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AGAPE LESSON 25
RENEWED SPIRITUAL SIGHT
Put together by Bongie Kuzwayo
[Mark8v22—26] Then He came to Bethsaida, and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him
to touch him. (23) So, He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of town. And when He
had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. He looked up and
said, “I see men like trees, walking.” (25) Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look
up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. (26) Then He sent him away to his house, saying,
“Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.”
Let us put this passage into context, so we can unpack it accurately.
[Mark8v9—15] Now those who had eaten were about four thousand. And He sent them away, (10)
immediately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the region of Dalmanutha. (11) Then
the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing
Him. (12) 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.” (13) And He left them, and getting
into the boat again, departed to the other side. (14) Now the disciples forgot to take bread, and they
did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat. (15) Then He charged them, saying, “Take
heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”
The Bible records that this man was restored after being touched by Jesus. This tells us that this man
had lost his sight, meaning he was not born blind. You will notice that God will speak in natural terms
to convey a spiritual message/principle. Let us take note of Jesus’ stern warning regarding the leaven
of the Pharisees and of Herod. We will further discuss about leaven later. Going back to our text:
• Bethsaida = house of fish. The word ‘house’ tells us that this is a church. [Genesis28v16—17]
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know
it.” (17) And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the
house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. (The expression – “gate of heaven” means the
church is interface between heaven and earth).
So, this church, Bethsaida measures on felt needs – will give groceries and pay for water and lights.
The institution fundraises to achieve this – the idea is to keep people and increase numbers and to
amass wealth. The Biblical pattern is different:
[Acts2v44—45] Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, (45) and sold
their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
More houses of God:
(1) Bethel = house of God (Genesis35v1)
(2) Bethesda = house of mercy (John5v2) [If you analyse the story around Bethesda, it appears to
be a house of torture more than mercy.
(3) Bethsphage = house of unripe figs (Matthew21v1). Unripe speaks of immaturity. So, no one
in this house grows to maturity. [Galatians4v1–2] Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a
child does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, (2) but is under guardians
and stewards until the time appointed by the father. Inheritance is only given to mature sons.
(4) Bethany = house of misery (Matthew21v17). There are many churches out there who find no
joy in the word of God and so, entertainment is the order of the day.
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(5) Bethlehem = house of bread/food (Ruth 1v1). Jesus (the Word of God) is food for our souls.
[John6v51] I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread,
he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of
the world. This house (church) measures in the word of God.
• He took the man by hand and led him – this speaks of total trust, dependence and
submission – the same way you would lead a child. [Romans8v14] For as many as are led by
the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
• So, He took the blind man out of town – Bethsaida was toxic with the leaven of the Pharisees
and of Herod. The location was inaccurate. The man would not receive healing in that
location. Migration was imperative. Taking the man out of Bethsaida was to get him to
focus/give full attention.
• Spit – this speaks of the words that Jesus spoke directly into the man’s spiritual ears and
eyes. [God will use natural terms to convey something spiritual]. It took God to blind Saul’s
natural eyes in order to open his spiritual eyes so he could perceive the season/move of God.
(Acts9v3—18).
• Hands – speak of double grace.
• I see men like trees walking – he saw men after the flesh, could not perceive their value. Paul
writes, [2Corintians5v16] Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh.
Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no
longer.
• And he was restored and saw everyone clearly – his spiritual eyes were now open, and he
understood and knew men by the spirit.
• Then He sent him away to his house – now that he was being led by the Spirit, Jesus
deployed him with an apostolic mandate — was now “a sent one.”
• Then He sent him away to his house – Jesus reminded him his responsibility to go father his
own house.
• “Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.” Jesus commanded him to migrate
from this toxic environment (inaccurate location), to avoid being defiled by the leaven of the
Pharisees and of Herod. Jesus gave a similar warning we read about [John5v16] Afterward,
Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See you have been made well. Sin no more,
lest a worse thing come upon you.” The sin of this particular man would be to go back to
Bethesda, the house that kept him impotent for 38 years,
The leaven of the Pharisees:
What is meant by leaven?
(1) Depending on the context – may mean Christ. [Matthew13v33] The kingdom of God is like
leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.
(2) Leaven in the context of our lesson stands for sin.
The leaven (doctrine) of Herod:
• Contagious spirit of distress. [Matthew2v3] And when Herod the king heard this, he was
troubled and all Jerusalem with him. The Good News of the kingdom activates distress to
those who do not love God.
• Ignorance. [Matthew2v4—5] And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of
the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. (So, they said to
him, “In Bethlehem of Judea – – – – – – -.”
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• Spirit of murder. [Matthew2v16] Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise
men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who
were in Bethlehem and in all its districts from two years old and under, according to the time
he had determined from the wise men.
• Herod loved to hear the preaching of John the Baptist, the same way he enjoyed
entertainment. [Mark 6v20—22] – – -, (20) for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just
and holy man, and he protected him; he did many things and heard him gladly. (21) Then an
opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers
and the chief men of Galilee. (22) And when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced,
and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask whatever you
want, and I will give it to you,”
The church today wants both the same way. They even confess to be feeling the presence of God
because of the music hype. Without the music hype, the preacher would feel the atmosphere is cold,
and dampens his rev to preach. The church is guilty of the leaven of Herod. As you can tell, Jesus is
not part of the equation here. It is everything about music, and people’s spirits are high.
The leaven (doctrine) of the Pharisees: [Pharisees personify religious spirits].
[Luke12v1] In the meantime, when the innumerable multitude of people had gathered, so that they
trampled one another, He began to say to His disciple first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees which is hypocrisy.”
• Hypocrisy (Matthew12v1)
• Allegiance to the past [Matthew23v1—2] Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and His
disciples saying, (2) “The Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.
• Illegitimate authority (Moses’ seat was meant for Moses and not for them.
• Unbelief [Matthew31b—32] Assuredly, I say to you, the tax collectors and harlots enter the
kingdom of God before you. (32) For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you
did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him, and when you saw it, you
did not afterward relent and believe him.
• Inflexibility and inability to live by the word
• Impose bondage by adding to truth. [Matthew23v4] For they bind heavy burdens, hard to
bear, and lay them on man’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of
their little fingers.
• Traditions of man are taught as doctrine
• Self-exaltation [Luke 18v11—12] The pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, “God, I
thank you that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax
collector, (12) I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.
• Position seeking and title consciousness – involved in activities of recognition. Lately, there is
a new and fast-spreading leaven in the church; ordination as Bishop, and they wear special
rings and necklaces, for distinction.
• Charisma above character. In the church today, anyone who has the gift of the gap is quickly
given a position, however flawed the character.
• Kills, persecute and oppress set-man. Ministries of Jesus, Pauls and other apostles were not
well received; and they were persecuted.
• No life-giving word – eloquent, well-read and informative [the ‘letter’= word without the
Spirit].
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• Trivial pursuit – ignore weightier matters (mercy and faith.