Think back to your school days. What was your most challenging subject—-the one you dreaded, the one you longed to give up? Now try to remember what it was like sitting in a desk with the teacher trying to explain something to you for the twentieth or thirtieth time. Teachers have a particular look when they have said something as clearly as they can, over and over again, and the pupil still doesn’t get it.
This is the look I think Jesus probably has towards the end of Mark 8:1-21.
How is this feeding of a crowd (8:1-10) different from the feeding of the five thousand recorded in Mark 6:30-44?
What can we learn today from these two episodes?
Jesus not only feeds the crowds; he involves his disciples in the feeding. The life of a disciple of Jesus not only involves being fed, but becoming in turn, one through whom Jesus’ love can be extended to the world.
After this act of compassion, things get hotter. Right on cue, the Pharisees appear (8:11). What is ironic about them asking for a sign at this point in the story?
Instead of giving them a sign, Jesus and his disciples got in a boat to cross the water. He warned them against the “leaven” of the Pharisees and of Herod. The Jews used leaven to make ordinary bread, but at Passover time they were forbidden it, to remind them of when they were in such a hurry to leave their slavery in Egypt that they only had time to make unleavened bread.
In light of what we’ve learned from Mark so far, why does Jesus give this warning (8:14-21)?
In the middle of it all, Jesus quotes from the prophet Jeremiah (5:21). I think it is Jesus saying, “You’re in danger of going the way of the Israelites in Jeremiah’s day!”
Is there anything today that might cause a frustrated Jesus to say to me or you, “You still don’t get it?”
Read Mark 8:22-9:1.
When they arrive in Bethsaida, Jesus heals another blind man (8:22-26). How is this healing related to what happened in the boat?
The blind man needs two touches to bring his physical sight. What two touches did the disciples need to bring the spiritual sight Peter articulates in 8:27-30?
THE CONFESSION OF PETER IS A TURNING POINT FOR THE STORY ACCORDING TO MARK. PRIOR, WE READ OF A LOT OF THINGS THAT PROVIDE EVIDENCE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST (MESSIAH), AND FROM HERE FORWARD THE FOCUS BECOMES MORE ABOUT PREPARING THE DISCIPLES FOR WHAT IS TO COME.
Consider a conversion story. Evidence will bring someone to believe and know that Jesus is the Son of God. Upon confession and obedience to the gospel, they need to know how to live as a true disciple of Jesus. That is an over-arching pattern we see in this gospel account.
Back to the text: The Jews were expecting a Messiah they thought would be God’s agent in bringing in the kingdom, in sorting out the mess Israel was in politically, in putting the Gentiles in their place. Peter’s reaction points towards this understanding.
How does Jesus redefine what the Messiah would do instead here in 8:31-9:1 and throughout the first eight chapters of Mark?
Jesus began to teach them something new, implying that once they’d declared that he was the Messiah, they’d need to pick up their own cross (8:34). How can following Jesus be dangerous for us as well?
This passage makes it clear that following Jesus is the only way to go as well as making sure we understand this is not some pleasant hike. It’s choosing to walk into danger and risk.
How have you seen in your life and in the lives of others the truth that “if you want to save your life, you’ll lose it; but if you lose your life because of Me and the gospel you’ll save it”?
Trent Dean
dean008@gmail.com