Mark 8:22 – 9:1 (Week 15) Study Notes And Questions

Mark 8:22 – 9:1 (Week 15) Study Notes and Questions

Key Theme Spiritual perception – seeing and hearing Jesus.

The End of the Beginning During the personal study time, have people compare the healing in 7:32-35 with the one in 8:22-26. Why do you think this story is here?

Healing a Blind Man (8:22 – 26) What did Jesus do with the blind man? What is unusual about this healing? Two stages, as if Jesus did not get it right the first time, as if he doubted that the man would be healed.

When Jesus asked him if he could see anything, what were his options? To lie, to say yes so Jesus wouldn't feel bad, to assume Jesus only wanted/was able to give him the minimum

Why does this healing happen in stages? What happens for the man as a result? He gets to participate; he looks intently. Receiving the best Jesus has for us includes a choice to participate in our own healing.

Compare the two healings. Both were private, Jesus asked both people to say nothing, both involved spit (!), both included an invitation to faith. Eyes to see, ears to hear, like the disciples. The healings are a living parable of spiritual reality. Jesus is desperately trying to get the disciples to see and hear. (NB. what have the disciples stopped doing since Tyre & Sidon? They've stopped asking questions).

Who Do You Say I Am? (8:27 – 33) Jesus begins to walk to Caesare'a Philip'pi, which is Gentile country – a place of worship for the Greek god Pan (Satan) and the Canaanite God Baal. Herod built a temple here for Augustus Caesar. Jesus takes his disciples to the city of the gods of the known world and asks about his identity. Subtext: Do you not yet understand? Do you see anything?

Why might Mark have put the story of the blind man's healing here, next to the teaching about Jesus' identity? In both cases, there's a process of revelation. People have fuzzy ideas of Jesus' identity. So do the disciples.

What question does he ask the disciples? Why? "Who do men say that I am?". Taking the spiritual pulse of outsiders.

What kind of answers does he get? Spiritual guys: prophets, John. What has been THE question on the minds of people up to now in Mark? Where do we see this? "Who are you?", "Who is Jesus?". We see this in 1:27, 2:6, 3:22, 6:3, 7:37. Have we seen the answer clearly?

How does Jesus provoke the answer with his second question? "BUT who do you say that I am?". He is not satisfied with the answers they have given – he provokes them to think more deeply about the question and come up with a different answer. And the answer comes back: "YOU are the Christ", says Peter.

Compare this conversation with the healing of the blind man. Compare the questions in 8:21 and 8:23. How are the answers similar? Both answers are "sort of" – we "sort of see/understand.

What was Peter's original spiritual state? What was his spiritual state in 8:21-23? In 8:29? Originally, blind and deaf. By 8:21-23, he could sort of see and hear – he had a dim impression of what was going on, but no real clarity. In 8:29, he has a burst of clarity and spiritual insight. Three stages of spiritual sight:  Blindness: the Pharisees  Dim vision: the man, the disciples in 8:21-23  Clear sight: Peter in 8:29 (but this stage is not permanent, as we soon see).

How does the blind man come to see? How did Peter come to see? The blind man was healed by the touch of Jesus and looking intently. God's work, plus an act of faith. Peter came to see by looking intently at Jesus, but ultimately God was responsible for revealing it to him.

After the healing, what did Jesus tell the blind man? What did he tell Peter? He told them both not to tell anyone. Why? They have a fuzzy understanding. The disciples weren't ready to tell everyone about Jesus. They knew that he was the Christ, so they knew the answer to the big question in the first half of Mark: "Who is Jesus?". But they don't know the answer to the big question in the second half of Mark: "What is the Christ?".

What is significant about the fact that the "You are the Christ" conversation took place in the middle of Gentile temples in a Gentile city? What difference does this make for the Christians Mark writes to? Jesus is asserting that he is the Christ over all these powers and for all people.

Peter Rebukes Jesus (8:31 – 33) What's new about Jesus' teaching in this section? How does he teach them? The Christ is going to suffer – doesn't fit with their image of the Christ and glory. And he taught them plainly – no parables. Now he has stopped using parables. For those on the inside, he speaks plainly, so they can understand him.

Why does he teach them these things now? They know he is the Christ, but have no proper conception of what that means. The disciples thought that "Christ" meant political leader, someone to defeat the Romans etc.

Why must the Son of Man suffer? It is prophesied in the OT – see, eg, Isaiah 53. It is written.

Did they understand him? Did Peter? Yes, but they didn't like what they heard.

What did Peter do? What does "rebuke" mean? Where have we seen that word before? Peter rebuked Jesus. Jesus has rebuked demons (1:25) and also the wind (4:39) – rebuking is used to get control of subordinates.

Therefore, what is Peter doing? Why? What was he trying to do? What did Jesus call Peter to do? Putting himself above Jesus, because he didn't want a suffering messiah but a victorious one. Peter was trying to lead Jesus – but Jesus had called Peter to follow.

