Sometimes We Just Don’t Get It!

Mark says they began to argue with Him. Perhaps this is a resumption of the conflict in 3:22-30 and 7:1-5. They ask for “a sign from heaven,” something that would demonstrate what He is doing, something they amazingly do not deny is truly of God. Their motive was “to test Him.” Their goal is again to discredit Him before the people, not to test Him with a view of authenticating His ministry. It is one thing to put the Lord to a test in faith. It is another thing to test Him in unbelief.

For the second time in two chapters, our Lord “sighs” with deep emotion. This time His anguish was directed at minds that refused the evidence, hearts that remained hard, eyes that refused to see, and ears that refused to hear (cf. 8:17-18). In effect He said, “You want a sign? Read the Scriptures! Listen to My words. See what I do! Beyond that, ‘No sign will be given to this generation!’ If you cannot see God at work in Me, no evidence will convince you otherwise. Your demand is just an expression of unbelief. I will not play your evil and wicked game.”

Nothing more can be said. Abruptly, as if a sign of divine judgment, Jesus leaves them. These religious zealots were physically so close to our Lord, but they had never been further away where it really mattered: in their hearts. They have lost Him. Not long from now they will crucify Him. Unbelief is evil and tragic when it says no to the gospel and God’s Son.

Mark 8:14-21

The Pharisees were not the only ones who did not understand, who had hardened hearts and did not spiritually see or hear. However, unlike the unbelieving Pharisees who were moving in the wrong direction, the disciples were making progress, slow though it was. They still had a ways to go, as verses 14-21 and also 32-34 so plainly testify.

They got in the boat with only “one loaf of bread.” It is amazing that with seven large basketfulls, this is all they snagged. They began to discuss their predicament, perhaps even blaming one another. They failed to see the irony of the situation, and they forgot who was in the boat and what He could do! Jesus used the visual aid at hand to teach them. He cautioned them, “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” A small amount of leaven will permeate a whole batch of bread dough. The leaven of unbelief has gripped the hearts of the Pharisees and Herod and has taken control of their entire lives. Watch out! Don’t let unbelief take you down and away from the divine truth you see and hear in Me.

They don’t get it, and they begin again to talk about having only one loaf of bread. Jesus is speaking of spiritual matters, but their minds are stuck on the mundane.

Jesus steps in with a series of questions:

169These questions are not intended to shame but to instruct. For sure, they are slow learners, but then, so are we. How hesitant we are to embrace the truth of Luke 1:37 (“For nothing will be impossible with God.”), of Philippians 4:12-13 (“I both know how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.”), and of Philippians 4:19 (“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”). Like the 12 apostles, we often see our Lord’s great works in our lives but still fail to fully understand and trust Him.

Mark 8:22-26

These verses constitute a visual parable that, though historically true, also symbolizes the spiritual pilgrimage of the disciples. Mark purposely sandwiches it between 8:14-21 and 8:27-38. The two-step healing Jesus uses is intentional. It is meant to portray the gradual, step-by-step understanding of the disciples.

Jesus could have healed this man instantly. That He doesn’t is pedagogical. The disciples are slowly coming to see and understand that Jesus is the Messiah. However, even after Peter’s great confession in 8:29, they still have only partial sight and understanding. He is not the kind of Messiah they expected. Only after the cross and resurrection do they finally get it. They are just like this blind man who received his sight gradually.

They arrive at Bethsaida on the northeast shore of the Sea of Galilee (cf. 6:45). They are immediately met by a delegation who “brought a blind man to Him and begged Him to touch him” (cf. 7:32). No doubt they have heard of His compassion (6:34; 8:2) and what He is capable of. They believed “He has done everything well” (7:37) and are hopeful He will do something good for their friend. We will never be disappointed when we bring our friends to Jesus, and neither were they!

Jesus is again tender in His treatment of this blind man as He had been with the deaf man in 7:31-37. (1) He took the blind by the hand; (2) He led him away for privacy; (3) He spit on his eyes and asked, “Do you see anything?”170 The Son of God did not expect complete healing at this point. He was not surprised.

The man responds, “I see some, more than ever before, but I still don’t see clearly.” Jesus then proceeded to heal his eyes perfectly.

As before, Jesus sent him home with a command not to enter the village. No need for a show. No desire to make him a spectacle. This miracle was for his physical eyes, and it was for the disciples’ spiritual eyes. That it accomplished those two purposes was enough.

That was true for this blind man. It was true for the Twelve. It was certainly true for me. Now, what about you?