Is Seeing Believing?
Mark 8:10-13
Introduction: In His post-resurrection appearance
to Thomas, Jesus said, “…Blessed are
those who have not seen, yet believe.” A little further on in this chapter
we’ll see Jesus heal a blind man, miraculously granting physical sight. In these
short few verses, Mark 8:10-13, the Pharisees are once again revealed as being spiritually
blind. Their request, and the intentions of their hearts, reveal that they
cannot see what is right in front of them: the promised Messiah was here! It
seems to me that one of the truths that we see in the Gospel accounts of the
life of Jesus is that faith, believing, is taking God at His word, not
being convinced by the signs that He did. Faith
is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Think
about the miracles that Jesus did in the Gospels. Healing paralytics and
withered limbs, cleansing lepers, casting out demons, giving sight to the blind
and opening the ears of the deaf, even raising the dead! The evidence is
compelling, but as Paul said to the Corinthians, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for
they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are
spiritually discerned…” (I Cor 2:14). Paul said the natural (unregenerate)
human is not able to understand the
things of the Spirit of God. The blindness of the Pharisees to what Jesus was
doing and saying illustrates this truth, and points us to…
The Maine* Idea: Faith is taking God at His Word,
that is, believing who Jesus is and trusting what He did for us. Let’s look at these verses in their…
Context: After a mission that included
miracles in gentile territory (including setting free the daughter of the Syrophoenician
woman, and healing a deaf-mute in the region of Decapolis… Jesus fed the largely gentile crowd he had
preached to for three days. He then dismissed them. Immediately, He moved on… He
had given hope to the gentiles in that region, reinforcing the message of the
man who had been set free from the Legion and sent back to his own people. But
the work He came to do meant a return to Jewish territory, and eventually a
journey to Jerusalem and the Cross. He must allow the lost sheep of the house
of Israel to hear and respond to His message. We read in Mark 8:10, “And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the
district of Dalmanutha.” He has reinforced
a lesson with this short gentile mission: He came to be the Savior of the
world! Soon the disciples will be sent to bring His message to the world!
I. Is seeing believing (11)? Here we read that “The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign
from heaven to test him.”
Jesus and the
disciples crossed the lake, and arrived back in Jewish territory. The
impression is that the Pharisees were looking for Him, because as soon as He
lands in Galilee they come. How was He received? The contrast between this
arrival, and the ministry He had in Gentile territory in the previous context is
striking. The crowds had gathered wherever Jesus went, His reputation preceded
Him. In Tyre and in Decapolis they came as well, and apparently eager to hear
His teaching, they received Him. But now, back in Galilee, as the Pharisees
come, there was no humility, no seeking. They came looking for an argument…
What was the
“dispute” the Pharisees had with Jesus? Remember that they rigorously held to
the traditions of the fathers, the man-made rules that the rabbis had developed
throughout the intertestamental period. "Tradition! Tradition." They were shocked and
offended that Jesus and his disciples did not embrace the system of rules, the
“hedge around the Law” that was designed to make personal holiness attainable.
Jesus pointed people “Back to the Bible” and He upheld the Scriptures as our
infallible guide for faith and practice. Scripture trumps tradition!
The Pharisees came, not seeking to hear and
understand, but to argue and to “test” Him. They were “questioning him” – Looking to build
their case against Him. They weren’t truth seekers, their minds were made up—they
would not be confused by the facts! Important to remember: Jesus knew their
hearts. He knew their motives. They “disputed” or “questioned” Him, the Lord,
the Creator and Sustainer of the universe! As Paul asked rhetorically in his
letter to the Romans, “Who are you, O
man, to talk back to God?” They sought a sign rather than seeking the Sign
Giver! They didn’t believe Him. Faith is
taking God at His Word, that is, believing who Jesus is and trusting what He
did for us.
II. Jesus “sighed deeply” – recognizing the hard-heartedness of the leaders
(12a).
12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation
seek a sign?”
The language here might sound familiar.
