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Context Matters: The Unashamed, Approved Worker

February 15, 2019 By Peter Krol

Perhaps you’ve seen the latest internet firestorm where that Bible teacher was attacked and discredited for saying something controversial. Or perhaps you’ve been through the drama in your own church where a faction of people didn’t like the pastor and called for his removal, or at least for a recanting of a certain teaching. These situations are scary and tense, drawing out the worst in all of us.

Context matters. When we learn to read the Bible properly—and not as a collection of disconnected proverbial sayings—we’ll find that some of our most famous mantras connect in unexpected and profound ways with real life.

Paul’s Thesis in 2 Timothy

Before diving into a particular verse (2 Tim 2:15), we ought to grasp Paul’s thesis which drives the letter:

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Tim 1:6-7)

Comparing this statement with Paul’s comments in 1 Tim 4:13-16, we see that “the gift of God” which Timothy received through the “laying on of hands” was his preaching and teaching ministry. Paul’s second letter to Timothy has as its chief objective the flourishing of Timothy’s preaching, in the wake of Paul’s impending execution, from a spirit of power and love and self-control.

Paul’s Argument

Paul’s argument then moves through:

the consequences of Timothy’s preaching: suffering, which will tempt him to shame (2 Tim 1:8-12)
the content of Timothy’s preaching: the pattern of sound words, the deposit, received from Paul and rejected by many (2 Tim 1:13-18)
the continuation of Timothy’s preaching: being strengthened by grace (2 Tim 2:1, 8-13) to entrust this ministry to the faithful few (2 Tim 2:2-7)

Now Paul moves into a lengthy section about the confrontation of Timothy’s preaching (2 Tim 2:14-3:17).¹

Immediate Context

Why do I say this section is about confrontation?

2 Tim 2:14 calls Timothy to remind his faithful men (from 2 Tim 2:2) not to quarrel about words, lest they ruin their hearers.
2 Tim 2:16 calls him to avoid irreverent babble.
2 Tim 2:17-18 gives an example of a two such quarreling babblers, who have been upsetting the faith of some in Timothy’s congregation in Ephesus.

So this paragraph (2 Tim 2:14-19) is all about confronting, in Timothy’s own community, the false teachers, who declare that the resurrection has already happened. This teaching is to be condemned, as the coming resurrection is a critical motivator for those who will suffer for the true faith. Remember Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead (2 Tim 2:8). If we die with him, we will also live with him (2 Tim 2:11). If the resurrection has already taken place, and we’ve missed it, why bother enduring?

So in the midst of his instructions of what not to do in the face of detractors—don’t quarrel, don’t let your men quarrel on your behalf, and avoid irreverent babble—Paul also gives Timothy a suggestion of what to do: Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved (2 Tim 2:15).

What This Means

When a church leader or Bible teacher faces opposition from within the Christian community, the chief temptation will be to go on the attack. To engage in quarreling and to justify it by calling it “debate.” Paul is not saying that debate is always unhelpful; he’s only saying that it’s not the best way forward in the face of direct opposition.

Rather, the man of God (2 Tim 3:17), the Lord’s servant (2 Tim 2:24), the ordained leader of the church (2 Tim 1:6) ought to redouble his efforts to preach the word (2 Tim 4:2). He must fan this gift into flame. He must follow this pattern of sound words. He must guard this good deposit (2 Tim 1:14) and keep proclaiming it simply and clearly.

As he handles the word of truth rightly and accurately, he has no need to be ashamed (though he will still be tempted to shame when he suffers opposition from his detractors – 2 Tim 1:8). God will vindicate this faithful Bible expositor as the one he approves, over against the false teachers. The way the man of God demonstrates his vindication—his approval by God for his task of preaching the word—is by clearly and faithfully opening God’s word, skillfully setting it before the people, and proclaiming God’s message with God’s authority, week after week after week.

