Category: Uncategorized

Mark 8:27
The Caesarea Philippi area was likely not far from the Bethsaida that Jesus had just been to. Thus, walking along, he begins this conversation with them. It is great to have these private conversations recorded because they really give us an insight into what Jesus was teaching his disciples at the time.
This particular conversation had as its goal for the disciples to begin to understand what Jesus was driving at with his teaching. He wanted them to understand that he wanted to bring people to a place of belief, so that they would understand that he is the Messiah. As we know, this is vital, because belief in Christ is the key to salvation. So, Jesus is trying to pass along to the disciples the most important thing.

Heavenly Father, thank you for always coming back to the most important thing. You can give us a lot of great advice and tell us how to do a lot of things, but you always focus on the most important. You know what is best for us, and you know what is for your ultimate glory. Thank you for working in our hearts to bring us to Christ! I’m so glad that I’m saved! Having your truth available, knowing your Son as my personal Savior, and being able to take part in your work in this world, it’s all so wonderful. I will lift your praises high all my life, and never cease to bring you honor and glory! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 8:26
Jesus does this same thing on many occasions, telling the one who has been healed not to tell anyone in town. Jesus does this, as we have seen before, for several reasons. People in this region were having difficulty believing. And, miracles are easy to misunderstand, misconstrue, and misrepresent. The crowd would capture and modify the story many times over.
Even more than this, Jesus likes for teaching to go along with miracles. It was much more effective for him to do miracles for those who understood more of the truth, rather than those who understood less. Remember, his goal was spiritual sight.
The final reason is in connection with Jesus’ desire concerning his public image. He wanted to control what miracles were seen as public, and what miracles were not. He wanted to fashion the truth that reached the masses. He wanted people to understand they needed to believe in him on the basis of who he was by looking at the prophets and the law, not just on the basis of his miracles. And why is this? Jesus knew that knowing him as a miracle worker might bring someone to physical healing. But, knowing him as the Messiah of Israel would bring someone to spiritual healing.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your mercy to us. You understand how we think, and what we need as a result. Very often we think we know what needs to happen, or how we need to be helped. And yet, all along, you know what is best. We can always depend upon you to have our best interest at heart. Your faithfulness is absolute, and your love is unconditional! I will praise your name forever, your care for me is amazing! I love you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 8:25
It seems from the language here that this fellow was either closing his eyes or looking down. This would not be uncommon for someone that’s blind, even someone who had once seen but had lost their sight as this man. In fact, it is very possible that this loss of sight was due to an injury to the eyes of some kind.
We might well ask what men this man saw if they were out of the town. However, it is fairly certain that the Lord Jesus took his disciples with him, and so the man would have seen them right away.
This miracle is a great parallel to the spiritual blindness that we so often experience. Even though the Lord has given his saints the spiritual sight to see the truth, we often still are in blindness and darkness. And why is this? Because we allow sin to blind us and keep us from seeing the truth as it is. The lost, are trapped in this blindness and darkness and cannot escape without turning to Christ. Those who belong to him must exercise their freedom from it, that we may lead others to Christ.

Heavenly Father, thank you for restoring our spiritual eyes, not just our physical ones. It is a wonderful blessing to see your grace and truth in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. We can never thank you enough for all it is ours through him. As we go through this life following your leading, we will not cease to sing your praises for your amazing grace. You are the only one who can heal us, and make us as we ought to be. You can restore us to the place that we should be spiritually. You are perfecting our hearts on a daily basis. Thank you for your ongoing activity in our lives. Your love is so wonderful, and your truth is a blessing to us at every moment. The name of the Lord Jesus Christ we pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 8:24
So here we have the apparent failure of Christ to heal this man right away. It says here that he looked up. The word here indicates that he did indeed regain his sight. But, he could not see clearly yet. Jesus, as we saw in the last verse, asked the man if he saw anything. This was rather strange too. Jesus must have known that the man would not see right away.
Because he knows everything, Jesus knew that this man was having difficulty believing in him. He knew that the spiritual darkness in this area was very strong. But he also knew that this man had seen before. Otherwise, the man would not have known to say what he says in this verse. Jesus knew the man would know what he was seeing, and that he would have difficulty believing Jesus could heal him.
Jesus heals him in stages on purpose. Just as there are those who could once see, but are now blind, there are those who can see, but not very well. Thus, Jesus first heals this man in accordance with his faith, which was weak. As always, Jesus is teaching. He is trying to help this man understand that his faith was weak. Jesus, ability was not limited, but he wanted this man to be delivered from spiritual as well as physical blindness.

