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In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ. A Healing and A Testing November 22, 2009. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info. A Healing. Mark’s Account. Mark 8:22-26
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In The Footsteps Of The Master:The Life and Times of Jesus Christ A Healing and A Testing November 22, 2009 www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
A Healing www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
Mark’s Account • Mark 8:22-26 • 22And they came* to Bethsaida. And they brought* a blind man to Jesus and implored* Him to touch him. 23Taking 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 asked him, “Do you see anything?”24And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.” 25Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly. 26And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
For Discussion • This type of healing is exactly the type of “sign” that would accompany the arrival of the Messiah • Isaiah 35:5 • 5Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. • Did Jesus have difficulty healing this man? • Why did it take two attempts? • We know that he was not born blind, since he knew what trees and men looked like www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
For Discussion • In Mark 8:18, Jesus has just told His disciples: • 18“Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? • Perhaps Jesus is using the healing of this blind man as an object lesson • In step one the man “had eyes”, but still could “not see” • The disciples are beginning to realize who Jesus is, but they still do not realize the totality of what that means www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
Who IS THE SON OF MAN? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
Mark’s Account • Mark 8:27-30 • 27Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?”28They told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.” 29And He continued by questioning them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered* and said* to Him, “You are the Christ.” 30And He warned them to tell no one about Him. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
Luke’s Account • Luke 9:18-21 • 18And it happened that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, “Who do the people say that I am?”19They answered and said, “John the Baptist, and others say Elijah; but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again.” 20And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.” 21But He warned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone ... www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
Matthew’s Account • Matthew 16:13-18 • 13Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”14And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15He said* to them, “But who do you say that I am?”16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
Matthew’s Account (cont.) • Matthew 16:18-20 • 18“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”20Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
Caesarea Philippi www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
For Discussion • This is likely as far north a Jesus goes in His ministry • From here, he begins working his way back to the South towards His destiny in Jerusalem • Who do the people see Jesus as? • They are recognizing Him simply as one equal to the prophets of old • They fail to recognize in Him the Messiah • But a “sign” might help! • Note Jesus’ use of “Son on Man” • Doesn’t aid in the identification process www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
For Discussion • Up to this point, Jesus has not identified Himself as the Messiah • He’s left it up to the crowds to decide • And they are yet unconvinced • Though even as a prophet, Jesus would have been remarkable • What is Peter’s response? • “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” • Note that Jesus responds to Peter with the phrase “Simon, Son of John” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
For Discussion • Peter finally recognizes that Jesus is the Messiah • How did Peter come by this knowledge? • In a revelation from the Father • Is this the first time the disciples have identified Jesus as the Son of God? • Jesus uses Simon’s nickname “Peter” (Petros) in a wordplay with “rock” (petra) • It appears that Simon already had this nickname – not the first time it’s been used www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
For Discussion • Jesus speaks of “My church” (ekklesia) • A common word for an assembly, either religious or civic • Jesus stakes a claim to those who would be in His assembly • How will He build His ekklesia on Peter? • What important role does Peter play in this effort? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
For Discussion • What are the “keys to thekingdom” • Does Peter get to lock andunlock the pearly gates? • What is the meaning of: • “whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” • Does Peter get to decide what is allowable and what is not? • The statement is one of divine guidance, not divine endorsement www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
For Discussion • Why does Jesus still not want His disciples to tell people that He is the Christ? • Why does He want this truth held back? • Though the disciples now understand Who Jesus is, they do not yet understand exactly what that means • Jesus does not want them spreading an incorrect picture of what the Messiah’s purpose is www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
For Discussion • Jesus wants people to make their own decisions about Him, today just as in the First Century • We must come to know Him for who He is • We must have our own faith, based on our relationship with Him • Not based simply on what we see (or eat) www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
THE Messiah's PURPOSE www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
Matthew’s Account • Matthew 16:21-23 • 21From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. 22Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” 23But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
Mark’s Account • Mark 8:31-33 • 31And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said*, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
For Discussion • Jesus plainly states that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer and be killed, but then be raised on the third day • The disciples, however, can’t seem to get past the suffering and death • Peter steps in to rebuke Jesus for such foolish talk • Why? • Why would Jesus rebuke Peter for his comment in His defense? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
For Discussion • Perhaps Peter, now convinced that Jesus is Messiah, expects him to gather up His armies and restore Israel • “... you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” • Peter sees what will happen to Jesus as a disaster to be averted, rather than a prophecy to be fulfilled • Jesus goes so far as to call Peter “Satan” and “a stumbling block to Me” • Why these very strong words? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
IS DISCIPLESHIP WORTH IT? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
Matthew’s Account • Matthew 16:24-28 • 24Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 25For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds. 28Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
Mark’s Account • Mark 8:34-38 • 34And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 35For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
Luke’s Account • Luke 9:23-27 • 23And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. 25For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? 26For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27But I say to you truthfully, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
For Discussion • What is the cost of discipleship? • Deny one’s self, take up a cross and follow • Lose one’s life • Jesus words here are not metaphorical • We have turned them into such, but Jesus was warning His followers that they would suffer and die for Him • What is to be gained from it? • “... but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
For Discussion • Jesus words reflect back to Satan’s temptation • “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” • What will it take for the disciples to fully understand the Messiah and the benefits of following Him? • Who are those who will see the kingdom? • “... there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
Next Week • The Transfiguration Questions? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info