I see men like trees, walking

Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. 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."

And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side. Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat. Then He charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have no bread." But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?" They said to him, "Twelve." "Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?" And they said, "Seven." So He said to them, "How is it you do not understand?"

Then He came to Bethsaida, and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking." Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. Then He sent him away to his house, saying, "Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town."

- Mark 8:11-26

In yesterday's reading, we read of Jesus' compassion on the multitude, being great and having nothing to eat. They were with Him for three days, and He expressed His concern to the disciples. It was too far for their hunger to send them back to their own houses for food. Then His disciples answered Him, "How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?" He asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven." He made all the multitude sit, gave thanks for the bread, broke it and had it distributed by His disciples to all the people. There were a few small fish, and He blessed them and did the same. There were seven large baskets of leftover fragments, four thousand people having been fed.

Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. 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." Seeking a sign would be one way of tempting or testing God; there's a special exemption to this in the Old Testament, in which King Ahaz was told by God to seek a sign. But Ahaz refused to do so. In Isaiah, we are told the prophet's reply to the king: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." Later on in the gospels, Jesus will add another sign that will be given to all, the sign of the Resurrection. My study bible, however, has a very helpful note here: "A sign from heaven is an indisputable, spectacular act, the kind Jesus rejected in His temptations. Jesus has given countless signs by this time: causing the blind to see, the lame to walk, the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak, and the dead to rise. But these are not good enough for the Pharisees. Jesus sighed deeply, for they seek a sign out of hardness of heart, daring Jesus to force them to faith."

And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side. Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat. Then He charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." My study bible again has a helpful note: "Leaven is frequently (but not always) a negative image in Scripture, symbolizing evil. Here it represents the erroneous understanding and evil intent of the Pharisees and Herod Antipas. Though they completely misunderstand the revelation of God in Christ, the Pharisees influence the people. Their teaching is like leaven; it permeates the whole. Their blatant legalism and hypocritical actions damage those who listen to them." We can think of leaven itself as a neutral term: it all depends on whose leaven we're talking about, and to what purpose it's being used. Either way, the influence that permeates may be for good or evil. In this case, their cynicism, or hardness of heart, which requires or tempts a test of absolute "proof," leads away from the discernment of the heart, from faith, love and trust. It is a way of thinking that dares and tempts, because the mind is already made up against whatever is being offered by Christ, for reasons having all to do with power, position and authority. It is a decision based on fear of what they have to lose.

And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have no bread." But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?" This Gospel of Mark, the earliest Gospel written, is quite wonderful for what it shows us about the disciples. They really test Christ's patience in the terms of their own understanding. They also fail to grasp what He is talking about. (And not for the first time, at all!) But it's interesting to observe the differences between the Pharisees, who have their minds made up, and the kind of "hardness of heart" we observe here. The disciples of Christ are those who yet remain open to teaching. In this, we have a great and enlightening example of the gist of repentance, the capacity for reconsideration, and for further understanding, in relationship, no matter where we are right now. Of course, the humor here is unmistakable, and it is also something that I love about the Gospel, a gift to us. They think He's talking about bread and chastising them for having forgotten bread! This, too, gives us a glimpse of the workings of repentance and relationship. Immediately they fear they are being shamed or corrected for a failure to perform a task (bringing bread). Instead, He's trying to open their eyes to His meanings and teachings, a much deeper matter of the heart. In relationship, God continues to practice His love to us, seeking our enlightenment and understanding, what is best for us, no matter where we are in our lives. That is the key of faith, and of repentance in relationship to God. It's not about our shame, it's about going forward in relationship to God, being teachable, opening our hearts to understanding and forward movement to God, turning ourselves to God in repentance, being willing to be changed and grow, to come to new understanding.

"And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?" They said to him, "Twelve." "Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?" And they said, "Seven." So He said to them, "How is it you do not understand?" Here Jesus refers back to the feeding miracles (see here and here), including the one in yesterday's reading. He is asking them to open their eyes to understand Him and what He is all about. He doesn't need them to bring bread! But note, He's making a distinction between the hardness of heart of the Pharisees and His own disciples' lack of understanding: it's all in their capacity for faith and relationship, even at the times they fail to grasp and understand. There is still a future there, a capability, a willingness to be taught and to learn and grow, in faith. Even in rebuke (and His seeming perplexity and even impatience at their failure to understand), we feel His love, leading them forward to learn, to be enlightened. My study bible notes, again helpfully: "Discipleship without an understanding of Christ is unthinkable."

Then He came to Bethsaida, and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking." Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. Here is the perfect example of what it is to be "enlightened" by Christ, to come to see. The disciples fail to understand despite His signs! Here, the blind man forms a kind of parable for us, by example. Christ again takes this man away from the crowds for a healing, even out of the town, into a private space. Intimately, the touch comes: He spit on His eyes and put His hands on him. At first the man sees somewhat: "I see men like trees, walking." With another touch, and the encouragement to look up, the man is restored and saw everyone clearly. This example also portrays the slow understanding of the disciples, and each of us as we are led to truly "see." It gives us a picture of our relationship to Christ, our growth in faith, His Way. Note that this is also an intimate power; this teaching is for each one of us. It may happen far away from the crowds, and popular understanding, all alone with God in the secret place. And there is more to teach about this, as we read further.

Then He sent him away to his house, saying, "Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town." The great sign we may get for ourselves may be something we can't even say to others, nor tell them about. Perhaps God Himself does not want this. However faith comes to us, in whatever way we are given faith and hope and light, a new movement forward, a Way, it is for us -- between us and God. Sometimes it might be proper to be used as a testimony, but sometimes not. It is a gift, and the intent for the gift is in the hands of the Giver, who knows what is best. It is something we treasure in our hearts, worth all of the world. Even if it is "just for us." Of course, at a later date, this story was told in the Gospel, in the Book of the Church, as testimony to Christ, for the believers. What is important is God's word to us today, for where we are right now, at each moment of our lives. The rest is in God's hands, with the One in whom we trust to teach us what is best for us, for all.