Who Is Jesus? (Mark 8)

Who do we say that Jesus is? Are we willing to take up our cross, and follow Him, or are we chasing things of the world and losing our souls? Are we ashamed of Jesus? Let’s discuss this in Mark 8.

Did a great crowd have anything to eat after three days with Jesus? Was Jesus concerned about their welfare?

In those days, when there was a very great multitude, and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to himself, and said to them, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have stayed with me now three days, and have nothing to eat. If I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way, for some of them have come a long way.” (Mark 8:1-3 WEB)

Were the disciples only looking at a physical solution? Again, did Jesus have a divine solution?

His disciples responded, “How can anyone get enough food in this wilderness to satisfy these people?” Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have?” They said, “Seven loaves.” He told the crowd to sit on the ground. He took the seven loaves, gave thanks, broke them apart, and gave them to his disciples to distribute; and they gave the bread to the crowd. (Mark 8:4-6 CEB)

Similar to feeding the 5000, what did Jesus do? What did Jesus do after that?

They also had a few little fish, and after Jesus had blessed these, he told the disciples to pass them around. The crowd of about 4,000 people ate all they wanted, and the leftovers filled seven large baskets. As soon as Jesus had sent the people away, he got into the boat with the disciples and crossed to the territory near Dalmanutha. (Mark 8:7-10 CEV)

Did the Pharisees begin to argue with Jesus? Would God give a sign to such a generation of unbelievers?

The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side. (Mark 8:11-13 ESV)

Did the disciples completely miss Jesus’ intended meaning because they were only thinking materially? Do we?

They had forgotten to take bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat. Then He commanded them: “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” They were discussing among themselves that they did not have any bread. (Mark 8:14-16 HCSB)

Did Jesus ask if the disciples' hearts were hardened? Do we also sometimes miss Jesus’ purposes because of hard hearts?

Knowing this, Jesus asked them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you don’t have any bread? Don’t you understand or perceive yet? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes, but fail to see? Do you have ears, but fail to hear? Don’t you remember? (Mark 8:17-18 ISV)

What did Jesus remind them of? What should the two events have helped them understand? Do we also need to be taught the same lesson over again, because of our hard hearts?

When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand? (Mark 8:19-21 KJV)

What did Jesus do with a blind man? Did He anoint him with olive oil or spit on his eyes and lay hands on him?

And they came to Bethsaida. And they brought a blind man to Jesus and pleaded with Him to touch him. And taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He was asking him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and was saying, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.” Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly. And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.” (Mark 8:22-26 LSB)

Is a description of an event in the Bible always a prescription for us to follow? Is there an instruction anywhere else that is normative for the church? Let’s look at James?

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. (James 5:14 NKJV)