I hope somebody enjoys reading these. I've gone all the way through Mark but I've been typing these on my phone so it takes forever, just a little lazy when it comes to taking time to sit down and actually do this. Of course, there is that little thing of actually finishing something. That's kind of a rarity in itself. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this, God bless.
8:11-12 The Pharisees asked for a sign. Jesus had done many miraculous things up to this point, even His disciples had done so on their mission trip. None of this was done in secret. The Pharisees had seen much of this, yet they asked for a sign from heaven. Another sign. Jesus refuses their request. He knew that another sign would only serve to harden their hears further. In another book is added--no sign shall be given except the sign of Jonah. Jonah went to Ninevah and performed no miracles, preached repent, and they did so. Jesus came with lots of miracles and preached repent and the religious folk asked for more signs. Their hearts were already hard as stone.
8:14-21 The disciples had seen Jesus do many miraculous things, they also had done some, but somehow they still didn't get it.
8:22-26 This is the only recorded miracle where Jesus has to do it twice before the person is healed. Not only this but Jesus also took him out of his village to heal him. Both of these were quite unusual. Jesus doesn't heal just to show His power, He heals to reach us deep down inside. I imagine He partially healed this man in order to allow his faith time to grow. And I believe his village was a hindrant to his faith. Jesus says "don't go into the village". He doesn't have to tell anyone he's been healed as they would have known immediately. The villagers might have stolen his new found faith if given a chance. The first part of his healing is on the faith of those who brought him to Jesus. The second however, is on his faith. That's the whole point. The people didn't NEED to be healed, they would have continued to live out there lives as they always had and been ok. No, Jesus heals No.1 to show His power, and No.2 to spark the faith of them and those around them. To show everyone that something new was here. Hey, pay attention. Heaven has come to earth and is right in front of you. Believe in me and you shall join me in my kingdom. Everything Jesus does in some way point to this core directive. It's all about your eternity. Instead of praying for someones behavior to change, pray for their relationship with God to grow, or pray for them to find a relationship with God. Once that seed has been planted deep inside, God can begin, or continue, to grow them. Everything grows out of the seed within. When that seed changes or comes alive, then the behaviors and actions of un-health will also begin to change. This is why it's so futile to fight for anti-abortion legislation, or a Christian nation, or other such noble purposes. The necessary change does not come from the top down but rather from deep inside. The heart is the necessary change. When the heart changes, then everything else does also.
8:27-30 Over and over we see the disciples just not get it. Here, Peter proclames Jesus is "The Messiah", so it's not that they just don't get it. They get that Jesus is the Messiah, they just don't understand who the Messiah is, what He is all about.
8:31-33 Peter sure takes the brunt of things, He's like Jesus' lead go getter. He rises to the top over and over only to fall the hardest--both here and at Jesus' execution. This is the process of forging. Peter is the Rock. This rock must not be broken, therefore Jesus breaks him in certain ways in order to forge him into a man who will not break. A man who knows that the prize is far greater than the punishment.
8:33 How often could this be said of each of us? How many times do we pray for God to bind Satan or destroy our sin nature when in reality it is God putting us through this thing-maybe even at our own prayer for growth. Too often our view is of one piece when God has the whole picture and can see where this piece fits.
8:34-38 This is us. No where in here is going to church every Sunday and back to life on Monday. No, this is a once for all battle call.
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