Mark 8:22-9:1; Spiritual Sight

Sermon in a sentence: When we finally see Jesus, we see everything else differently.

The Blind Man (vs. 22-26)

Jesus has come back to the Israel to find blindness.

This is the only instance where Jesus’ healing is not instant.

Only this once do we have any record that Jesus in healing required two treatments. Grant suggests that neither Matthew nor Luke includes this story because the man’s sight was not restored at once. Perhaps he is right in this surmise, though this can hardly be judged fatal to the account’s accuracy. In any case, the parallel with the disciples’ slowness to understand is most apt. They did not understand who Jesus was from the first: did not his identity appear to them “as a tree walking”?

Mark has now set the stage for the next events of his narrative. Peter will have a partial vision, by which he will recognize Jesus as Christ but not understand that the Christ must suffer. Then the experience of the transfiguration will take place (9:2–8), enlarging his vision. In Mark, however, the vision of the disciples is never absolutely clear, at least not before the resurrection.

Henry E. Turlington, “Mark,” in Matthew–Mark, ed. Clifton J. Allen, Broadman Bible Commentary (Broadman Press, 1969), 333.

The Blind Disciples (vs. 27-33)

Jesus brings his disciples to Caesarea Philippi to ask his disciples the single most important question of human history.

Caesarea Philippi was originally named Paneas after the god Pan, who had a shrine in the area.

Herod Phillip (Herod Antipas is the tetrarch from Mark 6 who marries Herod Philip’s wife) renamed the city after Tiberius Caesar. Julius Caesar was called the divine Caesar. Augustus was called the son of god or the son of the divine. By the end of the first century with emperor Domition, the emperor was to be worshipped as divine.

Peter’s remarkable statement was true! However, he didn’t see the big picture clearly.

Peter was making a remarkable political statement.

We must be able to understand that we may not overthrow a government. BUT we are called to only have one Lord and that is King Jesus!

Peter didn’t realize the crown of Christ first required the cross of Christ.

We must realize that the gospel is a call to come and die!

The Blind Generation (vs. 34-9:1)

Jesus spoke of the first century as sinful and adulterous.

We must thank God for the common grace he has shown us and our nation!

We must also be able to call this generation to repentance.

So many people can’t even see how costly their soul is.

We have people talk about themselves or the unborn as nothing more than parasites of animals.

We have to bring the gospel to bear in this worldview.

Jesus demonstrated to the world that he has brought the kingdom of God.

There is still a consummation of the kingdom; however, we cannot be blind to the kingdom the Holy Spirit is building right now!

Questions:

Have you ever truly seen Jesus for who he is and truly understood the gospel of Jesus Christ?

2. If you have, has your sight of the kingdom become better as you walk with the Lord?

3. What part of the kingdom of God can you see right now?

4. What are you doing to grow the kingdom of God?