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"Having Eyes, Do You Not See?"
As the eighth chapter of Mark opens, Jesus had already performed some
tremendous signs before His disciples. He had cast out demons, healed
lepers, lifted up the paralyzed, raised a dead girl, and walked on
water. Not only these, but he had even on one occasion fed 5,000 people
with just a few loaves and fish. Yet when Jesus became concerned that He
not send another multitude of 4,000 away hungry, His disciples said to
Him, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the
wilderness?“ (8:4). Hmmm...
Later, Jesus got into a boat with His disciples and headed to the other
side of the sea of Galilee. Being alone with them He used the occasion
to warn them about certain influences in the world. “Beware,“ He
said, “of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod”
(v.15). But not comprehending what Jesus was talking about, they
concluded that the Lord was rebuking them for not taking any bread for
their journey. (Apparently they latched onto the word, “leaven.”)
Jesus rebuked them. “Having eyes, do you not see?” He
asked. They had seen Jesus feed the 5,000 and then the 4,000, and yet
they feared that Jesus was upset for not bringing enough food?! Truly,
their thinking was all askew! They were seeing Jesus, but they were not
seeing Him for all He truly is.
In this same eighth chapter the reader sees further evidence of this
lack of clarity in the disciples’ vision of Jesus. When Jesus asked
them, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said,
“You are the Christ” (v.29). Peter was right, and no greater
confession could he have made. But then as Jesus proceeded to tell the
disciples of His impending arrest, trials, and death, “Peter took Him
aside and began to rebuke Him” and to tell Him that such things
would not happen to the Lord. Of course, the Lord had to turn around and
rebuke Peter, for these things would happen. They needed to happen. But
do we see the inconsistency in Peter’s words? One moment He is
confessing Jesus to be the “Christ,” the anointed One of God
--But then in another moment telling the Son of God (in essence) that He
doesn’t know of that which He speaks. Peter needed to see Jesus more
clearly, to see Him for all He truly is.
Let us not be too hasty, however, in our judgment of Peter and the other
disciples. Honestly now -- do WE see Jesus for all He is? Truly, He
is “both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). He is
“the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords”
(1 Timothy 6:15). Yet how many of us today give lip service to these
truths? How many give vocal assent to the fact that He is “far above
all principality and power and might and dominion,“ yet will not
yield to His will in how He desires to be worshiped? How
many of us verbally agree that He has been made “head over all things
to the church,” yet refuse to allow Him to direct our
lives in one or more matters of morality? (Ephesians 1:21-22) How many
say, “You are the Christ,” but who then turn around and tell
Jesus how we will act in our home, at our job, at school,
etc.?
Having eyes, do we see Jesus? Do we, really?
--Mike Noble
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