*Mark 8:22-37
Jesus heals a blind man in stages, then foretells his own rejection and death to his disciples.
- Miraculous Healing of a Blind Man:
- Jesus and his disciples arrive in Bethsaida, where some people bring a blind man to Jesus, begging him to touch the man and heal him.
- Jesus takes the blind man by the hand and leads him out of the village. He spits on the man’s eyes and lays his hands on him, asking if he can see anything.
- The man responds that he sees people, but they look like trees walking. Jesus lays his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his sight is fully restored. Jesus instructs him not to return to the village.
- Peter’s Confession of Christ:
- Jesus and his disciples journey to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. Along the way, Jesus asks his disciples who people say he is.
- The disciples offer various answers, but Peter declares, “You are the Christ.”
- Jesus warns them not to tell anyone about him.
- Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection:
- Jesus begins to teach his disciples that the Son of Man must suffer many things, be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
- Peter rebukes Jesus, but Jesus sharply responds, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
- Cost of Discipleship:
- Jesus calls the crowd and his disciples, instructing them that whoever wants to follow him must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him.
- He emphasizes the value of one’s soul over worldly gain, stating that those who are ashamed of him and his words will be rejected when he comes in glory.
8:22 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.
8:23 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.
8:24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
8:25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
8:26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.
8:27 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? 8:28 And they answered, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.
8:29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.
8:30 And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.
8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
8:32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
8:33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 8:37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?