Heavenly Father, your wisdom is so much better than ours. You know what we need, and when we need it. You are always trying to teach us something. You never stop doing things for our good. We praise you for your kindness to us. You understand this world better than we do, and you alone know the best path. We will follow your leading so that we will not walk in darkness. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 8:23
This story is the perfect backdrop for the discussion Jesus was about to have with his disciples concerning who he is. He removed the man from the public eye. Taking him away privately, he then goes through a process for healing him that can only be called bizarre. In this verse he spits and touches the man. As we see in the following verses, this does not fully heal the man, and Jesus has to touch his eyes again for the full healing.
So, why? Why was this healing so different? Was Jesus somehow limited? Like the disciples, we need to remember the feeding of the four thousand. Did Jesus have any trouble with that miracle? No. He’s the one who thought of it. So, is this miracle different? Yes. Remember that superstition was rampant in that time. It was easy for people to misunderstand, misrepresent, and misidentify, Christ. This is one of the reasons why Jesus asks his followers who people were saying he was.
The miracle with the for thousand followed a lengthy message from Christ. This miracle, on the other hand, was not accompanied by teaching. Thus it was not a limitation in Christ’s ability, but was instead due to spiritual darkness.
Now, spiritual darkness has no effect upon Christ. But, it can have a profound effect on people. This man and his fellow countrymen did not understand Jesus completely. Jesus did do miracles for those who didn’t understand, but he was much more interested in doing them for those who realized who he is.
We must always be careful to remember that Jesus didn’t come to set up shop as a miracle worker. He came to solve man’s real problem, sin. Blindness, and all of our other ills, are only realities because of sin.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the light of the glorious gospel of Christ! We live in a dark world. Thank you for sending Christ to rescue us from ourselves. You are worthy of the glory for it all. You didn’t have to save us. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 8:22
It’s possible that there were two places called Bethsaida. Anyway, the blind man is brought to Christ most likely by the inhabitants of the place. Although this may refer to the disciples, who the inhabitants would have brought the man to. That it was the locals is more likely, since they beg Jesus to heal the man. The disciples would have been more direct.

Heavenly Father, thank you for listening to our prayers. Sometimes we just sound pretty funny to you, but you listen anyhow. That you even care to hear what we need is truly amazing. You are so good and faithful! Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 8:21
Open-ended questions can be very effective, and this one is no exception. We don’t have the disciples response to this question, but we can imagine that it’s probably about like ours would be. Likely as not, they tried to avoid answering altogether.
But, what is the answer, why would they still not understand the Lord’s words? What is it that keeps us from coming to a place of understanding in relation to God’s truth? The answer is that sin slows our senses. It keeps us from considering a lot of the little things that we would otherwise notice each and every day. It keeps us from assimilating spiritual truths from the mouth of God. Both natural and special revelation do not reach us as they should when our hearts are full of sin.

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us forgiveness in the Lord Jesus Christ! Otherwise, we would not be able to see your truth all around us, both in your Word and in your world. Our relationship with you is absolutely vital to our understanding of your truth. Thank you for giving us the ability through the shed blood of Christ, to live a life close to you, our Almighty God. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 8:20
There have been those who have attempted to make the two feedings one. They say the accounts are confused a bit and there was really only one. This passage completely destroys that theory. Jesus’ words here make it abundantly clear that there were indeed two feedings.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your faithfulness! You have always been what you have always been. You don’t tire, falter, fail, quit, or let up. Your faithfulness is just as full and wonderful as it has ever been. His could we sing your praises enough? You are so great! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 8:19
Why did he ask them about the fragments? Well, this gives us yet another reason why there were leftovers that the Lord had them gather. It served as an evidence to the disciples that this miracle had produced more than enough to supply the needs of the crowd.
And why would that matter? It is a wonderful illustration of the operation of the grace of God. He supplies more than enough grace to meet our every need in Christ. Remembering this should have caused the disciples to be certain that Jesus would take care of them in spite of a food shortage.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your reminders. You know that we can always use a reminder of your fathomless grace. We can never know just how much you are willing to give, you have done so much for us already. Your grace is amazing, glorious, and limitless! We will sing the wonders of your grace for all of eternity. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

No post today, went to revival at Calvary Baptist Church in Dayton.