Jesus also “sighed” [Greek=stenazo]
back in 7:34 as He was healing the deaf-mute. In that scene there was empathy
and compassion as He was dealing with one more example of the results of the Fall
and an illustration of the brokenness of the world under the curse. Adam’s
rebellion plunged the world into its current state. Jesus looked at the deaf
man and “sighed.” The same root word
is used here, but in this case it is made more intensive with a prefix added [anastenazo], “sighed deeply.” We see
words from this root in a couple of interesting places in the Greek translation
(the Septuagint) of the Old Testament Scriptures. For example, we read in Lamentations 1:3-4,
3 Judah has gone into exile because of affliction and hard servitude; she
dwells now among the nations, but finds no resting place; her pursuers have all
overtaken her in the midst of her distress.
4 The roads to Zion mourn, for none come to the festival; all
her gates are desolate; her priests groan; her virgins have been
afflicted, and she herself suffers bitterly.
In context of the Exile, we see groaning and mourning,
longing for deliverance and restoration, for the “rest” in the land that God
had promised. We see similar language back in Exodus 2:23-24, as the people of God, the descendants of Jacob’s
sons, groaned for His help during their enslavement in Egypt…
23 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned
because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from
slavery came up to God. 24
And God heard their groaning…
We see a similar longing for deliverance in Romans 8, from
three perspectives: Creation “groans” for restoration, we ourselves groan, and even
the Spirit groans within us as He intercedes on our behalf…
22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in
the pains of childbirth until now. 23
And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the
Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the
redemption of our bodies. 24
For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who
hopes for what he sees? 25
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in
our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit
himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Rom 8:22-28).
The “groaning” here is a yearning for our redemption, the
full and final deliverance from this present evil age into the New Creation
that we long to fully enter. It is an inward “sigh” that acknowledges all is
not right in the world, at the same time hoping for that for which we were
created. It is pictured in Revelation as a return to Eden of sorts in the New
Heaven and the New Earth, and a restoration of face to face fellowship with
God. Jesus came to provide that, and the
Pharisees in their unbelief, still blind to all that Jesus had done, ask for “a
sign from Heaven” to test Him. Instead of a “sign” they get a “sigh.”
Their own Messiah stood before Him, and they didn’t recognize Him, they didn’t
“hear His voice,” so He “sighs deeply” at their unbelief. J.C. Ryle said,
The feeling which our Lord Jesus Christ here
expressed, will always be the feeling of all true Christians. Grief over the
sins of others is one leading evidence of true grace. The man who is really
converted, will always regard the unconverted with pity and concern. This was
the mind of David--" I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved."
(Psalm 119: 158.) This was the mind of the godly in the days of Ezekiel--"
They sighed and cried for the abominations done in the land." (Ezek. 9: 4.)
This was the mind of Lot--"He vexed his righteous soul with the unlawful
deeds" of those around him. (2 Peter 2: 8.) This was the mind of
Paul--" I have great heaviness and continual sorrow for my brethren."
(Rom. 9: 2.) In all these cases we see something of the mind of Christ.
As the great Head feels, so feel the members. They all grieve when they see
sin. [Mark, Kindle Locations 1613-1619].
Jesus asked, “Why does
this generation seek a sign?” The word “generation” [genea] can also mean “race” or “nation.” And it seems that, for the
most part, the Nation at that point in time, that generation, would follow their leaders in their unbelief. Jesus
“sighs deeply” at the brokenness of the world, and with the weighty realization
of what He had come to do. The good news: a remnant would believe. That
assurance drove the plan of God forward. Faith is taking God at His Word, that
is, believing who Jesus is and trusting what He did for us.
III. Jesus left them in
their unbelief, continuing his preparation of the disciples (12b-13).
“…Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this
generation.” 13 And he left
them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.
Jesus did not do
“signs on demand” for anyone. He could not be manipulated. This was no circus show!
He was not a “cosmic genie” there to do anyone’s bidding. It seems that the
miracles He did were always acts of compassion. As He met needy people on
the way He was touched by their needs and mercifully acted with divine power.
