Bible Study Materials

Mark 8:22-30 (2009)

by Paul Choi   01/25/2008  

Message


YOU ARE THE CHRIST

 
Mark 8:22-30
Key Verse: 8:29 “But what about you? He asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ.”

 
        Last week we learned about having a sense of history. We learned that to have a sense of history is to remember what God has done for each of us, for our families and for our nation. Last Tuesday, this country welcomed a new president, President Barak Obama. His inauguration ceremony was spectacular and impressive. We watched the president pledging an oath while putting his hand on the Bible which Abraham Lincoln used in front of the people of the world. At the end of the oath the president said, “Help me, God.” The ceremony started with an opening prayer and ending with a closing prayer. Indeed, America is a Christian nation which was founded according to his good purpose, which is to become a shepherd nation for the whole world. We respect the new president and expect him to remake this country and to solve problems which we face today. However, we must not depend on him only. We must pray for him and cry out to God to heal this country and to make her a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. 

 
        In today’s passage, Jesus heals a blind man. By healing the blind man, Jesus shows his messianic compassion. We will also learn about Peter’s confession that Jesus is Christ. We will study today why Jesus is Christ and what it really means to the world and to us. I pray that we all may confess from our hearts as Peter did. 

 
First, Jesus heals a blind man. Look at verse 22. “They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.”  Bethsaida was on the northeast shore of the Sea of Galilee. The word “Bethsaida” means “the house of fish.” As for its name, it was known as the hometown of Peter, Andrew, and Philip. Previously near Bethsaida, Jesus fed the five thousand with five loaves and two fish. By feeding the five thousand, Jesus revealed that he is the Son of God and the compassionate shepherd for his suffering people. (Mk 6:34)  When Jesus and his company arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to heal him. The people must have heard that Jesus healed a demon possessed man in the region of Gerasene. They must have heard the news that Jesus healed a Syrophoneican woman at the vicinity of Tyre and a deaf and mute man in the region of Decopolis with the compassion of God. They believed that Jesus definitely would heal the blind man.  How did Jesus respond to their request?

 
        Look at verse 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?” Here we see Jesus’ unique way of healing the sick. Jesus used his saliva as medicine to open the eyes of the blind. Generally saliva is a watery substance in a mouth, which helps with food digestion, teeth and gum protection, disinfectant, flavor production, mouth cleaning and so on. The functions of saliva are diverse and essential to human health. But, it is not easy to connect the functions of saliva to the healing of eyes. But, here we learn that when Jesus had a shepherd heart, nothing is impossible. Jesus used his saliva to open the eyes of the blind. Nothing is impossible with us when we have compassion on others who are in need. God will use even our saliva to heal the many sin-sick souls. God will use our broken English to open the eyes of many spiritually blinded men and women in this world. Nothing is impossible when we have a shepherd heart for suffering and needy people. 

 
        Jesus also helped the blind man to have faith in him. Jesus knew that only those who have faith can be healed. Generally spitting on others is known as an expression of contempt and disgust. But, Jesus took him outside the village and spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him. What might the blind man have thought about Jesus when he heard Jesus spitting on his eyes? What might the man have felt when Jesus’ saliva and mucus were put on his eyes?  He might have felt great humiliation and contempt and then he might command Jesus to stop the process of healing. As you know the blind man was very sensitive to sound, especially to what other people said about him. But, the blind man did not mind what Jesus did to him. He did not doubt Jesus’ love. He trusted in Jesus and believed him to the end. He had faith to be healed. Jesus is willing to bless those who have faith in him. 

 
        Jesus asked him, “Do you see anything?” He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” (24) To the eyes of the blind, people looked like tree trunks walking around here and there. In fact, his eyes were not completely opened. Jesus’ healing process continued. Look at verse 25. “Once more Jesus put his hand on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.” When Jesus put his hand on the man’s eyes once more, his eyes were completely opened and his sight was restored. He could see everything clearly. Here we learn that Jesus made every effort until the man’s eyes were completely healed. He did not give up on the way or leave his eyes half-opened, but did his best until the man’s eyes were completely healed. We also must do our best until our Bible students and children’s spiritual eyes are completely opened.  We must make every effort until their spiritual sicknesses are completely healed by the power of God. With half-opened eyes, people look like trees walking around, so with the eyes of spiritually young people, the life of faith looks strange and impractical. But, when their eyes are completely opened through diligent Bible study, the life of faith is the most precious, valuable and beautiful life in the world. 
Second, who do people say I am? Look at verse 27. “Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” After healing the blind man, Jesus and his disciples moved to the villages around the Caesarea Philippi. Caesarea Philippi was located at the north of the Sea of Galilee near slopes of Mount Hermon. It was a remote place away from the crowd, a really good place for his disciples to have personal time with Jesus. On the way, suddenly Jesus asked them, “Who do people say I am?” Jesus wanted to hear from his disciples about what people thought about him. It was not a difficult question for his disciples to answer since it was an objective question about people’s opinion of Jesus. 

 
        What did they reply? Look at verse 28. “They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” Some people believed that Jesus was the reincarnation of the John the Baptist. John the Baptist lived in the desert and wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. (Mk 1:6) But, he proclaimed the message of repentance and baptized people for the forgiveness of sin. (Mk 1:4) Jesus also delivered the message of repentance and proclaimed the good news of God saying, “The time has come. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” (1:15) Many people came to John the Baptist and received a baptism in the Jordan River.

