Gospel of Mark/Chapter 8:22-38/Commentary by Mark Dunagan

The Gospel of Mark Chapter 8:22-38

From Capernaum, Jesus was proceeding northward to Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16:13ff). He came to the city of Bethsaida Julias, a town on the east side of the Jordan, near where it flows into the Sea of Galilee. 8:22 “And they came to Bethsaida. And they brought a blind man to Him, and entreated Him to touch him”: “The fact that the initiative seems to have come more from the people who brought him than from the man himself may account for the way Jesus dealt with him” (Gaebelein p. 691). 8:23 “And taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village”: Jesus removes the man from the village and from the crowd. “Jesus wants him to be entirely undisturbed so that he may have his entire attention, and that the man may realize fully what a miracle is being wrought upon him. Jesus thus wants to kindle faith in this man” (Lenski p. 329). “And after spitting on his eyes, and laying His hands upon him, He asked him, ‘Do you see anything?’”: The spitting on his eyes wasn’t the means of the healing (for Jesus could heal from a distance), but rather, since this man was blind, and couldn’t see what Jesus was doing, Jesus did something that clearly sent the message that it was Jesus who had actually healed him. 8:24 “I see men, for I am seeing them like trees, walking about”: First, it is unwarranted to conclude from this passage that Jesus was unable to heal this man at once, for He did that on many other occasions. 1

Remember this is the man who has already raised the dead, cast out demons, walked on water, feed the multitudes and controlled the forces of nature. Even this blind man had perfect sight after a moment’s delay. Jesus asks this man the question, not because Jesus is ignorant (“is it working?”), but because He wants the man to test his new vision. On this occasion, Jesus decided to heal this man in two stages or steps, rather than instantly. The question as to why such a procedure fits this case, and not others, belongs altogether to Jesus who can read the human heart and knows what is best in each situation (John 2:25). Therefore, Jesus is at liberty to use whatever method of healing He desires and He is not restricted to only one fixed rule. “One thing is certain. The early church did not make up this story!” (Gaebelein p. 691). At first, this man sees men walking (probably the disciples coming toward him), but these men seemed indistinct, so that he could not distinguish them from trees except that they were walking. The fact that Jesus is able to modify and limit His healing is a further proof of His power. To be truly all-powerful, God must be able to heal not only instantly but also precisely and be able to place definite or precise limitations on His healing. This is “pin-point” healing. 8:25 “Then again He laid His hands upon his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly’: The adverb here means “afar” + “radiance”, even objects afar off appeared in radiant clearness to him, that is, he could not have had better eyesight. 8:26 “And He sent him to his home, saying, ‘Do not even enter the village’”: “This order is given for the man’s own sake…The man is not to lose the deep impressions that have been made upon him by going into an excited crowd. His own family circle is enough. As far as the townspeople are concerned, they already know that Jesus could heal this man’s blindness, that He had done many great miracles. To say that Jesus wanted them to know nothing further about what He had done is to misconceive the situation” (Lenski p. 332).

Peter’s Confession 8:27 “And Jesus 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?’’: (sess uh REE uh fill uh PIE) (Caesar's city of Philippi)was a city on the southwestern slope of Mount Hermon and the northernmost extent of Jesus' ministry (Matt 16:13; Mark 8:27). In New Testament times the city was known as Paneas, although Philip the tetrarch renamed the city Caesarea Philippi, in honor of the Roman emperor Augustus Caesar. Agrippa II later changed its name to Neronias, in honor of Nero. The present-day village of Baniyas is built on the same site. “The name Paneas came from the grotto of Pan, which represented the elemental worship of the old inhabitants, close to which Herod the Great had built a temple in honor of the Emperor; and this represented the most modern of heathen cults. Thus, just where Judaism touched both the worship of nature and the worship of man, Jesus called upon His disciples to answer for mankind and for themselves as to what His claims upon the conscience were as against the claims of these conflicting worships” (Plummer, Matthew, 224). Mark indicates that this conversation took place “on the way to the villages of Caesarea Philippi” (8:27). The Timing of This Event The Twelve had now completed nearly two and half years of daily, close personal association with Jesus. By this time they must have formed a mature opinion of His true identity. This test comes approximately six months before His death. This calculation is based on the following information: 1. This conversation occurred at least one week before the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1; Luke 9:28). 2. A trip to Capernaum took place after that event (Matthew 17:24). 3. There were discussions and a sermon at Capernaum (Matthew 18). 4. Then Jesus’ brothers say, “Why not go to the feast of Tabernacles?” (John 7:2-3). Later, Jesus attended that feast (John 7:14). This feast occurred in the fall, six months before the last Passover on which He died.

