Daily Devotions
Mark
2 Peter 1:20 "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation."
Day 176 – Mark 8
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation.”
2 Peter 1:20
STRIKING OBSERVATIONS
How did Jesus actually feel when He ministered to the people? Mark made some very striking observations. Three things may be highlighted:-
1. Marveling at rank unbelief
Mark noted Jesus’ astonishment that so many continued to have unbelief despite all that He had taught and done.
“And He marveled because of their unbelief.”
MARK 6:6
2. Compassion
Another feeling that Mark noted was that Jesus felt great compassion for the multitudes. He made the same observation at least twice.
“And Jesus… saw a great multitude
and was moved with compassion for them,
because they were like sheep not having a shepherd.”
MARK 6:34
“I have compassion on the multitude, because they have
now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.”
MARK 8:2
3. Sighed deeply
A third feeling Mark noted was that of deep sighing. How sad Jesus must have felt at times.
“Then looking up to heaven, He sighed,
and said to him, ‘Ephphatha,’ that is, ‘Be opened.'”
MARK 7:34
“But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said,
‘Why does this generation seek a sign?
Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.”
MARK 8:12
Jesus refused to give in to the demands of the hypocritical Pharisees. He knew them only too well. He sighed deeply as He thought about these religious leaders!
1. Blasphemy
They were not afraid to blaspheme; saying that Jesus was in league with Beelzebub (Cf. Mark 3:22-30)
2. Rejection of the Scriptures
They had already rejected the Scriptures in favour of their traditions (Cf. Mark 7:9). How sad it was to see the religious leaders of the nation of Israel become so spiritually degenerate!