 
        Other people thought that Jesus might be the prophet Elijah based on Malachi 4:5,6 which says, “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers…”  Still others said that Jesus was one of the prophets. A prophet is one who receives God’s word and delivers it to his people like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Zechariah, Daniel, and so on in the Old Testament. People believed that Jesus came from God. Their answers were good and partially right.  But, their answers were not perfect because Jesus was not just a mere man, as they had thought, who belonged to the descendants of Adam. He is the Son of God.

 
        Who do people say about Jesus these days? People say that Jesus is one of four great saints along with Socrates, Confucius, and Buddha. Others say that Jesus is a great philanthropist and altruist like Mother Teresa. Still most Muslim and Jews say that Jesus is one of the great prophets. Their answers are not much different from those of people in Jesus’ time. However, in their answers, whether it was at past or present, there has been a big human dilemma, if only Jesus is a mere human being. If Jesus is a mere human being, whether he was a great teacher or powerful preacher or sacrificial benefactor, he cannot but be one of the descendants of Adam, who died in his own sin. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death. (Ro 6:23a) In the beginning, Adam’s disobedience to God brought a broken relationship with God. And as the result of separation from God, death came into the world. (Ro 5:12) All men are destined to die without exception due to their own sins. (Heb 9:27) Socrates died due to his sins. Confucius also died, and then Buddha followed him. A long time after them, Mohammad also died in his own sins. All died and that’s it. No one can solve man’s sin and death problem, which has been the most serious and critical problem in human history. If Jesus were only a mere man, or one of the descendants of Adam, he could not but die in his own sins like you and me, and no more. But, Jesus is totally different from them. Jesus is the Son of God. He was in the beginning as the Word. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (Jn 1:14) All things were made through him and for him, and nothing was made without him. (Jn 1:1-3) Colossians 1:16 says, “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.” Jesus is the Almighty Creator God and at the same time he is the Son of God.

 
        Who can solve man’s sin and death problem but God alone? Who can save men from the result of sin and power of death but God alone? So God sent his One and only Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. Even though he is sinless, he became a sacrificial lamb for the sins of the world. John the Baptist said when he saw Jesus coming toward him, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (Jn 1:29) Jesus did not die in his own sins. Jesus died for our sins in order to give us eternal life. Jesus died on the cross for my sin and your sin and the sins of the world. His death was not the end of his story. He rose again from the dead and opened the way for us to enter the kingdom of God. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God promised that those who believe in his son Jesus will have eternal life. There is no death in Jesus because he died for our sins and rose again for our eternal life.  Praise Jesus! Praise God who sent his One and Only Son Jesus to this world to be with us and to save us. 

 
Third, who do you say I am? (29-30). Look at verse 29. “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” Now Jesus turned his disciples and asked them about what they thought about him. To the disciples it was not easy to answer because it was a subjective question which required their personal faith, their personal determination and knowledge that came from their personal relationship with Jesus. Almost three years have passed since they began to follow Jesus. They heard what Jesus taught people about the secret of the kingdom of God. They witnessed how Jesus walked on the water, calmed the storms and controlled the wind. They saw how Jesus healed the lepers, raised the cripples and fed the hungry. They had been with Jesus for three full years. Now, the time had come for them to declare their faith in Jesus. It was like a final test for college students. Who, then, was Jesus to the disciples? 
        Peter always thought that he was the leader among the twelve. He answered, “You are the Christ” What an answer! Even though it was short, it was a correct and perfect answer. Jesus is the Christ. The word “Christ” in Greek is the same as the word “Messiah” in Hebrew. Originally the word Christ means “the Anointed one” who was anointed by the holy oil for God’s good purpose. But, here the word Jesus is the Christ means that Jesus is the Savior and the Lord.

 
        Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior of the world. Jesus is also our Lord. Lord means king. Jesus is our Lord and king and we are his loyal subjects. As the Lord Jesus rules, so we serve. We are people of God whose kingdom will never end. 
When Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ, he meant that Jesus was everything to him. In fact, Peter left everything to follow Jesus. He saw God in Jesus while he was living with him. He had a living hope in Jesus. Above all, to him Jesus was the Lord and Savior. 

 
         There was a young man who was very sentimental. He frequently cried out with many tears after looking at falling leaves which had blown away. He thought that life on earth was meaningless like the falling leaves blown by the wind. After witnessing his young friend’s death, he cried all the more. But to this man, Jesus came. Jesus taught him that he was under the power of death and that death came from sin which is separation from God. The moment when the young man knew that Jesus died for his sins and rose again for eternal life, he cried out again. But, this time his crying was different from before. His tears were an expression of joy, thanks, love, peace and hope for eternal life. The day when the young man confessed that Jesus is the Christ, he felt that heaven opened for him. The young man decided to accept Jesus as not only his Savior but also as his Lord. He decided to give his life for Jesus and to live his life for his name’s sake.
Today since 25 years has passed from that day, he still serves him as his Lord and King and struggles to live for his name’s sake.

 
        In today’s passage we learn that nothing is impossible when Jesus had a shepherd heart. We also learned that Jesus is the Son of God, not a mere man and that Jesus is the Christ. We must confess like Peter that Jesus is the Christ. Making a confession is very important. Romans 10:9,10 says, “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” May God help us to confess that Jesus is Lord and he is the Christ and Messiah. Let us pray that people of the world including all Muslims and Hindus may confess that Jesus is the Christ and Lord. May God make America a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Amen.


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