In six months these men will face incredible opposition and pressure from the outside world, as they preach the risen Christ. Most of them will die for preaching this message, and all of them will suffer greatly. How far are they willing to identify Him as God’s Messiah? 8:27 “Who do people say that I am?”: “For maximum contrast between their own personal commitment to Him and the popular evaluations, He first focuses their thinking on what others were saying. The question about the opinion of others is, however, a basic question of tremendous importance to one’s own faith. The disciples did not live in a vacuum. They lived in a society where people held many conflicting opinions about Jesus… They needed to realize that they had to live out their own faith among people who did not agree with them” (Fowler p. 481). 8:28 “And they told Him, saying, ‘John the Baptist’: That is, John raised from dead and working in Jesus. This was Herod’s point of view (Matthew 14; Mark 6). Yet anyone who really knew the life-style of the two men would never have confused John with Jesus. In addition, how could Jesus be John the Baptist raised from the dead, when Jesus was already preaching and performing miracles before John died! (Matthew 3-4) “And others say Elijah”: This view was based upon prophecy (Malachi 4:5), but it was an ignorant view, because John the Baptist had already fulfilled all that Malachi had spoken. In addition, Jesus Himself had already applied the “Elijah” passages to John the Baptist (Matthew 11:10). Yet, the twelve did need clarification on this point (Matthew 17:10-13). 8:28 “But others, one of the prophets”: Luke adds, “has arisen” (9:19). This may be an explanation to Gentile readers, of how people could think that Jesus was a prophet who had died centuries before. Matthew adds a specific prophet by name in this section, “Jeremiah”: This view was based upon non-inspired writings (2 Macc. 2:1-8; 15:13-14; 2 Esdr. 2:17f). Jewish legend had stated that Jeremiah had hid the sacred fire, the altar and the Tent of meeting in a cave before the sack of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. Hence many concluded that Jeremiah would reappear before the Messiah arrived, and reveal the cave and return to the Hebrews the objects necessary for worship.

What About These Views? 1. The judgment others pronounce on Jesus must have no effect upon their decision. Their choice must be painfully and rigidly personal. Public opinion cannot be trusted and neither can it provide unity. Fowler notes, “Therefore, the well-known differences of interpretation among the scholars do not dispense anyone from making his own personal research to find for himself the truth about Jesus. After all, everyone must finally answer the question: ‘But who do YOU say that I am?’ The divergent interpretations exonerate no one from committing himself personally” (p. 484). 2. A divided religious world did not give the apostles the right to opt out and claim that this was too confusing. How many people today think that the divided religious world gives them a free pass and means that they are no longer accountable. Be impressed that a right answer still exists even when surrounded by religious upheaval, contradictory answers, and many divergent opinions. In addition, these simple men could still see the truth! Has anything really changed? Are not there just as many or more divergent opinions about Jesus today? But can men still see the truth? Yes! (John 8:3132; 1 Timothy 2:4). 3. Even the most favorable human estimations ascribed to Jesus (He is a prophet!), actually were rejections of Him! “It is absolutely unpardonable that anyone should honor Jesus as a prophet, while rejecting the declarations He made regarding Himself (John 14:6)” (Fowler p. 484). That is, if one really believes that Jesus is a prophet, then one would really listen and obey what He says, including the claim that He is God! People, who try to claim that they believe Jesus is a prophet, but not divine, actually do not even believe He is a prophet—for they reject what He taught. 4. Therefore, esteem for Jesus that does not lead to submission to His will, is nothing more than rejection and unbelief. Jesus did not claim to be merely a prophet or religious leader; He claimed to be God

