THE KING’S BUSINESS
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Tuesday, July 6. Mark 8 :22-29.
5:9). In the present passage it is a symbol of corruption in doctrine. It is a very ex pressive figure to describe false doctrine, for it is not only a product of decay, but spreads with great rapidity. The leaven of the Pharisees was hypocrisy, pretense, outward display without inner reality—formalism (Luke 12:1; Matt. 15:1-9, 11-18; 23:13-26). The leaven of the Saducees was rationalism —unbelief (Matt. 22:23; Acts 23:8). For malism on the one hand, and rationalism on the other hand, are the two things against which the Church and the individual be liever need to be especially on their guard today% Our Lord told' His disciples why they did not understand His words (v. 16) : their understanding was darkened, because their hearts were hardened. They con stantly misunderstood His words, and only came to understand when they received the Holy Spirit (Jno. 16:12-14). There is only one way in which we can understand the teachings of Jesus, and that is, by the anointing, and illumination of the Holy Spirit (1 Jno. 2:20, 27). Monday, July 5. Mark 8:22-26. The blind man did not come to Jesus of himself; others had to bring him. Those who brought him were in dead earnest; they also had faith, they believed that a touch of Jesus would open blind eyes. In many a case His first touch healed (Ch. 5: 27-29; Matt. 8:3, 15; 9:29, 30). We are not told why the first touch did not completely heal in this case. We may be sure, however, that the trouble was not with the Lord, but with the man. Jesus did not pursue pre cisely the same method in dealing with everyone that was blind or sick. It is not for us to dictate to our Lord just how He will exercise His healing power. He evi dently did not follow the cast-iron methods of those who put themselves forward as healers today. Our Lord in this case avoided publicity. The gradual opening of the blind man’s eyes is an illustration of the v/ork of gracejn opening the eyes of the soul (Prov. 4:18; 2 Peter 3:18; 1 Cor. 13:9-12).
Our Lord’s question, “Whom say ye that I am,” was a most critical question. There might :be error on other points, and yet there be hope, but error on this point would be absolutely fatal. To, see in Him only “one of the prophets,” even though the first or greatest, and not to see in Him “the Christ of God,” and not to believe on Him as such, would be to empty His life of its meaning, and faith in Him of its power; and to utterly unfit them to be “the foundation” of which “Christ Jesus Him self” is the “Chief Corner-stone” (Eph. 2: 20). Peter’s confession is very positive. There is no uncertainty in it, nor one shadow of a doubt. A similar confession had been made before (Jno. 1:41-49). Peter himself had made it upon a former occa sion (Jno. 6:69), but it was now under changed circumstances. All enthusiasm for Jesus was fast dying out. His glory was already becoming enveloped in the shadows of the cross: yet even now the apostles, and pre-eminently Peter, recognize Him as The time was now ripe for Jesus to de clare to His apostles His approaching re jection and suffering and death. He told them that the son of man "musf’ die, but why “must” He die? This question is very fully answered in the Bible (Jno, 3:14; Heb. 9:22; Is. 53:4-6; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; 1 Pet. 2:24). He “must” die that we might have deliverance from guilt, forgiveness through His blood (Eph. 1:7). He must rise again that we might have deliverance from sin’s power, resurrection life through His resurrection life (Rom. 5:9, 10; Jno. 14:19). It is-SL_startling illustratioh of the dullness of the human mind in seeing new truth, that even after this clear declara tion of His approaching death, the apostles were utterly bewildered when it actually came. And that after this plain declara tion of His coming resurrection on the third the “Christ of God.” Wednesday, July. 7. Mark 8 :30-33.
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