MARK LESSON 17
We will begin this lesson in Mark 8:22 "And he cometh to
Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to
touch him."
Bethsaida means place of fish. This miracle was told about only
in the book of Mark. It seems that many believed that Jesus must touch
the person who had come for prayer for them to get a miracle. The
blind man, here, was brought by others to get help. If we were to look
at the spiritual side of blindness, surely a friend who wants us to
come out of our spiritual darkness and see the Light (Jesus) would
have to lead us to the Lord.
Mark 8:23 "And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out
of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon
him, he asked him if he saw ought."
Jesus took the blind man by the hand. We see, here, again, as we
did with the deaf man, that Jesus was interested in him as an
individual. He separated himself away from the crowds to give total
attention to the needs of this one man. Again, here we see Jesus made
direct contact with the part of the man which needed healing.
Probably this was so that this would build the man's faith up. Here, we
see Jesus asked the man if he could see.
Mark 8:24 "And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees,
walking."
This touch of the Lord's hand had brought healing. Now, this man
saw some light. Again, if we were looking at this from the spiritual,
we would understand that our being born again and living brand new
lives with Jesus requires another touch of the Lord's hand that we
might see clearly. This, also, brings to me an answer to the question,
"Should I pray more than once for the same thing?" The answer is
"Yes". James 5:16 "Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one
for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a
righteous man availeth much." Continue to pray and you will see
wonderful results, as we do here in the next verses. The first time
the man was looking as if through a glass darkly. His look was
distorted, but let's see what a second touch brought.
Mark 8:25 "After that he put [his] hands again upon his eyes, and
made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly."
I really believe this second touch of Jesus was so that we would
understand to keep praying and not give up if we don't get an
immediate answer. He made him look up (give God the glory). We are
told in the Scriptures that there are different operations. Jesus was
saying, "There are different ways of doing things with the same
results". The Lord does it His way. We see when this man was
obedient to the Lord, he was totally restored.
Mark 8:26 "And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go
into the town, nor tell [it] to any in the town."
Jesus told the man this so that great multitudes of people would
not follow Him just for His healing power. There was really no way to
keep this type of miracle a secret though.
Mark 8:27 "And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns
of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying
unto them, Whom do men say that I am?"
I really believe this question is of great importance today. Who
do you say Jesus is? The answer you give can send you to heaven or
hell, Romans 10:9-10. Jesus already knew what was being said, but
again, He was making an important point.
Mark 8:28 "And they answered, John the Baptist: but some [say],
Elias; and others, One of the prophets."
This is the very type of answer that many people are giving
today. They call Jesus everything but God manifest in the flesh.
People are still trying to figure out with their mind who Jesus really
is. Just the fact that He took on the form of flesh and dwelt among
us makes people want to think of Him as mere man.
Mark 8:29 "And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And
Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ."
In Matthew 16:16 we see the best answer of all given by Peter,
"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of
the living God." Peter said a lot in this statement. He said You were
born of a virgin because You are the Son of God. He was not a Christ,
but THE Christ: the Anointed One of God. The entire subject of the
Bible, Old and New Testament, is Jesus the Christ, the Son of the
Living God. All salvation is based on what you believe about Jesus.
If you believe like Peter, you are saved; if you believe like the rest
of the world, you are lost. Jesus is the Lamb of God, The Savior of
the world.
Mark 8:30 "And he charged them that they should tell no man of
him."
There was nothing to be gained by this being told at this time.
The Jews were looking for a king to rule them and get rid of the
Romans. If they believed it, they would try to make Him rule like
David. The people who believed that He was God manifest in the flesh
would doubt like Peter did when He was crucified. It was much easier
to believe in His godhead after He rose from the dead.
Mark 8:31 "And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must
suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and [of] the chief
priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again."
Notice, when Jesus spoke of His death, He called Himself Son of
man. He was fully God and at the same time was housed in the body of a
man. His deity was from the Father and His humanity from Mary. Many
believe, and I am one of them, that the third day He arose; not after
three days. His body was subject to death as yours and mine, but His
Spirit is eternal. It did not die. He dismissed His Spirit from His
body. His body was buried in the cave. On the third day His Spirit
re-entered His body and appeared to the women.
Mark 8:32 "And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him,
and began to rebuke him." Mark 8:33 "But when he had turned about and
looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me,
Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the
things that be of men."
Peter was thinking of Jesus taking over physically while He was
here. Peter was thinking that Jesus would set up an earthly kingdom.
Peter, who saw Him as the Lord, now was letting Satan use him to tempt
the Lord with worldly fame. The rebuke Jesus spoke (even though
directed to Peter) was actually to Satan himself. Peter, in thinking
of an earthly kingdom, let Satan use him.
Mark 8:34 "And when he had called the people [unto him] with his
disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let
him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
We see, here, that to be Christians (followers of Christ), we
must put off the desires of our flesh and take on the will of God in
our lives. Contrary to many teachings today, we see here that there is
a cross to bear. If we are to follow Jesus, we too must crucify our
flesh and live new lives of the spirit.
Mark 8:35 "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but
whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same
shall save it."
The flesh must die that the spirit may live. We must be willing
for the flesh to die so that we may live with Christ.
Mark 8:36 "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the
whole world, and lose his own soul?" Mark 8:37 "Or what shall a man
give in exchange for his soul?"
All the riches in the world are nothing if you have to give up
eternal life with Jesus to have it. Life on this earth is very short,
and all the wealth of the world for this short life can not even begin
to compare with all of eternity in heaven with Jesus. Menn or women
should be willing to give up anything they need to, that will purchase
life eternal for them.
Mark 8:38 "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my
words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the
Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with
the holy angels."
This just means if you deny Jesus now, He will deny you on
judgement day. We must believe that Jesus is our Saviour and tell the
world. To be a Christian is to be a believer in and a follower of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Share Him with everyone.
Notes
Mark 17 Questions
1. When Jesus was at Bethsaida, who did they bring to Him to heal?
2. What did they want Jesus to do to heal him?
3. What does Bethsaida mean?
4. Which of the gospels was this told in?
5. Where did Jesus take the blind man?
6. What physical thing did Jesus do to the blind man?
7. What did Jesus ask him?
8. What did the man see at first?
9. Should you pray more than once about something?
10. What do we learn about prayer in James 5:16?
11. Why did Jesus have the man to look up?
12. When was the blind man totally restored?
13. What did Jesus tell the man to do after He healed him?
14. At Caesarea Philippi, what did Jesus ask the disciples?
15. What three answers did they give?
16. In Romans 10:9-10, what do we learn about salvation?
17. Why do people want to believe Jesus was a mere man?
18. In V-29, Jesus asked them what?
19. What did Peter answer?
20. What did Peter's statement tell us of Jesus' birth?
21. What is the subject of the entire Bible?
22. Salvation is based upon what?
23. What did Jesus begin to teach here to the disciples?
24. When Jesus spoke of His death, He called Himself what?
25. Jesus' deity was from the __________________________________.
26. What was Peter's reaction to Jesus telling of his death?
27. When Jesus rebuked Peter, He was really rebuking ______________.
28. If we follow Jesus, we must take up our _______________________
and follow Him.
29. The ______________________________ must die for the ____________
to live.
30. If we are ashamed of Jesus here, what will He do in heaven?
31. To be a Christian is what?
Notes
Home