(John 5:18,23), the only Savior of the world (John 14:6). Anything less than full acceptance and obedience to these statements is a complete rejection of Him. Remember, many of Jesus’ enemies, like the Pharisees would have been completely happy if Jesus had merely claimed to be a prophet or spiritual leader. 8:29 “And He continued by questioning them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered and said to Him, ‘Thou art the Christ’”: God doesn’t allow us to hide behind the views and opinions of others. Ultimately, everyone must make up his or her own mind about Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:10). Some of these views may have been very popular, but human consensus doesn’t establish spiritual truth. “Jesus cannot make the best use of people who have no clear idea about His identity” (Fowler p. 485). “Thou art the Christ”: That is, “You are the Messiah”. 8:30 “And He warned them to tell no one about Him”: The apostles were not ready to proclaim this truth, because they still had wrong ideas about His mission and purpose (Matthew 16:22). In fact, they really wouldn’t be ready to proclaim Jesus as the Christ until after the resurrection (Acts 1-2). In addition, Jesus wanted His deeds to speak for themselves. There were so many in the multitudes that wanted an earthly and political Messiah (John 6:15), that Jesus didn’t need any fuel added to that fire. 8:31 “And 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”: The term “Son of Man” is often a synonym for the Messiah. Here the term simply means “Me” or “I”. Among other things, Jesus called Himself the “Son of Man” because He (God) had fully identified with the human condition (John 1:1,14; Hebrews 2:15; Philippians 2:6-9). “But when we try to realize for what reasons Jesus may have picked this name out from all which presented themselves to Him in His intimate and loving survey of the Old Testament, it is difficult to resist the belief that a third and the principal reason was because it gave expression to His sense of connection with all men in sympathy, fortunes, and destiny. He felt Himself to be identified with all as their brother, their fellow-sufferer, their

representative and champion; and, in some respects, the deepest word He ever spake was, "For the Son of man also came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45 parallel)” (ISBE). 8:31 “He began to teach them”: Since the apostles, by the mouth of Peter which had just confessed Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the living God, it was necessary that their erroneous or crude views concerning the Messiah and His kingdom be corrected. He was not going to take over the government and neither would He be crowned an earthly king, rather, the Divine plan all along had been for the Messiah to come and give His life for the sins of the world (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53). “To keep the apostles in ignorance of the fact that He did not intend to defend Himself would place the apostles at a great disadvantage. It would be harder to control them and to keep them from meeting violence with violence” (Foster, p. 240). Prior to this moment, Jesus had been dropping hints and clues that this was the plan (Luke 2:34f; John 1:29 “the Lamb of God” to be slain? 2:19-22; 3:14; Matthew 9:15; 12:40; John 6:51-57). Now, all illusions have been dropped and Jesus plainly and clearly stated the facts. The term “show” in the above verse means to “indicate, make known, reveal, and explain”. Mark says, “He said this plainly” (8:32). Notice the term “began”. Jesus started teaching this and kept it up (Matthew 17:22f; 20:17-19; Luke 17:25), because they must learn to live with the Divine will, even if it is uncomfortable and not what they want to hear. 8:31 “And after three days rise again”: “What sort of King is He who so confidently promises His own resurrection shortly after His yet future death? Jesus had already talked about the third day (Matthew 16:4; 12:39). At times people will argue that Jesus had to be in the tomb 72 hours, to fulfill the statement of three days and three nights. But if this is true, then He would have been raised on the fourth day, not the third day. Therefore, “three days and three nights” stands for a portion of three days and three nights. Jesus was crucified on the day before the Sabbath (Friday) (Mark

15:42), and was raised early on the first day of the week (Sunday) (Matthew 28:1). Jesus was willing to stake everything on this precise resurrection. His enemies understood the teaching as well, and knew on which day He claimed to rise (Matthew 27:62). What teacher is willing to rest everything on such a precise claim? On the first day of the week following His death all would know immediately if He was an imposter or if He was the Son of God. “Now that He thus spoke plainly, we may see by Peter’s conduct that they comprehended and were deeply moved by the dark and more sorrowful portion of His revelation, and failed to grasp the accompanying promise of a resurrection” (McGarvey p. 415). 8:32 “And He was stating the matter plainly”: No parables. Clear teaching to the point. “And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him”: Peter’s motives may have been good and well intended, but good and sincere motives do not make up for acknowledging what is the truth. Good motives, which are contrary to the truth, are instruments of Satan and not God (Romans 10:1-3). It appears that Peter tried to make this rebuke a private affair between him and Jesus, yet Peter’s shock was also the same shock being experienced by the other apostles as well (Mark 8:33). Jesus’ teaching came through with a clarity far too painful. “Evidently Peter regarded Jesus as overcome by a fit of despondency, and felt that such talk would utterly dishearten the disciples it if were persisted in” (McGarvey p. 415). 8:32 “Began to rebuke Him”: In a similar way Nicodemus, honestly admitted that God was with Jesus (John 3:1ff), but then turned immediately to arguing with Jesus concerning the new birth! To this day professed believers in Jesus or people who claim to be religious still argue with Him. People in the denominations rebuke Jesus for teaching that baptism is necessary for salvation (Mark 16:16). Others, rebuke Jesus for teaching that hell is conscious suffering and that it is eternal. Still others rebuke Him for teaching that the way of heaven is narrow (Matthew 7:13-14). It is so easy to fall into the trap in which Peter fell. It is so easy to allow our emotions, preconceived ideas, or what “we think is right” to get in the way of submitting to what God says is truth (Isaiah 55:8-9). Many people react