The miracles were both “signs” that strengthened the faith of his followers,
while also giving a glimpse of the future, a look ahead to the restoration that
would come through the unfolding plan of God.
His death and resurrection would be the climactic sign that would
both confirm the faith of the disciples and reveal the unbelief of the leaders
of the people. John 3:2 shows us that from early in His ministry, some of
the leaders were having their minds opened to the Truth. Nicodemus notably confessed, “We know that you are a teacher come from
God, for no one can do the signs that you do unless God is with him!” Even
so, the majority of the Sanhedrin rejected Him, and with increasing hostility
revealed their spiritual blindness. Here the Pharisees come and ask for a “sign from heaven.” They had seen His
miracles before, and they rejected them as being evidence of the work of God. How
could this man be from God when he rejected the traditions of the fathers? Incredibly, back in Mark 3:22, they claimed
that His miracle working power was not from God, but from the devil!
“And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem
were saying, ‘He is possessed by Beelzebul,’ and ‘by the prince of demons he
casts out the demons.’”
What blindness! Now these Pharisees appear (according to
Matthew’s Gospel, some Sadducees with them) asking for a “sign from heaven.” They had seen the miracles of Jesus before, what
more did they want? The context here in Mark makes it clear: they were “testing
Him.” They weren’t looking for evidence to believe, but confirmed in their
unbelief they sought a reason to accuse him! What would convince them? Would perhaps
the resurrection be the proof they needed to change their minds? Jesus had
predicted their response in a story He told,
19 "There was a rich man who was clothed in purple
and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor
man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21
who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even
the dogs came and licked his sores. 22
The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man
also died and was buried, 23
and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side. 24
And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip
the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this
flame.' 25 But Abraham said,
'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and
Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in
anguish. 26 And besides all
this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who
would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to
us.' 27 And he said, 'Then I
beg you, father, to send him to my father's house- 28 for I have five brothers- so
that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' 29 But Abraham said, 'They have
Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'
30 And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to
them from the dead, they will repent.' 31
He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they
be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'" (Luke 16:19-31).
What was Jesus saying? They have the written Word, Moses and
the Prophets. If they won’t take God at His Word, no evidence, no “sign,” not
even someone rising from the dead, is going to convince them. Don’t get me
wrong, our faith is “reasonable.” It is not blind faith. The resurrection of
Jesus is a historical fact that cannot simply be explained away. The
transformed lives of the apostles, after the resurrection and Pentecost, makes
no sense unless their testimony is true (see also the conversion of Saul of
Tarsus, the persecutor becoming the proclaimer of truth!). Faith requires
divine intervention, it is a gift of God, so no one can boast!
What is God saying to me
in this passage? Faith
is taking God at His Word, that is, believing who Jesus is and trusting what He
did for us.
What would God have me
to do in response to this passage? If you are reading this and it rings true, if it stirs your
heart, it may be that God, by His kindness, is leading you to repentance and
faith. Are you hearing the voice of the Good Shepherd, do you feel drawn to
follow Him? Mark is telling us who Jesus is, and reminding us what He came to
do. God was, in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself! He so loved the
world, that He gave His only Son, so that whoever believes in Him should not
perish, but have eternal life! The
promise of Scripture is clear: “Confess
with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised
Him from the dead, and you shall be saved!”
It is also true
that He came to provide reconciliation and redemption through Christ, our
sin-bearer, and He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
We’ve been talking over the last couple of years about our calling to be His
witnesses in this fallen world, first of all to our friends, relatives and
neighbors. And now I’m saying that we have a minor obstacle: no amount of logic
and reasoning is going to bring someone to faith. We certainly can’t argue
anyone into the Kingdom of God! Divine
intervention is necessary! Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of
Christ. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my
voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” Remember the parable of the soils?
Some seed will take root, and bring forth life and fruitfulness. So, keep
sowing, and be encouraged, God causes the growth! Jesus is building His
church. AMEN.
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