THE COMPASSION OF JESUS AND BELIEVING FAITH.
Mark 8:1-21.
The first thing that I noticed in reading through this short passage was the COMPASSION of Jesus. “I have COMPASSION on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and they have nothing to eat” (Mark 8:2). This is not the only time that we find this in the Gospel of Mark.
A leper had kneeled before Jesus and said, ‘If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.’ Jesus ‘was moved with COMPASSION,’ put forth His hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, ‘I will; be thou clean.’ Immediately the man was cleansed (cf. Mark 1:41-43).
Jesus cast out a legion of devils from another man, so that, at last, that hitherto tormented soul was seen ‘sitting and clothed and in his right mind.’ The man prayed that he might be with Jesus, but Jesus instructed him to ‘Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath COMPASSION on thee’ (cf. Mark 5:15-19).
When Jesus ‘saw much people, He was ‘moved with COMPASSION toward them because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and He began to teach them many things’ (cf. Mark 6:34).
When we are made aware of the COMPASSION of Jesus, then we can stand with the father whose son had a dumb spirit which tormented him, and boldly say, ‘If thou canst do anything, have COMPASSION on us, and help us.’ The man’s faith was not yet fully formed, but he received the desired result (cf. Mark 9:21-27).
The second thing which drew my attention in today’s passage was the ignorance and arrogance of “the Pharisees who came forth, and began to question with Him, seeking of Him a sign from heaven, testing Him” (Mark 8:11).
They would not have known to ask such a thing if they had not been aware of all the miracles and signs which our Lord had already given. Yet it seems that - unlike the man who professed, in effect ‘I have faith to believe; help me also to grow in faith believing (cf. Mark 9:24) - these ‘leaders’ of the faith were so set in the way of faithlessness, that they just downright refused to believe.
If we will not believe the gospel, then why should we expect some new sign? No wonder Jesus “sighed deeply” in His spirit! “Why doth this generation seek after a sign? Verily I say unto you, There shall be no sign given unto this generation” (Mark 8:12).
Finally, we also see how slow even believers are on the uptake. The disciples “had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.” So, when Jesus charged them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and the leaven of Herod,” they reasoned, “It is because we have no bread” (Mark 8:14-16).
Jesus has to remind His believing people, “Perceive ye not yet, neither understand? Have ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes see ye not? and having ears hear ye not? and do ye not remember?” (Mark 8:17-18).
After the feeding of the five thousand, and the feeding of the four thousand, how could they doubt concerning the feeding of thirteen? “How is it that ye do not understand?” (Mark 8:19-21).
We should learn to take stock of the ongoing COMPASSION of the Lord in our lives; recognise the manifold benefits which He has lavished upon us (cf. Psalm 103:2); and say with Samuel, ‘Hitherto hath the LORD helped us’ (cf. 1 Samuel 7:12).
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