Paul will go on to say that he must do this with kindness, competence, and patience (2 Tim 2:24). He must correct opponents gently (2 Tim 2:25). As he continues proclaiming the word, without watering down its message but making it plain to the people and applying it clearly to the matters at hand, God might just grant repentance to some of those detractors (2 Tim 2:25-26). But the teacher must understand that most of them will not repent, and they are therefore to be avoided personally (2 Tim 3:1-9).

My previous paragraph describes what it means to be useful as a servant in God’s great house (2 Tim 2:20-21)—another statement that loses its meaning, and thereby gets misapplied, when we remove it from its context.

Gospel Hope

What will motivate the teacher of God’s word to endure in his task, even while some violently oppose him or even call for his resignation?

He stands on a firm foundation laid by his God (2 Tim 2:19). Paul paraphrases Numbers 16:5 and Numbers 16:26 to correlate Timothy’s detractors with Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, who opposed Moses, the Lord’s servant, the one laboring usefully in God’s house. God vindicated Moses with theatrical flair, proving to everyone that he knew who his man was. And God called the people to make sure they lined up behind the approved teacher lest they be swept up in the unapproved teachers’ destruction.

So for those who have been opposed for teaching the Scripture faithfully: Take heart. You do not need to quarrel to defend yourself; the Lord will defend you. He will not allow them to get very far. He will make their folly plain to all (2 Tim 3:9), and he will raise you up to reign with Christ (2 Tim 2:11-12). Just keep teaching God’s word, and do your best to learn how to do it even better than you already do. God’s firm foundation stands.

And for those who are watching and listening to the criticism and public assault on Christian leaders, wondering whom you can trust: Go with the approved workmen. Look for those who proclaim God’s word rightly—this requires you to know how to do that yourself so you’ll know it when you see it—and who do so with gentleness, kindness, and patience. Avoid the proud, abusive, babbling quarrelers, lest you be caught in their snare. God’s firm foundation stands.

Context matters.

¹Thanks to David Helm for showing me this structure at a recent Simeon Trust workshop on biblical exposition.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

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10 Reasons to Study the Old Testament

February 13, 2019 By Peter Krol

Jason DeRouchie gives 10 great reasons why Christians should read, study, and teach the Old Testament.

The OT was Jesus’s only Scripture and makes up three-fourths (75.55 percent) of our Bible.
The OT substantially influences our understanding of key biblical teachings.
We meet the same God in both Testaments.
The OT announces the very ‘good news/gospel’ we enjoy.
Both the old and new covenants call for love, and we can learn much about love from the OT.
Jesus came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them.
Jesus said that all the OT points to him.
Failing to declare ‘the whole counsel of God’ can put us in danger before the Lord.
The NT authors stressed that God gave the OT for Christians.
Paul commands church leaders to preach the OT.

I find reasons 2, 7, and 8 most personally compelling, but all 10 are good reasons. DeRouchie explains each one with brevity and clarity.

Check it out!

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Context Matters: Precept Upon Precept

February 8, 2019 By Peter Krol

When some of us learned about studying or teaching the Bible, one phrase seemed to be repeated as often as any other: precept upon precept, line upon line. In my experience, few verses are quoted and extolled as these when we’re encouraging our people to take the Bible seriously. Not only have we told our people that it is one good method among many, but some of us have said it’s the only right way to study the Bible. I’ve literally sung this phrase as a chorus in church.

But I sang those lines with a confused conscience. Having come across those words in Isaiah, I wondered if they could possibly mean what we thought they meant. Too embarrassed and fearful to express my concern, I told myself that I was no Bible expert and I could rest secure in my lack of knowledge. Surely, my sense that Isaiah was using those phrases — “line upon line” and “precept upon precept” — to mock God’s people couldn’t be correct! So, I set aside that precept and moved on to the next.

So writes Abigail Dodds, who then gives us a model Bible study in Isaiah 28. She observes, interprets, and applies, showing the train of thought from the context and calling us to have open ears to receive the Lord’s instruction.

Dodds does all this very well and concisely. I commend her article to you.

Context matters. Check it out!

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Does Jesus Commend Dishonesty?

