Eight the Great

I love the book of Mark. I don't know if I have ever heard anyone say that Mark is their favorite gospel, but I do have a tendency toward the abnormal... What I love about Mark is the glimpse it gives us into how Jesus felt when he encountered a variety of individuals in an array of situations. He felt compassion, love, anger, frustration -- the whole realm of emotions we each experience. This blog entry is just a synopsis of some things I learned from Mark chapter 8 in this read through.

Verses 1-9 tell the story of Jesus feeding about 4000 people with 7 loaves of bread and a few small fishes. What I found interesting is that the people were not asking for food. They had been seeking Jesus and feasting on his words for 3 days. Before Jesus sent them on their way, he had compassion on their physical needs and performed a with-man-this-is-impossible-but-with-God-all-things-are-possible act in order to meet their needs. It was easy for Jesus to provide for them physically. It was his desire to provide for them physically. He did it out of compassion. He did it, too, because they sought him. Oh that my focus would be Jesus alone!

Verses 10-13 Jesus encounters the Pharisees. They, too, were seeking Jesus but their motives were all wrong. They were tempting him and trying to find error with Jesus. They were seeking reasons to support their unbelief. They asked Jesus for a sign. Jesus refused. We know he was capable of showing them a sign. He just performed an amazing miracle in the previous verses. In the previous chapters, the Pharisees themselves had either witnessed or at least surely heard of all the miracles that Jesus did. Seeking Jesus out of bitterness and strife is a dead-end street in our spiritual journey.

Verses 14-21 talk about the disciples being paranoid that Jesus was getting on them for forgetting to bring bread on their journey. Jesus starts warning them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and their minds immediately go to the physical -- "he knows we forgot to bring bread". Jesus tells them their hearts are hard and reminds them of the miracle they just witnessed. He asks them how they could possible not understand. This part really steps on my toes right now -- ouch! The current circumstances in my life are such that the temptation to focus on the physical is strong. Have I not seen great miracles, even as recently as last week? Do I not remember? Why is it that my mind immediately goes to the physical when Jesus' desire is to teach me a much more profound lesson of the spiritual through my physical circumstances?

Verses 22-26 are interesting because Jesus heals a blind man. But this is different than the other healings we have seen in Mark thus far. This time, the healing takes two touches from Jesus. Why? Was this particular miracle too big to be done in just one touch? Of course not. Remember, we're talking about the one who created everything. The lessons here are undoubtedly many, but the one obvious theme is that God does not work the same way even in similar circumstances -- a consistent truth throughout the Bible. Healings can be instantaneous and healings can take time. Jesus is sovereign. Jesus is omnipotent. He does not fit in my box.

In verses 27-33 Peter declares correctly who Jesus is, "You are the Christ!" Then Peter immediately tries to correct Jesus' teaching on the difficult things that Jesus must soon endure. Oops! Jesus rebukes Peter with harsh words, "Get thee behind me Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men." Ouch! Recognizing Jesus is only the beginning of this journey. Savoring the things of God is a heart matter.

Finally, verses 34-38 are touching really. Sometimes it is easy to fall into condemnation when I see so much of myself reflected in the mess-ups of the disciples. My heart is hard. My faith is small. I don't savor the things of God. I'm a mess! But Jesus loves his disciples. He continues to teach them. They are sometimes quite slow. I am often quite slow. Jesus is full of mercy, love and compassion. He continues to teach. And the teaching here is not a light one. Do I want to follow Jesus? Yes! Take up my cross. Lose my life. Do not be ashamed. Savor this teaching of God! Enter grace.