Mark 9:14-32

Mark 9:14-32 New Life Version (NLV)

A Boy with a Demon Is Healed

14 When Jesus came back to His followers, He saw many people standing around them. The teachers of the Law were arguing with them. 15 The people saw Jesus and were surprised and ran to greet Him. 16 Jesus asked the teachers of the Law, “What are you arguing about with them?”17 One of the people said, “Teacher, I brought my son to You. He has a demon in him and cannot talk. 18 Wherever the demon takes him, it throws him down. Spit runs from his mouth. He grinds his teeth. He is getting weaker. I asked Your followers to put the demon out but they could not.”

19 He said, “You people of this day have no faith. How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.”20 They brought the boy to Jesus. The demon saw Jesus and at once held the boy in his power. The boy fell to the ground with spit running from his mouth. 21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” The father said, “From the time he was a child. 22 Many times it throws him into the fire and into the water to kill him. If You can do anything to help us, take pity on us!” 23 Jesus said to him, “Why do you ask Me that? The one who has faith can do all things.” 24 At once the father cried out. He said with tears in his eyes, “Lord, I have faith. Help my weak faith to be stronger!” 25 Jesus saw that many people were gathering together in a hurry. He spoke sharp words to the demon. He said, “Demon! You who cannot speak or hear, I say to you, come out of him! Do not ever go into him again.” 26 The demon gave a cry. It threw the boy down and came out of him. The boy was so much like a dead man that people said, “He is dead!” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him and he stood up.

28 When Jesus went into the house, His followers asked Him when He was alone, “Why could we not put out the demon?” 29 He said to them,“The only way this kind of demon is put out is by prayer and by going without food so you can pray better.”

Jesus Tells of His Death the Second Time

30 From there Jesus and His followers went through the country of Galilee. He did not want anyone to know where He was. 31 He taught His followers, saying, “The Son of Man will be handed over to men. They will kill Him. Three days after He is killed, He will be raised from the dead.”32 They did not understand what He said and were afraid to ask Him.

Personal Insights

Jesus and the three disciples, Peter, James and John, had come down from the mountain after having an out of this world experience to face an argument. Straight from a mountain top experience into a valley. The rest of the disciples, a large crowd and teachers were arguing and Jesus asked them what they were arguing about. It all had to do with the healing or lack of healing of a demon possessed boy. The man asked Jesus to heal his son as the disciples hadn’t been able to.

The father is honest in saying that he didn’t have enough faith but that he wanted faith. Sometimes we just stop at saying we don’t have enough faith but don’t go the next step and say that we want it to be different. As one writer said “While unbelief sees impossibilities, faith sees impossibilities because faith draws on the unlimited resources of heaven” (African Bible Commentary). Jesus, of course, was able to deliver this boy from demon possession and for him never to suffer in this way again. Jesus healing was final and complete. Jesus demonstrated His power and authority over the demonic world yet again.

The disciples had many questions. They had healed before but why not this time. Why was the boy not delivered through their ministry? Jesus reply was simple “This kind can come out only by prayer”. Their dependence needed to be on God not on their own ability. Prayer keeps us humble and reliant on God and not on ourselves. As one writer in the African Bible Commentary put it the disciple’s hearts were not prepared. The writer goes onto say that “Only time spent alone with God before such an encounter makes victory possible”.

Jesus reminds us in these verses the importance of believing who He is and what He can do and of our need for intentional prayer. Time set aside to be in His presence.  God does not call us to self-sufficiency but to being sufficient in God and all that He is.

Simon and I have experienced this in this last year with his back and now my shoulder.  We can either struggle through and try and be self sufficient or we can trust God with these situations and ask "what am I supposed to be learning?" rather than "why I am going through this?".  No situation is wasted with God if we truly depend on Him.  Another good reminder for me in these days.

