Mark 8_22_26 Obs_Par

§ 81. The Fourth Retirement to Bethsaida Julias in the Tetrarchy of Herod Philip with Sharp Rebuke of the Dulness of the Disciples on the Way Across and the Healing of a Blind Man in Bethsaida

Mark 8:13–26

13Leaving them, He again embarked and went away to the other side.14And they had forgotten to take bread, and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them.15And He was giving orders to them, saying, “Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”16They began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread.17And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart?18“Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember,19when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?” They said to Him, “Twelve.”20“When I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?” And they said to Him, “Seven.”21And He was saying to them, “Do you not yet understand?”22And they came to Bethsaida. And they brought a blind man to Jesus and implored Him to touch him.23Taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?”24And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.”25Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly.26And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”

Matthew 16:5–12

5And the disciples came to the other side of the sea, but they had forgotten to bring any bread.6And Jesus said to them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”7They began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “He said that because we did not bring any bread.”8But Jesus, aware of this, said, “You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread?9“Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets full you picked up?10“Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets full you picked up?11“How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”12Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

(Mk. 8:22) Jesus goes on to the region of Cæsarea Philippi on Mount Hermon, where no hostility had been aroused, and he could quietly instruct the Twelve. He probably remained in that vicinity several months, as this whole period of retirement lasted six months. He was near Bethsaida Julias in the First Retirement and now he steps here again on his way to Cæsarea Philippi. Each of the four retirements is into heathen territory (Ituræa twice, Phœnicia, Decapolis), where Greek influence prevail, and where the Greek language is dominant.

§ 82. Near Cæsarea Philippi Jesus Tests the Faith of the Twelve in His Messiahship

Mark 8:27–30

27Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?”28They told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.”29And He continued by questioning them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”30And He warned them to tell no one about Him.

Matthew 16:13–20

13Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”14And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”17And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.18“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.19“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”20Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.

Luke 9:18–21

18And it happened that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, “Who do the people say that I am?”19They answered and said, “John the Baptist, and others say Elijah; but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again.”20And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”21But He warned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone,

(Mt. 16:16) Some understand ver. 16f. as showing that they had never before believed him to be the Messiah, and so hold that the other Gospels here utterly conflict with John, who represents the first disciples (§§ 28, 35) as believing Jesus to be the Messiah. But it is easy to suppose that their early faith in his Messiahship was shaken by his continued failure to gather armies and set up the expected temporal kingdom, and while still believing him to have a divine mission they had questioned whether he was the Messiah, as John the Baptist did in prison (§ 57). Besides, at the Baptism and the Temptation, the Synoptic Gospels represent Jesus as the Son of God.

(Mt. 16:18) It is interesting to note that the imagery employed by Jesus here all appears in Ps. 89, a Messianic Psalm built on 2 Sam. 7. Thus note “build” in Ps. 89:4, “rock” in 89:26, “anointed” in 89:38, “the power of Sheol” in 89:48, and the Psalm discusses the perpetuity of the Davidic throne (Kingdom). Jesus applies this imagery to the spiritual Kingdom that He is building.

§ 83. Jesus Distinctly Foretells that He, the Messiah, Will Be Rejected and Killed, and Will Rise the Third Day

Mark 8:31–37

31And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.32And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.33But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”34And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.35“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.36“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?37“For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 16:21–26

21From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.22Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.”23But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”24Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.25“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.26“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Luke 9:22–25

22saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.”23And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.24“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.25“For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?