Mark 8:11-21

Introduction

After teaching the disciples about the heart of man and Matthew 15:19–20 “19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.”

Jesus goes to a house in Tyre and Sidon, intending for none to know where he went, but Mark says (he could not be hid) Mark 7:25 “25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:”

Here where he has the exchange with the Syrophenician woman Mark 7:27–29 “27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. 28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs. 29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.”

Jesus leaves Mark 7:31 “31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.”

He gives hearing and speech to the deaf and dumb man Mark 7:36–37 “36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; 37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.”

Mark 8:1-9 Jesus feeds 4000 and enters into a ship and goes to the district of Dalmanutha (Matthew 15:39 says maybe Magdala or perhaps Magadan)

The Pharisees Seek a Sign

Mark 8:10–13 KJV

10 And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha. 11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. 13 And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.

Signs? 1) cleansing of the leper: Mark 1:40-45 near the synagogue at Capernaum 2) two blind men given sight Matt 9:27-31 in Capernaum 3) the mute being able to speak Matt 9:32-34 in Capernaum 4) raising Jairus daughter from the dead Mark 5:21-43 in Capernaum

Capernaum is about a 6 mile or 12 minute drive or a 2 1/2 walk from Magdal. Its a 4 miles by boat. The pharisees had heard about and probably even talked to people that witnessed or maybe even the ones the miracles were done for. They at least had interviewed Jairus who was himself a synagogue ruler

The Pharisees asked for a sign from heaven that only God could do. What they looked for was a way to prove Jesus served the devil by him performing the miracles of nature they believed demons could do. They weren’t looking for truth at all. They had chosen the blindness over the light and Jesus knows it.

Mark 8:12 “12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.”

Romans 1:18–19 “18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.”

Men choose to deny the truth they see and know because God put it in them and instead choose the blindness and dark because they love their sin and rebellion

If it’s blindness they want, God will give them blindness. From this point forward, the pharisees and Sadducees get no more offers only judgement!

Beware the Leaven of the Pharisees

Mark 8:14–21 KJV

14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. 15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. 16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. 17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? 18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? 19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. 20 And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. 21 And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?

Mark 8:14–16 “14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. 15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. 16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.”

It dawns on them they had forgotten to bring the leftovers with them this time.

They had been with Jesus all this time and had just witnessed the second feeding miracle with the 4000…and it seems they are still not able to understand what Jesus is trying to teach them.

Mark 8:17–18 “17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? 18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?”

Jesus gives them a reference from the OT they would understand and would know exactly what he was asking. Ezekiel 12:2 “2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.”

The opposition isn’t just from the pharisees. The hardness of the hearts of the disciples themselves battles against their understanding.

Mark 8:19–20 “19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. 20 And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.”

Jesus reminds them of the feeding miracles they had witnessed. He’s telling them what He’s trying to teach them isn’t about bread or not having any

What is the leaven of the pharisees and Herod?

Matthew 16:12 “12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.”

The teaching of the pharisees, that the traditions of man were to be followed and not the doctrine of God Mark 7:8 “8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.”

Luke 12:1 “1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”

The Pharisees outwardly follow the Law but their heart was toward themselves and not God. They were in the same shape as people that continue to deny the truth now: Romans 1:21 “21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

Jesus is pointing out to them that in His miracles HE took a little bread and fed a multitude. In the warning He’s teaching that only a little tradition and hypocrisy can destroy a whole lot of faith! 1 Corinthians 5:6 “6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” Only in Matt 13:33 and Luke 13:21 is the idea of a little yeast leavening the whole lump a positive. In its dozen remaining uses “yeast” connotes corruption, unholiness, and danger.

Mark 8:21 “21 And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?”

this is how the passage we are looking at ends and it seems they haven’t come very far if we are only looking at a few verses at a time; Mark 6:51–52 “51 And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. 52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.”

We just read in the parallel in Matthew 16:12 “12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” they do begin to get it. There’s hope for them and us alike!

Conclusion

Back in Mark 6 when Jesus sends the disciples back to Bethsaida and he comes to them and they are afraid Mark 6:50 “50 For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.”

They fear and doubt and don’t understand who Jesus is. They have been walking with Jesus all this time and one problem they have then is the same we have now I continually warn about. They are only seeing each of the miracles one at a time and haven’t seen the big picture!

Listen to the whole book of Mark but especially Mark 4-8 a few times all the way through, and it starts to come into focus.

Right after our passage Jesus performs another miracle: Mark 8:22–26 “22 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. 24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. 25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. 26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.”

It’s then the disciples start to see the whole picture!

1) the blind see Mark 8:22–26

2) the deaf hear Mark 7:31-37

3) the lame walk Mark 2:1-10

4) the mute speak Matt 9:32-34

5) the widows son at Nain raised from the dead Luke 7:11-17

Who does Isaiah say the Messiah is:

Isaiah 35:1–6 “1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. 2 It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God. 3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. 4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.”

Isaiah 26:19–20 “19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. 20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.”

How do we know they start to get it?

Mark 8:27–29 “27 And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? 28 And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets. 29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.”

Matthew 11:2–6 “2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? 4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”

Acts 4:12 “12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

It’s only through Jesus that those of us that are saved can see, hear, or know anything about God and only by grace do we want to hear preaching and witness to the lost!