Mark 9:1-13

Mark 9:1-13 English Standard Version (ESV)

9 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”

The Transfiguration

2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them,3 and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one[a] on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi,[b] it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son;[c] listen to him.” 8 And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. 11 And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 12 And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. Andhow is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”

Personal Insights

This is an amazing glimpse of Jesus in His glorified state not in His humble human state. No wonder Peter, James and John were so afraid. This scene before them was out of this world. Can you imagine standing on this mountain top with Jesus and Elijah and Moses appear? Men that you have heard of many times and now you stand in their presence. For most of us we would be dumbstruck at the sight but not Peter. He always has something to say even when he is fearful. We learn so much from Peter’s inquisitive nature even if it gets him into trouble sometimes.

The verse that jumped out at me from this section is verse 7 when God speaks. God authenticates again who Jesus is and the loving relationship that they have. The next three words are important…”Listen to Him”. God is telling the three disciples to listen to Jesus. Be obedient, do what He says. God is very straightforward in what He is asking of them. How would we respond if we had been Peter, James or John and heard those words. This obviously made an impression on Peter as he talks about this experience in 2 Peter 1:16-18. How would our relationship with Jesus change after this event? Do we take the time to listen or are we too busy doing? God has a lot to teach us about Himself if we only take the time to listen and know Him better.

Mark 8:31-38

Mark 8:31-38 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Predicts His Death

31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter.“Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

The Way of the Cross

34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said:“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Personal Insights

When you read this section of scripture it is so counter cultural. We see Peter struggling with the words of Jesus and straight out rebukes Jesus for what He said. Wow the audacity of Peter to rebuke the Son of God. Jesus’s words to Peter are strong. “Get behind me Satan…” When we go against the Word of God we open up the door to Satan.

I wonder if we could see what each other are thinking if they would be the things of God or the things of men. If you wrote down each thought that went through your head today would the majority of your thoughts be related to God or to men? A scary thought.

“Peter is a perfect example of how a sincere heart coupled with man's thinking can often lead to disaster” (Guzik)

Jesus is very direct in what He has to say to the crowd. Who is number one in your life? Is it Jesus or yourself? Jesus is saying that we must deny ourselves and put Him first. We must give up selfishness and pride and focus on things that are eternal. How often we strive after the things of this world and yet Jesus says when we do this we forfeit our own soul. Strong words from the Son of God to the people of this world.

"Denying self is not the same as self-denial. We practice self-denial when, for a good purpose, we occasionally give up things or activities. But we deny self when we surrender ourselves to Christ and determine to obey His will." (Wiersbe)

Mark 8:27-30

Mark 8:27-30 New International Version (NIV)

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah

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?”

28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”

29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”

30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.



If we were to go round our neighbourhoods, where we live, and ask people who they think Jesus is what do you think people would say? The following are some possible answers…..

· A good person who lived a long time ago

· A prophet

· A fictional character

· No idea

· Somebody mentioned in the Bible

· Son of God

And the list goes on……..

If you and I were to sit down and have this conversation what would we say about Jesus? We might mention things like…..

· Messiah

· God’s Son

· Saviour of the world

· The resurrected Christ

· A friend of sinners

And the list could go on and on…….



It is one thing to know about somebody it is another thing to actually know somebody. The disciples in the three years that they walked and lived with Jesus got to know Him and enjoyed fellowship with Him but they still had lots to learn. It is easy to rattle off the right answers of who Jesus is but do we continue, through His Word and through prayer, to know Him better. My prayer for all of us is that we would have a hunger and desire to know Him more and more.

Mark 8:22-26

Mark 8:22-26 New Life Version (NLV)

Jesus Heals a Blind Man

22 Then they came to the town of Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to Jesus. They asked if He would touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand out of town. Then He spit on the eyes of the blind man and put His hands on him. He asked, “Do you see anything?” 24 The blind man looked up and said, “I see some men. They look like trees, walking.” 25 Jesus put His hands on the man’s eyes again and told him to look up. Then he was healed and saw everything well. 26 Jesus sent him to his home and said, “Do not go into the town, *or tell it to anyone there.”