February 6, 2019 By Peter Krol

If you’ve ever read the parable in Luke 16:1-9 about the fraudulent servant who gets fired, further cheats his employer, and is commended—you might have wondered what in the world was going on. When Jesus criticizes the sons of light for failing to be as shrewd as as the sons of this world (Luke 16:8), is he expecting his people to act like the crook?

John Piper answers this question for us by looking carefully at the text, within the context of Luke, and by drawing application from the parable’s main point. He shows us how to answer difficult questions with good Bible study skills.

Check it out!

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ESV Journaling New Testament, Inductive Edition

February 4, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

First we got the single-column Bible. Then came generous side margins. The latest advance in journaling Bibles seems to be interlinear space, and it’s wonderful.

For people who like to mark up their Bibles, studying God’s word with pen or highlighter in hand, there never seems to be enough space. We want more room for notes, questions, symbols, and arrows. This is especially true for Bible students who underline, circle, or box words in the text—in a standard Bible, these marks could easily obscure the text in the subsequent or preceding line.

Enter the ESV Journaling New Testament, Inductive Edition, published by Crossway. This book provides 3/8 inch of space between lines of text, opening up lots of options for engaged students of the Bible.

Excellent Design

I love the philosophy of this Bible. This is from the introduction.

It is in light of this conviction that Crossway offers to the church the ESV Journaling New Testament, Inductive Edition. The text is spaced out line by line, designed to facilitate active engagement with the Bible with a pencil or pen in hand. Repeated words can be circled, key transitions can be noted, striking phraseology can be reflected on. With space to jot notes and insights, this edition will be a versatile tool in a Christian disciple’s engagement with Scripture.

Crossway kindly sent me the black hardback version of this Bible for review. This Bible lays open flat, and the elastic band will remind journal lovers of the famous Moleskine. The wide outer margins and interline space provide plenty of room. This is not a Bible to sit down and read for hours; this is designed as a workbench and laboratory. It has great potential as a markup Bible.

There are so many positives for this product that I hate to mention any negatives. I have only two cautions. The first is about the name—this does not seem like a journaling Bible to me. There is ample space to interact with the text, but there is not as much space to do what is typically considered journaling. (I don’t personally use a Bible for journaling, but those who do might be disappointed.) My second caution is that the thickness of the paper in this Bible is closer to thin, Bible paper than it is standard journal paper. Consequently, pencils, highlighters, and ballpoint pens are better choices than gel, roller ball, or fountain pens if you are concerned about writing bleeding through to the back of pages.

How About the OT?

The retail price for this Bible is $39.99, but it is available for far less than that at both Amazon and Westminster Bookstore. (At the time of this writing, the price at Westminster Bookstore was almost $3 less than at Amazon.)

I recommend this Bible for anyone who wants to dig into the Bible text and get their hands dirty. I hope that Crossway considers publishing a two-volume edition of the Old Testament to mirror this Bible. (They have just released the Old Testament version of the ESV Scripture Journals, so there’s hope!)

Disclosure: the links to Amazon and Westminster Bookstore are affiliate links.

The images used in this post were provided by Crossway.

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Context Matters: With His Wounds We are Healed

February 1, 2019 By Peter Krol

Perhaps you’ve heard that Jesus will heal all your sickness and disease, if you would only have faith that he will do so. Since Jesus healed every sick person who came to him while he was on earth, surely he will do the same for sick people who come to him while he is in heaven. Jesus still bears the wounds that now heal us.

In this post, I’m not able to tackle the full ideology of faith healing, nor do I intend to discuss whether we ought to expect miraculous healings to continue taking place today. These are complex issues that warrant complex treatment. But in this post I will deal one small part: the common appeal to Isaiah 53:5 to support expectations of physical health and healing.

Context matters. When we learn to read the Bible properly—and not as a collection of unqualified personal promises to which we turn in our moments of need—we’ll find that some of our most famous mantras take us in a different direction.

Seattle Municipal Archives (1999), Creative Commons

Isaiah’s Train of Thought

I’d like to address Isaiah 53:5 from three angles. The first is the larger train of thought of Isaiah 40-55.

