Jan. 25, 2009 - No Yeast On Sight

Mark 8:11 - 8:26
11. The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. 12. He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it.” 13. Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.14. The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15. “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”16. They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”17. Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18. Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19. When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” “Twelve,” they replied. 20. “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.”21. He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”22. They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” 24. He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”25. Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26. Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t go into the village.”

I was sort of confused at first reading these passages. But I do understand Christ's feelings in the first half of this passage. The Pharisees weren't satisfied with Christ's miracles in the past. They wanted more and more like a sign from heaven and so forth. It seems like they were sort of testing Christ and treating him like a magician. Even some of the disciples didn't trust him all the way in terms of food even after the miracle of feeding the five thousand. I can see myself in these disciples. I say that I believe that Christ died for me and forgave my sins, but I still doubt him when troubles come. Then at the second half of the passage Jesus heals the blind in two stages. I'm not sure why but it seems like it would make the blind appreciate his sight more due to that stage. I also like the fact that Jesus never brags about his miracles like us do in our world.