Mark: The Compassionate Christ: Lesson 11

Spiritual Healing Predicted

Chapter 8 concludes with another act of mercy and compassion by the healing of a blind man . . . and the ultimate restoration – Jesus’ sacrifice prediction on Calvary’s cross for you and me.

Read 8:23-26.

Bethsaida is on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee and the site of multiple miracles of Jesus.

  1. Again we see the verb, “begged” used related to healing. What was the people’s request?
  2. Does the thought of a “touch” provide soothing and healing thoughts in your mind? Describe in your own words.
  3. Again we see Jesus telling the individual not to tell anyone in the village. Reason?

We have a most beautiful testimony and confession of Peter inserted into these concluding verses of chapter 8.

Read 27-30 and Matthew 16:13-20 for more details.

Jesus’ rhetorical question: “Who do people say that I am?”  John the Baptist (now dead); Elijah; or one of the prophets?  But Peter’s statement is profound and valuable even today.

It’s now been about three years since Peter met Jesus, the Messiah.  Soon thereafter, he calls him “Lord.” (Luke 5:8) and then shortly thereafter he calls him the “Holy One of God.”  (John 6:68).  Now, after traveling with Jesus, he expresses his conviction – “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”  Can you imagine this impetuous Peter’s statement?  What impact do you think his statement had on the other disciples?  Describe. Is there a difference between “I am” (Matthew’s version) and “Son of Man” used in Mark’s? (NOTE: For more information on the Apostle Peter, read my blog on Peter entitled, From Brash to Bold)

Matthew gives more details about Peter’s name, “Rocky.”  The noun “rock” has both a masculine and feminine form – petros and petra.  Let’s examine the differences because it impacts the interpretation of these verses.

The New Testament was originally written in the Greek, from which the Latin, English, and other versions were translated. If you study the Greek text you will find that the word Peter and the word Rock on which Christ was to build His church are two separate and distinct words, each having a different meaning. The word Peter in Greek is petros, which means “a piece of rock; a stone; a single stone; movable, insecure, shifting, or roll­ing.” The word Rock is petra, which means “a rock; a cliff; a projecting rock; mother rock; huge mass; solid formation; fixed; immovable; enduring.”

The word, “rock” here is the feminine form in the Greek and does not refer to Peter himself, rather the deity of the Christ who is the foundation on which the church is built – a fundamental of all Christendom.

Chapter 8 concludes with a real shift in Jesus’ ministry.  We are ending a period of popularity as Jesus tells his disciples what is to come.  Up until now, Jesus had not talked much about His crucifixion.  Between Peter’s confession and their arrival in Jerusalem, Jesus told his disciples FIVE times (recorded) that He would be killed and would rise from the dead.

 

  1. Following Peter’s confession – Matthew 16; Mark 8 and Luke 9
  2. After Transfiguration – Matthew 17: Mark 9
  3. After healing of the epileptic – Luke 9:44
  4. While passing through Galilee – Matthew 17; Mark 9
  5. Near Jerusalem – Matthew 20; Mark 10; Luke 18

Read Mark 8:31-38

  1. Jesus enters into another teaching mode to both his disciples and the crowd traveling with him. Let’s identify the future happenings listed here:
    1. Must suffer
    2. Be rejected by Jewish leaders
    3. Must be killed
    4. And . . . (must) rise again.
  2. Rocky now shifts back to the old self. How? Can we shift and sway like the wind too?
  3. Jesus addresses the crowd now with his disciples about profit and loss. What’s this all about?

Here’s a little Biblical Accounting:

Debit: Human sin

               Credit: Separation from God

Debit: Separation from God

               Credit: Jesus’ death and resurrection

Result: Clean Slate

Questions for the Day

  1. Can you imagine the eternal consequences of the Son of Man being ashamed of you?  (See Paul’s confession in Romans 1:1 and 1:16)  Is this your confession too?
  2. The blindness (physical) may limit our sight, but spiritual blindness is to forfeit your soul. How is this portrayed in today’s lesson?
  3. Does today’s “me-ism” hinder the gospel? Comment on the phrase, “Gain the whole world and forfeit your soul.”