This coming Sunday, the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time, is taken from Mark 8:27-35. The account fits into a series of narratives that make one thing clear: Jesus’ running debate with the Pharisees and the scribes from Jerusalem continues unabated – even continuing from before last Sunday’s gospel. Here is an outline of some recent Markan pericopes (stories).

• The Feeding of the 5,000 (Mark 6:34-44)
• Jesus walks on the water (Mark 6:45-52)
• The Healings at Gennesaret (Mark 6:53-56)
• Conflict over the Tradition of the Elders (Mark 7:1-23) – 22nd Sunday
• The Encounter with the Syrophoenician Woman (Mark 7:24-30)
• Healing of the Deaf Man (Mark 7:31-37) – 23rd Sunday
• Feeding of the 4,000 (Mark 8:1-10)
• The Demand for a Sign (Mark 8:11-13)
• Warning against the leaven of the Pharisees (Mark 8:14-21)
• Healing the Blind Man in Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26)

The recent conflict with the Pharisees and Jerusalem scribes was preceded by the story of Jesus walking on the water and the healing of the crowds. What follows the conflict encounter is the healing of the child of the Syrophoenician woman, the cure of the deaf-mute, and the second feeding of the crowds. This second feeding results in another request from the Pharisees for a sign. Clearly, this group of religious leaders is unable to break out of the mode that the Messiah’s arrival is a future event. With the evidence of miracles before them they continue to ask “what can you do next – show us a sign” Jesus’ response is unequivocal: “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” (Mk 8:12)

Jesus seems to have concluded that there is simply a persisting blindness among the Pharisees that reflects a hardened heart for which no sign will be convincing. This is why Jesus warns his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees – that interior disposition that leads them away from the Kingdom of God already present among them (Mark 8:14-21). At the same time, Jesus hints that the disciples too may suffer from a degree of blindness – as they do not seem to grasp the fullness of the meaning of the miraculous feedings.

But even as Jesus warns them he continues his ministry of healing.  Just before our Sunday gospel, Jesus heals a blind person in Bethsaida, but note that the healing occurred in stages: blindness gives way to a less opaque seeing and eventually to clarity of sight. So too, if the apostles will remain with and in Jesus, they too will gradually come to fully “see” and understand the larger mission of the Holy One of God. (Mark 8:22-26) Mark’s gospel is the only one that records this particular miracle. This miracle story suggests three groups of people: (1) the uncured blind, (2) those who have received a touch from Jesus and see partially, and (3) those who have received the second touch and can see clearly.

Image credit: Christ Presenting the Keys to Saint Peter | Nicholas Poussin | Metropolitan Museum | Public Domain