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TITLE: Out of town
TEXT: Mark 8:22-26
PROPOSITION: Jesus led the blind man out of the city before healing him.
QUESTION: Why?
KEY WORD: Reasons
READING: Same

INTRODUCTION:
  1. Was this miracle incomplete? Did Jesus have to go back for a second try?
  2. What was going on in this text?
  3. Why did Jesus take the man out of town first? (23)
  4. Why was he told not to return to town? (26)
  5. Here are three reasons to consider.

Double miracle
  1. He saw men as trees walking - Distinguish men from trees because of movement
  2. Restored - 2nd miracle aided his mind to process the information from eyes
  3. Saw all clearly - mind able to distinguish figures
  4. Jamison, Fawcett, and Brown commentary suggests: “Perhaps the one operation perfectly restored the eyes, while the other imparted immediately the faculty of using them.”

Bethsaida (on Galilee, near Capernaum) was a city Jesus liked
Apostles from this city
  1. (John 12:21) Then these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, Sir, we want to see Jesus.
  2. (John 1:44) Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
  3. Name means = house of fishing, thought to be suburb of Capernaum - We know that Peter lived in Capernaum near the synagogue

Jesus went there to get away from stress
  1. (Mark 6:45) And immediately He constrained His disciples to get into the boat and to go before to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent away the crowd.
  2. Other side = another point, past one or two coves on the lake
  3. (Luke 9:10) And returning, the apostles told Him all that they had done. And He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place of a city called Bethsaida.
  4. Small, quiet, suburban location to “get away” from the stress

Situation changed
  1. Jesus did many miracles here - BUT they rejected his teachings
  2. Matthew 11:21 - Woe to Chorazin, Bethsaida - (Same in Luke 10:13)
  3. Took blind man out of city, after miracle, told not to return to city (v. 26)

Purpose of miracles
  1. NOT to attract attention, draw a following, publicity
  2. To help people believe and accept the teachings.
  3. Mark 16:19-20 - Confirming the Word with signs following
  4. Hebrews 2:3-4 - Confirmed unto us, God bearing witness with signs and wonders


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