What is Jesus' response? Why is he so urgent? Harsh, called Peter "Satan" (adversary). What did he mean by "not on the side of God but of men"? Peter was on the outside, and was speaking for outsiders. God's plan is different. He's worried that Peter's attitude will affect the other disciples; if it spreads, all is lost (Note: Jesus turns and sees the other disciples).

Losing Your Life (8:34 – 9:1) What is the context? Who is Jesus speaking to? What does he say? He's called the multitude to him, plus his disciples. So he's speaking to all and any of them. He says:  "deny himself" – leave behind self-determination, independence, identity.  "take up his cross" – you deserve death, publicly identify with the guilty, be humiliated.  "follow me" – Jesus is heading to the cross and death. So are his followers.

Why would anyone do this? What reasons does Jesus give? Says that you will save your life by losing it, the Son won't be ashamed of you, you will see the kingdom of God come with power. Consider the types of people:  If you seek to save your life (hard soil), you lose it, that's it.  If you seek to gain the world (thorny soil), you lose it.  If you're ashamed of Jesus (rocky soil), he's ashamed of you.  If you lose your life (good soil), you lose it but then get it back. What sort of soil will you be? One group loses life but really gains it. Is it an even trade? No.

What is the crucial issue? The cause, the reason – Jesus' sake and the gospel. Jesus' sake and the gospel is the only cause worth dying for because it is the only cause that will give you real life. All other causes and "sakes" are bankrupt – they cannot deliver on their promises. Even good causes, apart from Jesus', do not return life.

Who does the "whoever" apply to? Everyone, but specifically the disciples and Peter. Peter didn't want to die, nor did he want to follow a messiah who would die.

Who else? What was Peter's rebuke? Why did Jesus call Peter Satan? The "whover" also refers to Jesus – he'll have to die. Peter was denying this, saying "Jesus, you don't have to die". Satan is a tempter – tempting Jesus to avoid death, not choose death.

What would have happened to Jesus is he had tried to save his life? Why did he respond so strongly to Peter? He too would have lost his life. So much at stake – everything was hanging in the balance.

Why is the first part of v.33 there? What did Jesus see as he responded to Peter? What would have happened to the disciples if he had listened to Peter? They too, with Jesus and all the world, would have lost their lives. God's plan for salvation would have been ruined. Satan would have won! Peter's idea is not one to which a polite response was even possible.

Then Jesus asks two rhetorical questions – what does he mean? He asks "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?" and "For what can a man give in return for his life?". He talks in economic terms – profit, loss, gain, forfeit. He wants people to consider the cost/benefit analysis. The answer to both questions is "nothing". What does it cost to gain life? Life. What is fair about setting the price tag at that level? Every person alive can choose to offer their lives – the price is equally high for everyone, not impossible for anyone.

Who would be ashamed of Jesus' words? People who don't want to die – who don't like the idea of obedience and death. Like Peter, who was ashamed of Jesus' speaking about his own death. Like us – we are also tempted to be ashamed of Jesus' words in his claims to uniqueness and exclusivity. We want everyone to like us, so we don't talk about these claims. In a world of tolerance, they are embarrassing.

What about 9:1? What are the possible interpretations? Jesus could be referring to the Transfiguration (in the next few verses), his resurrection or the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2).

Application Questions  "Deny themselves, take up cross and follow me": what does this remind you of in Mark? Leave nets. Do you remember what your nets were? How was it for you last semester? Did you leave your nets? Did you find life?  What does it mean for us to lose our lives for Jesus' sake?  What other things do people on campus lose their lives for? What do those things promise? Ultimately, do they deliver?  What is it about Jesus that makes you ashamed?  What gets in the way of us losing our lives for Jesus' sake? Fear -- that the promises aren't true (death is hard to take if the promise of life isn't certain), or of what others think of us. Also being ashamed of the exclusivity or totality of Jesus' words. "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose".  What kind of soil will you be? What kind of life do you want? Mark 9:2- 9:29 (Week 16) Study Notes and Questions

Key Theme The Son of Man must suffer.

The Transfiguration

Up the Mountain (9:2-9:8) What's the context? "Six days" after what? Where are they? Why does Jesus only take Peter, James & John? Six days after Jesus' prediction of his death. Not clear where they are – Gentile or Jewish country? He takes the insiders, the same ones who were renamed and got to see the raising of the young girl (5:37).

What's the significance of going up a high mountain? Why Moses, Elijah? Mt Sinai with Moses (Exodus 24), Mt Horeb with Elijah (1 Kings 19). Moses: redeemers of Israelites from slavery. Presented the Old Covenant and promise. Symbolizes the Law. Elijah: great prophet, appointed restorer of all things. Symbolizes Prophets. What do you think they were saying to Jesus?

What's the significance of the color of the clothing? Very few people wore white clothes (just some Temple priests, angels). Dark for workers, maize-colored for teachers. Does white denote a super-teacher?

Why does Peter suggest 3 booths? What's Peter's reasoning? Shekinah glory once covered the tent in the wilderness – perhaps he thinks that 3 tents is the answer. Peter probably thinks the time is fulfilled, and forgets about the suffering.

Why are 3 booths not appropriate? They are not equal – only one of them is God. The time is not fulfilled. Staying up here is not an option.