just like Peter did on this occasion. They hear the word of God taught on some subject and immediately respond, “Well! I don’t agree with that”. As a preacher, I have often been rebuked by unfaithful members, apostates, or unbelievers who attempted to tell me what I should be preaching. Too many people assume or have been taught that their “well-meaning intentions” give them the right to give God some advice. Fowler notes, “Herein is the danger of supposing that our love for the cause of Christ may permit our well-meaning concern to overstep the limits that our discipleship imposes upon us, and to tell our Lord what He can say or do. In this frame of mind, Peter is the forerunner of all Christians who assume that they know anything better than Jesus and may safely presume to tell Him so. All of Peter’s sincere love for Jesus and his devotion to His cause, all his joy flowing out of his past confession, all his happiness born of Jesus’ commendation, are insufficient to justify this bold protest against the program of God revealed by His Son!” (pp. 539-540). 8:33 “But 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”: Speaking the “truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15), still sounds like a rebuke! There are times when even well-meaning statements, must be decisively corrected, because they are spiritually dangerous. 1. Peter’s statement to Jesus was a temptation, and Jesus did not need His own disciples encouraging Him not to die for the human race. In like manner, Christians do not need other Christians telling them to stop preaching on certain Biblical topics, avoid doctrine, that denominationalism is not so bad, or, that the church is just another denomination with its own traditions. 2. Our ignorance or misdirected feelings can be used by Satan to further his purposes. “Peter’s misdirected affection is nothing but Satan’s subtle attempt to sway Jesus from His divinely appointed purpose” (Fowler p. 540), which should move each one of us to examine our lives and to ask ourselves, “Is Satan using me to further his purposes?”

3. Satan’s advice has always been, “Put yourself first”, “Save yourself at any rate, sacrifice God’s cause on the altar of personal convenience”. The whole aim of Satanic policy is to get self-interest recognized as the chief end of man. “None are more formidable instruments of temptation than well-meaning friends who care more for our comfort than for our character (or eternal destiny)” (Fowler p. 541). 4. When we act upon our own selfish interests and act opposite to the will of God, we are acting just like the devil, because Satan has no concern for promoting God’s interests; only his own. 5. Jesus refuses to overlook sin; He refuses to temporize it. In responding so sternly to Peter, He is following His own teaching in Matthew 5:29-30. 8:33 “God’s interests, but man’s”: How about us? Are we tempted to pursue man’s interests? When we give people advice are we directing them toward God’s interests or our interests? When we are trying to help or comfort or encourage someone, do we tell them what God wants them to hear, or what we think they should be hearing? 8:34 “And He summoned the multitude with His disciples, and said to them, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me”: At this point, Mark notes that Jesus not only addressed His disciples, but He summoned the whole multitude to hear this lesson (8:23). The first application here would apply to Peter and the other disciples. Denying themselves would mean accepting the fact that Jesus would die, it would demand that they submit to God’s plan and God’s timetable. 8:34 “If anyone”: This truth applies to all alike, God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). The demands that Jesus makes here are not for the heroic few who would live exceptional lives somehow untrammeled with the problems of normal existence, rather these commands are for housewives, businessmen, coal miners, truck drivers, lawyers, sailors, students, and the retired. “This is not the rare spiritual discipline for so-

called ‘religious orders of super-Christians’, but the only means of saving anyone” (Fowler p. 542). 8:34 “Let him deny himself”: That is, in the context, let him seek God’s interests and not his own (16:23; Galatians 2:20). Self-interest, selfpromotion, self-preservation, and self-complacency must forever die. How could anyone argue that a holy and righteous God must accept them as they are, when what they are is a sinner! 8:34 “Take up his cross”: To Jesus’ listeners in Galilee they knew what cross bearing meant. They knew that His words could only mean bearing up under suffering, even martyrdom, that would come in the line of duty for anyone committed to Jesus (see also 1 Peter 2:19-25; 3:13-18; 4:12-19). 1. Bearing our own cross really only has meaning if we admit that Jesus truly bore His. The demand that we bear our cross is a demand that we accept the fact that He bore His for us.

