by Gary L. Evans
(revised 7/31/2023)
Mark — Part 9
Mark 7:24-26 And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid. For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
Jesus went to Tyre and Sidon and entered into a house. A Gentile woman begged Him to cast a devil out of her daughter. But Jesus was sent to Israel, not to the Gentiles. After His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus would commission His Disciples to go to the Gentiles also, because The New Covenant was always intended to be offered to them as well as to Israel.
Mark 7:27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.
Jesus refers to Israel as God’s Children but the Gentiles as Puppies. And the Children must be fed first and their food should not be wasted on the dogs.
Mark 7:28-30 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs. And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.
The woman answered Jesus wisely and with reverence, so Jesus agreed to her request, and cast the devil out of her daughter.
Mark 7:31-37 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.
Jesus returned to the Sea of Galilee and healed a deaf man. And the people were amazed because He also made the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak.
Mark 8:1-3 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.
Jesus was surrounded by a large multitude of people, and they had not brought any food to eat. So Jesus told His Disciples that the people had been listening to His teaching for three days, and so by now they were near starving and needed something to eat. And they would probably faint by the time they traveled all the way home, so He and His Disciples needed to feed them.
Mark 8:4-7 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.
The Disciples asked Jesus where would they get enough food to feed everybody? Then Jesus asked them how many loaves of bread did they have, and they said seven. So Jesus told all of the people to sit down on the ground. Then He blessed the bread and broke it into pieces and gave to His Disciples to distribute. And they also had two fish, so He blessed and broke those into pieces and gave to the Disciples to distribute.
Mark 8:8-9 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.
They had fed four thousand people, and afterward gathered up seven baskets of leftovers. So again they had more food after they had fed the people than they started with. Then Jesus sent the people away.
Mark 8:10-13 And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha. And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.
The Pharisees came to test Jesus, and so they asked Him to show them a Miraculous Sign to prove His identity. Then Jesus answered them with a sigh of grief that no Sign would be given to this generation. Then He left them.
Note that Jesus referred to those hypocritical Pharisees as a “generation,” which is from the Greek word, “ghen-eh-ah’,” which means, “a generation; by implication an age (the period or the persons).”
So Jesus was referring to those hypocrites at that time and also hypocrites throughout this Second World Age, and that The Lord would never give them a miraculous sign.
Mark 8:14-21 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?
Jesus warned His Disciples to be on guard about the Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod. But His Disciples jumped to the conclusion that He was talking about the fact they only had one loaf of bread with them. So Jesus rebuked them, because they had not been paying attention and had not understood what He had been teaching and showing them. Because everything He had said and done, and every Miracle He had performed, was for a teaching lesson.
What was the Leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod? HYPOCRISY! FALSE DOCTRINE!
Mark 8:22-24 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
They brought a blind man to Jesus, so Jesus took him by the hand and led him out of town. Then He spit on the man’s eyes and put His hands on him and asked it he could see anything? The man looked and said that men looked like trees walking.
Mark 8:25-26 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.
This was a two-part Miracle. Jesus first gave the blind man partial sight, so that he could see men but they looked like trees walking around. Then Jesus completed the healing so the man could see everything clearly.
We are all Blind and Deaf when we first encounter Christ, The Word of God. And the first part of our being healed and given our Sight is to understand that often The Trees in The Scriptures are Men or Angels, and not actual trees. For example:
Gen 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
And then after we realize that fact, we can begin to Perceive Clearly, and to Hear, that is, to Understand all of The Scriptures.
Mark 8:27-28 And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.
Jesus questioned His Disciples, Whom do men say that I am? And they said, John the Baptist, or Elijah, or That Prophet.
Mark 8:29-30 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.
Then Jesus asked them, and Whom do you say that I am? And Peter replied, YOU ARE THE MESSIAH! Finally, after all of The Lord’s teaching and having witnessed all of The Lord’s miracles, Peter’s Eyes were Open and he could See, and his Ears were Open and he could Hear.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark — Part 10
Mark 8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
Jesus told His Disciples that He must suffer and be killed by those hypocritical Pharisees, scribes, and priests, but after three days He would rise from the dead.
Mark 8:32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
Jesus just told them openly about His death, burial, and resurrection that must happen. But Peter would not accept that and rebuked Jesus.
Mark 8:33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
Peter had just acknowledged that Jesus was The Messiah. But then Peter contradicted Jesus by telling Him that what He was saying was not true and would not happen! Note that the definition of an antichrist is someone who claims to be a Christian but who contradicts The Word of God. So Jesus rebuked Peter and called him Satan who works against God’s Will and His Plan of Salvation! This is an important lesson for us.
Mark 8:34-35 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
Then Jesus taught the people as well as His Disciples. We must deny ourselves and our lives and be willing even to die for The Lord’s Name’s Sake and the teaching of The New Covenant. Because anyone who refuses and tries to save his life will lose it. But anyone who is willing to die defending the Faith will have Eternal Life.