Describe what Peter and the other two disciples must have felt.

What is the significance of the cloud? God's tabernacle, it both reveals and conceals his glory. God led the Israelites with a cloud by day. See also Exodus 24:16: after 6 days, the Lord called to Moses from the cloud of Sinai.

Why did the Father say "listen to Him" (and not "believe in Him" or something similar)? What are they supposed to listen to? Jesus is above the Law, above the Prophets and in harmony with both. He is the authority. Supposed to listen to his words about suffering. Coming Down the Mountain (9:9 – 9:13) What does Jesus tell them on the way down? Why? What is different about this command? Told them not to tell people. They still had an incomplete view of the gospel. But this is the first time he gives a time limit to the silence – until the Son of man rises from the dead.

How do they respond? What don't they understand? Why do they ask about Elijah instead? Once again, they don't ask what they care about. Afraid to ask. They have no idea what rising from the dead means, and what death and resurrection have to do with the Son of Man. They may ask about Elijah as an objection to Jesus' announcement of suffering and death – the restoration of Elijah makes messianic suffering unnecessary.

What does Jesus hammer away at? Why must the Son of Man suffer? His suffering. The Son of Man must suffer because it is written – just as they did to Elijah what was written of him.

What greets them when they come down from the mountain? An argument, chaos. A contrast: right after the transfiguration, they're faced with a demon.

What was the crowd amazed at when they saw Jesus? Maybe he was still transfigured – see Exodus 34:29, where Moses face still shone after coming down from the mountain.

What were the scribes and disciples arguing about? What was the situation? The healing, why they weren't able to cast out a demon. Perhaps the disciples were defending their ability to do it.... A man had brought his son to the disciples for healing. They weren't able to cast out the spirit, even though they were able to before.

How does Jesus respond to the chaos? Who is Jesus speaking about? He responds "O faithless generation...", speaking about the disciples. Echoes of God's exasperation in Isaiah 63:8-10 ("Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit"), Psalm 95:10 ("For forty years I was angry with that generation...").

Trace the progression of emotions in the father. What does he think/feel? How does Jesus turn the father's cry for help around? The father's attitude shifts from annoyance ("they were not able") to despair/unfaith ("if you can do anything...") to a fierce desire to believe ("I believe, help my unbelief"). Jesus is challenging the man to have faith, and participate by believing it can happen. Takes the father's "IF you can" (sarcastic) and makes it "if YOU can" (asks the man to participate). Wants the man to see that his faith is key to the healing. Where else have we seen this? (Eg. with the woman healed of bleeding -- 5:25 ff).

Describe the demon's effect on the boy. Seizes him, dashes him down, foams, grinds teeth, becomes rigid, convulses boy, fell on ground, rolling about, foaming at mouth. Makes him cry out, convulse, leaves him like a corpse. (Demons obviously out to torment humans)

Why might Mark have placed this scene with the description of the boy seeming dead right here? What other teachings of Jesus is it near? How is it a parable? It's a parable for Jesus' own future suffering and death, but like the boy, he will rise up. Imagery of healing:  Convulsing him = [the Son of man must] suffer  Like a corpse = [the Son of man must] be killed  Lifted him up = [the Son of man must] after 3 days rise again The imagery is the prediction of Jesus' death – he gives them a visual experience to illustrate what will happen. They all thought the boy was dead, but he lived (with new life).

Describe Jesus' emotions towards the disciples, the scribes, the man and the boy. Frustration towards the disciples and scribes (but patient and clear explanation to the disciples after, in response to their questions), challenging towards the man, gentle and healing towards the boy.

Why does Jesus say this kind can only come out by prayer? Who prayed? The father asked for Jesus' help, in desperation – help not just for healing, but help to believe. This is a greater prayer than a simple request for healing, and Jesus loves to answer it. Prayer is a request made to God in desperation.

Why couldn't the disciples cast out the demon when they had done so before? The disciples had been successful at healing and casting out demons the first time out. They were sent out heavily dependent on God, and could not forget it. Now they've maybe forgotten their dependence and are trusting in their own techniques instead. Jesus calls them to prayer.

What is the answer to Jesus' question ("How long am I to be with you?")? As long as it takes for you to learn the importance of prayer. Jesus cannot leave the scene until the disciples learn how to depend on him without him around. This little trial run (with Jesus up the mountain for a short time) illustrates that the disciples are not yet ready to depend on him while he is absent. So Jesus must stay with them longer.

Application Questions  Peter wanted to stay on the mountaintop rather than come down and go back to regular life. How do we see that temptation in our own lives? What is God saying about it?  The disciples continue to be very reluctant to face the fact that Jesus' kingship is initially more about suffering than glory. They seem unsure about following him into suffering. How might our attitudes parallel theirs?  The disciples also seem to be trusting in techniques, not leaning on Jesus in prayer. How are we like the disciples in this? As the father experienced, asking Jesus to heal our unbelief might lead to some things that look like death, as he answers our prayer. Eg. ending an unhealthy relationship, etc. Have you seen examples of this in your own life?