Mark 8
PREVIEW: In Mark 8, 4,000 men are miraculously fed and yet the disciples do not clearly see or understand this miracle. Jesus will make it clear to them by healing a blind man as an example of how their sight can be given greater vividness and what it is going to cost them to follow Him.
Four Thousand are Fed - Read Mark 8:1-10
1. Jesus called His disciples to Himself to discuss the multitudes. How long had they continued with Him and what did Jesus have on them (vv. 1-2)? (See also 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.)
2. Why do you think the multitudes continued with Jesus for this duration of time? (See also Mark 6:34.)
3. Who do you think comprised this multitude? (See Mark 7:31.) How might this multitude differ from the multitude in the feeding of the 5,000? (See Mark 6:32-33 and Luke 9:10.)
4. What dilemma did the disciple face (v. 4)?
5. What did Jesus’ question ask the disciples to do about their dilemma (v. 5)? (See also Matthew 15:34; Mark 6:38 and John 6:9.)
6. How did Jesus resolve the disciples’ dilemma (v. 6)?
7. The multitudes, along with Jesus and His disciples, all ate and were filled. Approximately how many people ate (v. 9)? How much food was left over (v. 8)? What word describes the baskets (v. 8)?
8. Read this section carefully, observing the disciples’ involvement in the feeding of the 4,000. How did Jesus use the disciples to meet the needs of the multitudes (vv. 1-8)?
9. How might you, as a disciple of Jesus, be used to meet a need of the multitudes in your community?
Pharisees Seek a Sign - Read Mark 8:11-13
10. What was the attitude and intention of the Pharisees in asking Jesus to show them a sign from heaven (v. 11)?
11. What was Jesus’ emotional response to the Pharisees’ effort to seek a sign from heaven (v. 12)?
12. Why do you think He responded this way? (See John 1:11, Deuteronomy 6:16, Luke 4:12, and Matthew 4:7.)
13. Jesus’ emotional response to the Pharisee’s request for a sign was obviously one of disappointment and frustration (v. 12).What was Jesus’ physical response to the Pharisee’s attempt to test Him by asking for a sign from heaven (v. 13)?
14. The Pharisees did not believe or receive Jesus as their Messiah, despite all the miracles and signs He had performed. They asked for a sign, putting Him to the test. Why is what the Pharisees did such a dangerous spiritual course of action for believers to follow (v. 13)? (See also John 12:36.)
Disciples Do Not Understand - Read Mark 8:11-21
15. What specifically did the disciples forget to bring that caused them to reason among themselves in response to Jesus warning them to “take heed” (vv. 14-16)?
16. Jesus warned His disciples to “take heed,” which means to guard against. What were they to guard against (v. 15)? (See also Matthew 16:6 and Luke 12:1.)
17. The disciples reasoned among themselves about what Jesus said. Why is “reasoning among themselves” a dangerous practice? (See 1 Peter 1:20-21, Proverbs 12:15, 14:12, Ephesians 5:6, Judges 21:25, and Matthew 23:16, 24.)
18. What could and should the disciples have done instead of reasoning amongst themselves? (See Isaiah 1:18, Mark 4:10, Matt. 13:10; Luke 8:9, and James 1:5-7.)
19. In Hebrew life, leaven played an important part, not only in bread-making but also in law, ritual, and religious teachings. Jesus explained to His disciples what He meant by the “leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” What does the “leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod” represent? (See Matthew 16:6, 12, and Luke 12:1.)
20. Why is it important to take heed against even a little leaven (incorrect doctrine) in our lives? (See Galatians 5:9, 1 Corinthians 5:6, Matthew 15:14, and Isaiah 9:16.)
21. Jesus was aware that the disciples thought He was telling them to take heed and beware because they had forgotten to bring bread (v. 17). Why did Jesus refer to the feeding of the 4,000 and 5,000 (v. 19)? What were the disciples to understand and remember about these miracles (v. 21)?
22. Why did the disciples not yet perceive or understand (v. 17), which caused them to “reason among themselves”? (See also Mark 6:52 and 16:14.)
A Blind Man is Healed - Read Mark 8:22-26
23. A blind man was brought to Jesus. What did those who brought him beg Jesus to do for this man (v. 22)?
24. What does Jesus do with the blind man before He begins to restore his sight (v. 23a)? Why might He have done this? (See Matthew 11:20.)