Mark 8:36-37 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
What gain will a man have if he acquires dominion over all of the nations of the world but at the end loses his own soul? And what is the value of a man’s soul?
Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Our Lord will be ashamed of anyone who is ashamed of our Lord’s Teaching when He returns to establish His Millennial Kingdom.
Mark 9:1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
Everyone who repents and seeks to please God and who believes in The Name of The Only Begotten Son of God and who enters into The New Covenant will perceive The Kingdom of God come with power even while still dwelling in a flesh body. How? Because The Kingdom of God is wherever God dwells, which is WITHIN US.
Mark 9:2-4 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
Jesus took Peter, James, and John up into a mountain alone and was Transfigured right before their eyes with the Shining Glory of The Almighty. And with Him were Elijah and Moses who were talking with Jesus.
Isa 9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Isaiah prophesied of The Messiah and declared some of His Names and Titles: Wonderful, Counselor, The Almighty God, The Eternal Father, The Prince of Peace. And now Jesus is allowing these three Disciples to see Him in His Glory.
Rev 1:12-18 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
In John’s Vision, he saw Seven Golden Candlesticks, and in the middle of them was The Son of Man in all of His Glory. Jesus allowed these three Disciples to see Him in His Resurrected Glory before His crucifixion, so that they would understand after His resurrection and ascension into Heaven.
Mark 9:5-6 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.
All that Peter could think of to do was to make three tents one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah up there.
Mark 9:7-8 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.
Then a voice came from Heaven saying, This is My Beloved Son, listen to Him. Then the Disciples could only see Jesus standing there alone.
Mark 9:9-10 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.
Jesus told them not to tell anyone about what they had seen on the mountain until after He had risen from the dead. And they wondered what was the “rising from the dead?” And their confusion is remarkable, because it was these three Disciples, Peter, James, and John, who went with Jesus to the house of Jairus whose daughter had died and witnessed Jesus raise the dead girl back to life.
Mark 5:41-42 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
So Jesus had raised the dead right before their eyes, and now they still don’t know what it means to “raise from the dead.” It is so obvious that the Disciples of Jesus were just regular folks who had attention deficit disorder just like most people today.
Mark 9:12-13 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.
Jesus explained that the Scriptures are true that Elijah must come first, and then The Messiah would come and must suffer and be killed. Then He said that Elijah did come and they have killed him, referring to John The Baptist who was beheaded. So we see that John was not Elijah in the flesh but came in The Spirit of Elijah to continue his ministry to fulfill prophesy before the arrival of The Messiah.
Mark 9:14-18 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.
When Jesus and the three returned to the rest of His Disciples, He found a crowd of people around them. And one man explained that he had brought his son who was possessed by a devil, and how he had asked the Disciples to cast it out of him but they couldn’t do it.
Mark 9:19-22 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
Jesus answered the man and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.” And the boy had been possessed since he was a child.
Mark 9:23-24 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
Notice that the man had asked Jesus, “IF YOU CAN do anything, please help us.” Then Jesus told the man, “IF YOU CAN BELIEVE, then all things are possible to anyone who believes.” Immediately the father of the boy begged Jesus, and said crying, Lord, I believe, but heal my unbelief. So the man prayed to Jesus with utter sincerity and honesty for the ability to believe enough so that Jesus would heal his son.
Mark 9:25-27 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.
Then Jesus cast out the devil from the boy so then he was of sound mind. Now recall what had happened, how that Jesus had rebuked the father of the boy for his unbelief, that is, Jesus rebuked the man for his hypocrisy, which is why His Disciples could not cast out the devil. Then Jesus told him that if he believed, all things were possible with God. When He said that, the man realized what he lacked and begged Jesus to give him sufficient belief. The man suddenly realized that he didn’t really believe it was possible, so the first thing he needed was to believe. Then Jesus healed his unbelief and also cast the devil out of his son.
God is The Heart Knower, and sees right down into the very hidden thoughts of our heart and mind. So when we pray, He can see if our words are sincere and with faith that He will answer our prayer, or if instead that in our heart we are saying to our self that God won’t help us or can’t really help us. If we doubt God, if we are insincere before Him, then do not expect anything from Him. Know Thyself. And whatever you lack, pray for it and The Lord will give it to you in abundance.
Mark 9:28-29 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
Why must we pray and fast in meditation in order to perform miracles such as this? Because we must have sufficient faith our selves and also the one asking us for help must have sufficient faith. And we must have the discernment to assess if the one asking for help lacks the faith needed for their request to be answered. So we not only need faith but also discernment, which the Disciples lacked.
Mark 9:30-32 And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.
Jesus told His Disciples again that He would be arrested and killed, and then He would rise from the dead on the third day. But they still did not understand.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.