18 Having eyes, do you not see? and having ears, have you no hearing? and have you no memory? 19 When I made a division of the five cakes of bread among the five thousand, what number of baskets full of broken bits did you take up? They said to him, Twelve. 20 And when the seven among the four thousand, what number of baskets full of broken bits did you take up? And they said to him, Seven. 21 And he said to them, Is it still not clear to you?
22 And they came to Beth-saida. And they took a blind man to him, requesting him to put his hands on him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and went with him out of the town; and when he had put water from his mouth on his eyes, and put his hands on him, he said, Do you see anything? 24 And looking up, he said, I see men; I see them like trees, walking. 25 Then again he put his hands on his eyes; and looking hard, he was able to see, and saw all things clearly. 26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Do not even go into the town.
27 And Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the little towns round Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he put a question to his disciples, saying, Who do men say that I am?
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 8:18-27
Commentary on Mark 8:11-21
(Read Mark 8:11-21)
Obstinate unbelief will have something to say, though ever so unreasonable. Christ refused to answer their demand. If they will not be convinced, they shall not. Alas! what cause we have to lament for those around us, who destroy themselves and others by their perverse and obstinate unbelief, and enmity to the gospel! When we forget the works of God, and distrust him, we should chide ourselves severely, as Christ here reproves his disciples. How is it that we so often mistake his meaning, disregard his warnings, and distrust his providence?
Commentary on Mark 8:22-26
(Read Mark 8:22-26)
Here is a blind man brought to Christ by his friends. Therein appeared the faith of those that brought him. If those who are spiritually blind, do not pray for themselves, yet their friends and relations should pray for them, that Christ would be pleased to touch them. The cure was wrought gradually, which was not usual in our Lord's miracles. Christ showed in what method those commonly are healed by his grace, who by nature are spiritually blind. At first, their knowledge is confused; but, like the light of the morning, it shines more and more to the perfect day, and then they see all things clearly. Slighting Christ's favours is forfeiting them; and he will make those who do so know the worth of privileges by the want of them.
Commentary on Mark 8:27-33
(Read Mark 8:27-33)
These things are written, that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. These miracles of our Lord assure us that he was not conquered, but a Conqueror. Now the disciples are convinced that Jesus is the Christ; they may bear to hear of his sufferings, of which Christ here begins to give them notice. He sees that amiss in what we say and do, of which we ourselves are not aware, and knows what manner of spirit we are of, when we ourselves do not. The wisdom of man is folly, when it pretends to limit the Divine counsels. Peter did not rightly understand the nature of Christ's kingdom.