Isaiah 40 presents such a sharp change of subject matter and implied audience that many scholars believe the second half of the book could not have been written by Isaiah son of Amoz in the 8th century B.C. While condemnation of Judah’s sin is not absent (e.g. chapter 48), the focus lands far more heavily on proclamation of comfort (Is 40:1-2). And the audience appears to be no longer in the land of Judah (Is 7:1), but in captivity in Babylon (Is 48:20-21). The chief enemy is no longer Assyria but Babylon (Is 46:1-47:15). And the chief hero is not Hezekiah (Is 36-39), but Cyrus, King of Persia (Is 44:24-45:7), along with the representative “servant” of Israel.

Isaiah 56-66 presents yet another perspective, that of those who have returned from exile, now rebuilding the nation and city. So let’s limit our attention for now to chapters 40-55.

Isaiah 40:2 sets up two main announcements for the languishing exiles. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her:

That her warfare is ended
That her iniquity is pardoned”

These two points are then expanded as: “that she has received from Yahweh’s hand double for all her sins.” The following chapters expand on these two announcements.

First, in chapters 40-44, Isaiah shows that Yahweh, and Yahweh alone, is both willing and able to do these things. No idols can end the warfare with Babylon to return the exiles. And no idol can do a thing to pardon the people’s great iniquity toward God.

Second, Is 44:24-48:22 describes how Yahweh will go about bringing the first announcement to pass. He will anoint Cyrus for the job, he will bring the people home, and he will wipe out Babylon once and for all.

Third, Is 49:1-55:13 describes how Yahweh will go about bringing the second announcement to pass. He will raise up his unnamed servant to bear iniquity, he will put his words into the people’s mouths, and he will reconstitute them to bear his name.

As we follow Isaiah’s train of thought, we see that the suffering servant in chapter 53 is not raised up (or crushed or wounded) for the people’s physical well-being. Cyrus was the appointed savior for that sphere. The suffering servant is dealing instead with the sin problem. Though Isaiah makes use of the terminology of sickness (affliction, grief, affliction, etc.), these terms serve primarily as metaphors for the main issue: “Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Is 53:6).

Matthew’s Summation

There’s no avoiding the fact that Jesus physically heals people during his earthly ministry. And we are right to draw implications for ministry today: that the proclamation of the kingdom ought to be accompanied by improvements to societies and their quality of life.

It’s striking, however, that Jesus didn’t heal everyone who came to him. His message about the kingdom was more important than any physical healing he could offer (Mark 1:36-39).

Perhaps this is why Matthew explicitly states the purpose of Jesus’ healing miracles (Matt 8:16-17):

That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.’

Jesus healed in order to fulfill what Isaiah had spoken about. In other words, Jesus healed people both to illustrate and to authenticate his mission to pardon iniquity (Matt 1:21). It is no accident that Jesus conducts one such healing simply to prove he has the authority to forgive sins (Matt 9:1-8).

Peter’s Assertion

Peter makes the connection even more explicit. He alludes to Isaiah 53:5 (“by his wounds you have been healed”) to support his point that Jesus died so “we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Pet 2:24-25). In context, this assertion should motivate servants to submit to their masters, even when their masters treat them unjustly (1 Pet 2:18-25).

Conclusion

In context, Isaiah’s poetic statement—”with his wounds we are healed”—is not an absolute promise of physical well-being, if we would only believe. It is a declaration of the forgiveness of Israel’s sin, which had led to her exile in Babylon. The New Testament then uses Isaiah’s shadow to explain the reality of Jesus’ dying for our sin to make us righteous before God, if we would only believe.

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

Thanks to Bob and Daniel for the idea for this post.

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A Simple 3-Step Bible Reading Plan for Children

January 30, 2019 By Peter Krol

My children have really enjoyed making use of audio Bibles to develop a habit of daily Bible reading—even long past their preschool years. A few of them enjoy writing down some reflections, but most prefer to simply draw while listening. We have found that their listening comprehension is excellent.