2. On a practical level bearing our cross involves generously giving of ourselves in sacrificial service to others, however humiliating or painful this turns out to be.

3. Luke says that this must be done on a daily basis (Luke 9:23), for Satan will never stop trying to tempt us (1 Peter 5:8).

4. In sacrificing ourselves for His will, we show ourselves true believers in His cause, willing to sacrifice so that His work, His mission can continue in the world. 8:34 “And follow Me”: There have been many people who have sacrificed themselves for all sorts of causes and purposes, but bearing our cross is only meaningful if we are suffering for the sake of what Jesus actually teaches. Suffering because one is teaching error is not bearing our cross.

Note the following verses did not merely apply to that time or age, but to people who would follow Jesus in any time. 8:35 “For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s shall save it”: This rule applies to everyone. “Saving his life” can apply to the person who renounces Jesus or compromises in order to avoid death or persecution. But it equally applies to the person who puts themselves first, the person who yields to a temptation that promises “life”. Any time our first concern is for our own well-being, popularity, position, and possessions. The person who is anxious to save his own skin, and keep himself comfortable at all cost, will abandon truth and righteousness and Jesus. “Shall lose it”: “Cowardly withdrawing from the pressure and avoiding the hatred inevitably directed toward true disciples of the Lord, he retreats to a temporarily safe position. Despite gaining a few years of ease and tranquility, such a person will die after all, only to face the Christ (in judgment) he had so miserably denied in the name of prudence” (Fowler p. 547). The person who abandons Jesus for something easier, never finds the happiness that Satan promised them if they sacrificed the truth and their convictions. People who leave the faith fail to find what the devil promised, people who compromise and water down the faith, and will fail to find true life. People who go off into the religious world looking for something better, also will fail to find it. The more a person puts themselves first—the farther happiness is from their grasp. All self-striving is ultimately self-losing. 8:35 “Loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s shall save it”: “Ironically, the man who risks everything involved in Jesus’ discipleship, and spurns the unreal ‘safe houses’, those pseudo-refuges in this life (possessions, fame, popularity, comfort, the praise of men, etc..), will actually protect his own best interests best” (Fowler p. 547). Even if such a man were to lose everything (family, friends, possessions, and even his own life, like some did), he would have really lost nothing of eternal value, but will have gained everything (Hebrews 10:32-39; 11:6; 25-27). 8:36 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?”

Consider Luke 12:15-21 as a commentary on this question. Jesus may have interjected this statement at this point because the first thing that comes across the minds of many when they read verses 16:24-25 is that they can think of many things in this world, if offered them that would be “worth it” if it meant denying Christ. If my soul is worth more than the entire world, then obviously my soul is worth far more than simply desiring one aspect of this world. In addition, when we are tempted, it seems like what is promised by this temptation is “the whole world”. How many people, when drawn away by one worldly thing will argue, “If I can just have this, I will be happy”? 8:37 “For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”: Often, people are willing to trade their soul for very little. Sometimes people forfeit their souls for next to nothing (Hebrews 12:16 “who sold his birthright for a single meal”). “The whole world is too small, yea, an utterly inadequate price, to pay for the ransom of the soul once lost. How poignantly was this very reality played out in Peter’s later denial of his Master in order to save his own skin! What if Peter had truly escaped conviction for being a disciple of the Nazarene, only to live on for 50-60 more years, relatively undisturbed under the leaky umbrella of the powers that be on earth? What would he have gained? What would he have lost! ” (Fowler p. 550-551). 8:38 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words”: Observe how Jesus placed Himself and His teachings together (John 12:48). One example of denying Christ would be ignoring what He taught. I can easily exchange my soul when I trade the words of Christ for the words of someone else or my own words. 8:38 “In this adulterous and sinful generation”: Jesus still expects us to be faithful even though the world we live in is very unfaithful. “The Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels”: At the judgment will we receive in return exactly how we treated Jesus when we were alive. If we were ashamed of Him and His teachings, then He will be ashamed of us.