Personal Insights

Often times in our lives we feel that Jesus is far away and not personal with us. However, we see again from these verses that we serve a very personal Saviour. Jesus took time with this man and was very intentional with him. Jesus took His time and conversed with him. Notice that Jesus used physical means to heal this man, He used His own saliva. The healing for this man was not instantaneous but gradual. His sight came back to Him in stages but when he did see he saw very well.

Sometimes in our own lives God doesn't answer our prayers or work in our lives as quickly as we would like Him too. He seems slow in doing what we ask of Him. However, there is something to be learned in the process also not just in the final outcome. May we learn to be patient in the way that God wants to work in us and not miss what He has for us in the different stages. Let us learn to trust and obey Him even if we don't always understand His methodology.

Mark 8:14-22

Mark 8:14-21 New International Version (NIV)

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod

14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15 “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”

16 They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”

17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,” they replied.

20 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”

21 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

Personal Insights

As we read this story in Mark it is easy to judge the disciples for missing Jesus’s point. The disciples were focused on the physical but Jesus was talking about the spiritual.

In the Bible yeast is often associated with sin. It only takes a little yeast to puff up the dough of the bread. Sin is no different. Just a little bit of sin spreads and infects the whole person. The sin of the Pharisees was pride and spiritual authority. Herod’s sin was power and authority but not in a Godly way. They had the wrong idea of what Kingdom work Jesus had come to do.

We don’t know how Jesus said the following words in 17ff but He gets His point across. All this time the disciples had spent with Jesus and some truths they just hadn’t understood. Jesus was not talking about their physical needs but their spiritual. Sometimes we are more concerned with our physical needs than our spiritual. This should not be so.

When I was studying at Moody Bible Institute I had a few classes throughout my time there on Systematic Theology. Some of the concepts were not easy to grasp and so I had talked to my Professor about one in particular. His words to me were “You need to think deeper”. That was not the answer I was looking for. I wanted it to be an easy fix but it wasn’t. It was going to require more time spent wrestling with the deep things of life.

The disciples needed to put into action what they were learning from Jesus at a deeper level; on a spiritual level. This message is not only for the disciples but for many of us too. May we long for a deeper understanding of God and His Word and put the work in to understand the truths that God wants to share with us.

Mark 8:1-13 - New Style

*We are halfway through the book of Mark so I am going to change the style for the remainder of our time in Mark.  Have fun :)

Mark 8:1-13New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand

8 During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 2 “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”
4 His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”
5“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied.
6 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. 7 They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. 8 The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.9 About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, 10 he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.
11 The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. 12 He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” 13 Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

Personal Insights

Jesus had compassion on the people and in this situation He was thinking about their physical needs as well as their spiritual needs. Jesus loves us holistically.

To have compassion is to be kind-hearted, to care, to have concern for someone or to show sympathy and empathy. Jesus showed that to these people who had already been with him three days and hadn’t had anything to eat during that time.

Jesus meets our needs in ways that we might not think. The disciples looked at the practical side of things when it came to meeting the people’s needs. They were in a remote place and food was not readily available. However, Jesus’s approach was different. He saw what was available around Him and gave thanks for it and performed a miracle before their eyes. The people were fed that day and were satisfied.

Sometimes the answer to our difficulties or the situations we find ourselves in are staring us in the face but we just don’t have the eyes to see. Often times we are not thankful to God for what we already have and are not prayerfully seeking Him for the answers of the needs that we do have. Do we have a thankful heart?

The Pharisees didn’t have ears to listen to Jesus and respond to Him. They wanted to judge and condemn Him. Often times they missed out on seeing Jesus’s miracles as their hearts were not open to seeing. Sometimes we are no different from the Pharisees. We question Jesus and we test Him but we do not listen and are not expectant of what He has to say to us.

Challenge: As you prayerfully consider this story in Mark 8 what is God showing you personally through these verses? What words or phrases leap off the page from this text for you? Be expectant!