But since every child and family is different, I believe there are many options for teaching children to love God through his word. Joe Carter has another idea that may work better for you or your kids. He proposes 3 simple steps:

Make a chart listing every chapter of the Bible.
Assign them to read a chapter each day, with each day of the week focusing on a different part of the Bible.
Have them cross off the chapter they read that day to see their progress.

Perhaps this could work for your family. Carter helpfully reminds us that flexibility is the most important principle: It’s okay if they miss a day. The most important thing is that we foster an environment where Bible reading is a habitual part of everyday life.

To develop a biblical worldview, we need to saturate our minds in Scripture. This requires repeatedly reading and engaging with the Bible throughout our lifetime. The earlier we begin reading the Bible the more time we have for God’s Word to seep into the marrow of our souls. That’s why helping a child to develop the habit of Bible reading is one of the greatest gifts we can give them.

Check it out!

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Context Matters: Where Two or Three are Gathered in Jesus’ Name

January 25, 2019 By Peter Krol

Perhaps you’ve heard that Jesus is specially present when two or three people gather in his name (Matt 18:20). And perhaps you’ve wondered how that jives with the fact that he is present with all of his disciples when they make disciples by going, baptizing, and teaching (Matt 28:19-20). Or how it’s any different from the fact that the Father sees and hears when you pray to him alone and in secret (Matt 6:6). Couldn’t Matthew get it straight? What is our quorum for ensuring the blessing of Jesus’ presence?

Context matters. When we learn to read the Bible properly—and not merely as a collection of one-liners and sound bites—we’ll find that some of the most famous passages take on different and deeper meanings than we’ve thought.

Life in the Kingdom

Jesus’ speech in Matt 18 addresses what the new covenant community of Christ-followers should look like. It speaks to such things as humility, compassion, initiative, conflict, restoration, and forgiveness. This speech particularly highlights how to handle the sin that will inevitably infect the community.

Offense from Sin

After telling his disciples that we must not despise any straying sinner, for God seeks to win every one of them back (Matt 18:10-14), Jesus moves into practical instruction regarding what to do when someone sins against you (Matt 18:15-20). In other words, it’s one thing to feel compassion for people whose sin hurts only themselves; it’s far more challenging to lovingly pursue those whose sin has hurt you personally.

Yet that is the very situation Jesus speaks to: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault” (Matt 18:15). When you’re directly affected by another person’s sin, to the point where you’re tempted to despise that person (Matt 18:10), your first recourse is to speak to that brother or sister privately.

If that doesn’t work, bring one or two others along for another set of conversations, to provide witnesses for the interaction (Matt 18:16).

If that still doesn’t work, then tell it to the church (presumably, begin with the church leadership). If that still doesn’t work, then treat him as a Gentile or tax collector (Matt 18:17)—that is, as someone you love and pursue, with whom you share the gospel (Matt 9:11-13).

Authority to Bind and Loose

This leads Jesus to explain the nature of church authority. What you bind on earth is bound in heaven; what you loose on earth is loose in heaven (Matt 18:18). This cryptic statement should not be too confusing, as it simply alludes back to what Jesus said to Peter two chapters earlier (Matt 16:18-20). Peter’s confession in chapter 16 highlighted a great privilege he would have to wield the keys of the kingdom of heaven. We see Peter later wielding this authority to bind and loose as leader of the fledgling Jerusalem church (e.g. Acts 5:1-11). This in no way meant he was infallible or above criticism (see Gal 2:11-14); it just meant that Jesus delegated real authority to him as a leader.

And that authority was not unique to Peter. In Matt 18:18, it describes the assessment of “the church” toward an unrepentant sinner. And the next verse restates the situation more practically as one where “two of you agree on earth about anything they ask” (Matt 18:19). Here he’s not talking about any old two people agreeing about any old topic. He’s talking about the church wielding the keys of the kingdom, binding and loosing, deciding to treat an otherwise professing believer as an unbeliever. He’s talking about the leadership of the church exercising its responsibility to discipline members of the community who continue unrepentantly in sin.

