus to overthrow the Roman rule and become the new King. Rather than overthrowing the Roman powers, they would be accused of treason! The convicted person would need to take up their cross from the court to the place of crucifixion.

So, Jesus is telling them and us today, “If you want to call yourself by My name, you need to be ready to carry that cross.” If you’re going to be a “Christian,” you need to be ready to take up that cross.

Conclusion

Mark 8:35 (NASB95) — 35 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

Peter was neglecting God’s plan and will for the sake of fulfilling his own definition of what is good. To him, it is only good if Jesus does not die, and they don’t have to go through so much suffering. We want things to get better all the time.

But we need to be ready to see clearly who Jesus is and what His plan is, without perceiving through my own thoughts and biases.

Mark 8:36-38 (NASB95) — 36 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37 “For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

The Christians were threatened because of their faith in Jesus Christ during that time. This also applies to us who are living in the end time. There will come a time when people will be ashamed of their faith in God and His Word. Are we ready to even give our life to keep this faith and the Word?

AMEN.