25. What did Jesus do to begin the healing of man’s blindness (v. 23)?
26. After Jesus began to restore the blind man’s sight, what did the blind man do and what did he see (v. 24)?
27. What did Jesus do and what did Jesus make the blind man do before his sight was fully restored (v. 25)?
28. Perhaps you see men walking, as trees, and your understanding and vision are unclear. What should you do in an effort to see things clearly? (See Jeremiah 29:12-13, Luke 11:9-10, and Proverbs 8:17 and 12:15.)
29. Not only did Jesus take the blind man outside of Bethsaida, but what did He specifically instruct him to not do, now that he could see clearly (v. 26)?
Peter’s Confession of Christ - Read Mark 8:27-33
30. The disciples didn't see clearly who Jesus was, as Illustrated by Jesus' statement in Mark 8:17-18, "Having eyes, do you not see?" Even though they had seen the feeding of the 5,000 and 4,000, they still reasoned amongst themselves (v. 16) and did not perceive nor understand (v. 17). Just like the blind man, they didn’t yet see clearly. Jesus was going to open their eyes and let them see clearly, by asking two questions that would allow them to see His true identity. What two critical questions did He ask (vv. 27-29)?
31. When Jesus had come to the disciples in their dark night (blindness) when they could not see clearly and thought He was a ghost as He was walking upon the water (Mark 6:45-52), the disciples were “greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled” (Mark 6:51). They too had a revelation (gained sight) of who Jesus is by declaring, “Truly You are the Son of God.” (See Matthew 14:33). Now they received complete sight of who Jesus is. What did Peter confess about Jesus (v. 29)? (See also Matthew 16:16 and John 6:68–69.)
32. How does Peter know this (see Matthew 16:17)?
33. Jesus asked His disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” (v. 29). Share with the group your answer to the question “Who do you personally say Jesus is?”
34. Jesus strictly warned the disciples not to reveal their revelation about Him to anyone (v. 30). Instead what did He begin to teach them (v. 31)?
35. The disciples now clearly saw who Jesus is (v. 29, John 6:69). Jesus began to show them what His plan is. However, just like the blind man who saw initially, but not clearly, and then was made to see clearly, the disciples didn’t clearly see that the Messiah would come twice. They expected the Messiah to set up the kingdom, overthrow the oppressive Roman government and reign (see Mark 10:37 and Matthew 20:21). What clear plan did Jesus reveal to His disciples (v. 31)?
36. The disciples thought Jesus was going to set up the Messianic kingdom when He went into Jerusalem, yet He explained that He would be rejected, suffer, and die (v.31). Peter, although now clearly seeing who Jesus is, didn’t clearly see what He was going to accomplish in His first advent, and he rebuked Jesus for saying He was going to suffer and die. What was Jesus’ response to Peter’s rebuke (v. 33a)?
37. The original language makes it clear that Peter continually rebuked Him. What name did Jesus refer to Peter as, and what does it mean (v. 33)?
38. What did He say Peter was not mindful of (setting his mind upon) (v. 33)?
39. Often we might be like the blind man, or like Peter, and not see the things of God clearly. How should we resolve this issue? (See Isaiah 55:8-9, Isaiah 55:6, Jeremiah 29:12-13, Luke 11:9-10, and Proverbs 8:17 and 29:18.)
Cost of Discipleship - Read Mark 8:34-38
40. Meditate upon the three things that Jesus said were to be done if a person were to come after Him (v. 34). What are those three things, and what do they mean?
41. PROMOTE: When Jesus called His disciples, He said, “Follow me” (Mark 1:17 and 2:14). Share with the group what the life of a person who follows Him should look like.
42. Mark 8:35 seems to be a paradox (a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement). The person who wants to save his life must lose it. The person who loses his life for Jesus’ sake will find it. How do you resolve this paradox?
43. Jesus gave a perspective on the value of a man’s soul (the life given to him). What value does He put on a man’s soul? (See also Psalm 49:6-9 and 1 Peter 1:18-19.)
44. Our souls (vv. 36-37) are extremely valuable from God’s perspective—they are worth more than anything and everything in this world. What price did God pay to redeem your soul? (See John 3:16, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, and 1 Peter 1:18-19.)
45. Since our souls are so valuable to God and nothing in this world can be given in exchange for them, what manner of persons ought we to be? (See 1 Peter 2:24, 4:1-6, and 2 Peter 3:10-13.)
46. What is the danger of being ashamed of Jesus and His words (v. 38)? (See also 2 Timothy 2:12.)
47. Instead of being ashamed of Jesus in our lives and of His Words, what should we be? (See Romans 1:16 and 2 Timothy 1:8-9.)
48. What is the cost of being a disciple of Jesus Christ and following Him? (See Matthew 19:21, Luke 14:25–33, and Philippians 3:7-8.)