Jesus Present with Two or Three

And now we arrive at the verse in question: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matt 18:20). Notice the “for,” which is a connector word identifying this sentence as a reason or explanation for the previous verse.

So the “two or three” he’s talking about are not the faithful few who showed up at this week’s prayer meeting. They are the authorized leadership of the church, who have witnessed a sinner cause offense to another member of the community and fail to turn from it. Just as their decision to bind or loose (to either retain or remove membership in the community) will be recognized in heaven, so Jesus’ authoritative presence is with them to enact said decision.

Peter’s Concern

This leads Peter to be deeply concerned about how many times he’ll have to let someone “off the hook” (Matt 18:21). If all they have to do is turn away from their sin, and he can no longer give them what he thinks they deserve—how long does he have to put up with such behavior? Of course, they’re lost sheep and all, but surely there’s got to be a limit to such disrespectful behavior, right? Wrong (Matt 18:22-35).

Addendum: When to Apply Matthew 18

We should note that Matt 18:15-20 is not intended to be a catch-all process for dealing with any and all sin. It is about what to do when someone sins against you, and you are not able to overlook it or live with it. It’s not about public sin, or sin that doesn’t personally impact you, or secondhand rumors about sin in a community. And it’s not about what to do whenever someone offends you; you must be able to prove that they have sinned. We must look to other passages of Scripture for guidance in each of these other areas.

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

Thanks to Tommy, George, Nat, and Daniel for the idea for this post.

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Revelation’s Seven Letters are Sermons on the Rest of the Book

January 23, 2019 By Peter Krol

Have you felt confused about what to do with the book of Revelation? The blog Sign and Shadow has a thought-provoking post suggesting that the letters to the 7 churches in Rev 2-3 are the interpretive keys to the rest of the book. The author argues this thesis based on his observation of genre and structure. It’s worth considering.

Check it out!

HT: Lincoln Fitch

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Context Matters: Two Tries to Heal the Blind

January 18, 2019 By Peter Krol

Perhaps you’ve come across the intriguing little story where it takes Jesus two tries to heal a blind man. After Jesus spits and lays hands on the blind man, the man can see, but people look like walking trees (Mark 8:23-24). Jesus tries a second time, and the man can finally see everything clearly (Mark 8:25). Did Jesus struggle with this one? Did he require more practice to get it right? Or could this be an example of an oral tradition slipping past editors, who otherwise had worked hard to portray a fictional Jesus to fit their preconceived notions regarding his character and claims to divinity?

Context matters. If we learn to read the Bible for what it is—and not as a random assortment of disconnected episodes—we’ll discover that some of the trickiest passages make a lot more sense than we thought.

The Blind Man

We find the passage in question in Mark 8:22-26, which has no parallel in the other gospels. People in Bethsaida bring their blind friend to Jesus. Jesus leads him by the hand outside the village. He spits on the eyes and asks whether the man sees anything. He touches him a second time, “and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly” (Mark 8:25). Jesus then sends him home, prohibiting him from re-entering the village.

We don’t need to speculate in a think tank about why it took Jesus two tries, as the context likely provides the clues we need. I have two theories for your consideration. If we zoom out to catch the flow of Mark’s argument, we’ll find help both before this passage and after it.

What Came Before

This story, along with the following one (Mark 8:27-30), concludes a major section of Mark’s gospel. Our structural hint comes from the bookends (known also as an inclusio) of guesses about Jesus’ true identity.

When Herod hears of the disciples preaching two by two across the countryside, he hears some people saying John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. Others think he is Elijah, while yet others consider him a prophet, like one of the prophets of old (Mark 6:14-15). And the 12 disciples have apparently heard exactly the same three guesses: “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets” (Mark 8:28). This repetition provides us with bookends to help us see that Mark is making a coherent argument through these chapters.

So what is that argument?

Jesus has big ministry plans for these 12 men. He sends them out with his own authority to preach, heal, and exorcise unclean spirits (Mark 6:7-13). Yet at the height of their effectiveness, we’re reminded through flashback of what happened the last time a man of God got the attention of important people (Mark 6:14-29). This does not bode well for the disciples.

