18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many hand-baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say to him, Twelve. 20 And when the seven for the four thousand, the filling of how many baskets of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. 21 And he said to them, How do ye not yet understand?
22 And he comes to Bethsaida; and they bring him a blind man, and beseech him that he might touch him. 23 And taking hold of the hand of the blind man he led him forth out of the village, and having spit upon his eyes, he laid his hands upon him, and asked him if he beheld anything. 24 And having looked up, he said, I behold men, for I see [them], as trees, walking. 25 Then he laid his hands again upon his eyes, and he saw distinctly, and was restored and saw all things clearly. 26 And he sent him to his house, saying, Neither enter into the village, nor tell [it] to any one in the village.
27 And Jesus went forth and his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea-Philippi. And by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, 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.