He Gives Sight to the Blind

Mark 8:1-26
  1 In those days there was again a large crowd, and they had nothing to eat. He called the disciples and said to them,  2 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they’ve already stayed with me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a long distance.”
 4 His disciples answered him, “Where can anyone get enough bread here in this desolate place to feed these people? ”
 5 “How many loaves do you have? ” he asked them.
“Seven,” they said. 6 He commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. Taking the seven loaves, he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. So they served them to the crowd. 7 They also had a few small fish, and after he had blessed them, he said these were to be served as well. 8 They ate and were satisfied. Then they collected seven large baskets of leftover pieces. 9 About four thousand were there. He dismissed them. 10 And he immediately got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.
11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, demanding of him a sign from heaven to test him. 12 Sighing deeply in his spirit, he said, “Why does this generation demand a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 Then he left them, got back into the boat, and went to the other side.
 14 The disciples had forgotten to take bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 Then he gave them strict orders: “Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 They were discussing among themselves that they did not have any bread. 17 Aware of this, he said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact you have no bread? Don’t you understand or comprehend? Do you have hardened hearts? 18 Do you have eyes and not see; do you have ears and not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of leftovers did you collect? ”
“Twelve,” they told him.
20 “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets full of pieces did you collect? ”
“Seven,” they said.
 21 And he said to them, “Don’t you understand yet? ”
Healing a Blind Man
 22 They came to Bethsaida. They brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and brought him out of the village. Spitting on his eyes and laying his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything? ”
 24 He looked up and said, “I see people — they look like trees walking.”
 25 Again Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes. The man looked intently and his sight was restored and he saw everything clearly. 26 Then he sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”

GOING DEEPER 
Parallel, Related and Referenced Passages 
Parallel Accounts: Matthew 15:32-16:12 
 
1) FORGETFULNESS  

• Exodus 14:13-14, 15:22-27, 16:1-36 – God delivers Israel at the Red Sea, provides water in the wilderness and manna. 
• Psalm 78:10-16 – Israel repeatedly forgets God’s works in the wilderness. 
• Deut. 8:2-4 – God humbles and tests His people in the desert. 
• Lam. 3:22-23 – God’s faithfulness is new every morning. 

 
2) HARD-HEARTEDNESS 

• Psalm 95:8-11 – “Do not harden your hearts…” 
• Mark 3:5-6 – Pharisees plotting to kill Jesus 
• Hebrews 3:7-11 – Warning not to harden hearts as Israel did. 
• Romans 1:18-21 – People suppress the truth about God, leading to spiritual blindness. 
• Jeremiah 5:23-24 – Refusal to listen to God’s voice.

3) BLINDNESS

• Romans 1:21-22 – “Although they knew God, they did not honor Him… their foolish hearts were darkened” 
• Isaiah 42:16 – God leads the blind in paths they do not know. 
• Matthew 13:13-15 – People see but do not perceive; hear but do not understand. 
• 2 Corinthians 4:4 – The god of this age blinds the minds of unbelievers. 

4) THE CURE

• John 9:1-7 – Jesus heals a blind man 
• Psalm 119:18 – “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” 
• Ephesians 1:18 – God illuminates the eyes of our heart to know Him.