When they return to Jesus, he embarks with them on a rigorous curriculum of training.

They participate in helping him feed a multitude – Mark 6:30-44
They cross the sea – Mark 6:45-56
They watch Jesus answer a question from the Pharisees and scribes – Mark 7:1-23
They watch him speak to a Gentile woman about the children’s bread – Mark 7:24-30
They see Jesus use his own spit and hands to heal a man with malfunctioning sense perception – Mark 7:31-37

Through this section, many people begin to understand who Jesus is. The Gentile woman understands his bread metaphor and submits herself to his will (Mark 7:28). Sick people touch only the fringe of his garment and are made well (Mark 6:56). From astonishment, many claim that he has done all things well (Mark 7:37).

But the disciples? They see all this, yet “they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened” (Mark 6:52).

So Jesus takes them through his training course a second time:

They help him feed a multitude – Mark 8:1-9
They cross the sea – Mark 8:10
They see him answer a request from the Pharisees – Mark 8:11-13
They have their own discussion with him about bread – Mark 8:14-21
They see Jesus use his own spit and hands to heal a man with malfunctioning sense perception—but this time it takes two tries – Mark 8:22-26

This time, however, we don’t have anyone who begins to understand who Jesus is. Not even the twelve disciples. They can’t imagine where they’ll get enough bread to feed these people (Mark 8:4). They completely misinterpret Jesus’ bread metaphor (Mark 8:16). And Mark makes explicit the fact that they can neither see nor hear (Mark 8:18). In other words, they do not yet understand who he is (Mark 8:21).

But Jesus can heal the deaf (Mark 7:31-37). And he can heal the blind (Mark 8:22-26). Perhaps his two attempts to train the disciples will pay off and enable them to see clearly.

After the blindness is healed… “Who do you say that I am?”

“You are the Christ” (Mark 8:29).

So the first theory about why it took Jesus two tries to heal the blind man is to provide a picture, a living parable, of his two tries to heal the disciples’ spiritual blindness. Their sight of Jesus is fuzzy for a while. But after two complete training cycles, they see clearly in declaring him to be the Christ.

What Comes After

The passage immediately following the healing of the blind man shows Peter declaring Jesus’ identity as the Christ, or Messiah. He sees something important about Jesus, that Mark wanted us to see from the first sentence (see Mark 1:1).

But Mark also wants us to know that Peter’s sight remains fuzzy. He sees a Messiah, but not exactly the kind of Messiah that God wants him to see. When Jesus begins describing his coming suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection, he does so plainly (Mark 8:31-32). No more parables or confusing metaphors. And Peter promptly rebukes him (Mark 8:32).

Jesus then spends the next 2 chapters helping them to see more clearly what kind of Messiah he must be. Not the conqueror they expect, but the servant who suffers and dies. Not a tree of life walking around, but a Son of Man coming to serve and give his life (Mark 10:45). Jesus must explain these things 3 times (Mark 8:31, 9:31, 10:33-34) and illustrate them vividly through word and deed (raising a demon-possessed boy who fell as one dead, welcoming the typically unwelcome children, turning aside the one who refuses to sell his possessions, etc.).

So the second theory about why it took Jesus two tries to heal the blind man is to provide a picture, a living parable, of the two stages of sight the disciples must go through to understand who Jesus is. Yes, he is the Lord’s Messiah. But you must also see clearly that he is a suffering and dying Messiah.

It is no accident that this section of the gospel ends with another healing of another blind man, who immediately recovers his sight and the follows Jesus “on the way” (Mark 10:52), having lost his “life” by throwing off his cloak (Mark 10:50) so he might gain true life with Jesus.

Conclusion

I’m not sure which theory is the best one. Both do justice to the surrounding material and to the flow of Mark’s argument. And perhaps we don’t have to pick only one theory. Couldn’t it be possible that Mark had both ideas in mind as he wove together his glorious account of our Messiah?

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, such as the widow’s mite, the love chapter, and all things work together for good, click here.

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