The Blind See

Once again Mark uses a miracle as an illustration of what Christ is doing with the disciples.

Just as he is making the deaf to hear and those who cannot confess to proclaim the truth, he his making those who cannot see clearly behold the truth of who Jesus is.

However, last week we saw that this is done in a gentle compassionate way

This week we will see that this is not done instantanously but done overtime. That now the disciples see dimly not fully comprehending the plan of God, but after a while as Jesus continues to work they will see plainly

Beware the Leaven

Pharisees and Herod, the religious and political rulers of Israel have seen and heard what others have yet they have not perceived

They have hardened their hearts to the work of God in the day of Jesus

They have chosen to tempt and mock rather than follow and learn

What is required to not be leavened liked these leaders?

Look for the spiritual rather than the physical

Why reason ye that ye have no physical bread?

Pharisees wanted a physical sign, worldly praise

Remember the things that have been given and shown

Do not be quick to forget but ponder the things of God that have been revealed

Israel in the wilderness forgot the work of God in Egypt and it caused their hearts to be hardened

Behold the Blind

Jesus heals this blind man in a series of events

The healing of sight is not done in an instant but over multiple works of Christ

He goes from blind, to seeing dimly to seeing clearly

This is the work that Jesus is doing with the disciples

They were blind men when Jesus found them

He did not tell them everything when he first found them but invited them to follow and learn more of who he was

He will now began to move them to a place of more understanding

Begin the Teaching

Whom do men say that I am

But whom do you say that I am- what have you begun to understand about me

Do not tell others yet, they are not ready

Every person is on their own journey of understanding

God works with each person individually

This is the first time that Jesus has revealled this plan of suffering and death

Peter fails to see, showing that it is a good thing that Jesus teaches us slowly

But this comes with a harsh rebuke

Get behind me satan, you are allowing the leaven to ruin you

This is not of God but of men

Focus on the spiritual

Remember the works of God

How can we continue to come into understanding rather than be leaven by the things of this world?