Jesus and His Service to People

Mark 8:27-30
27 Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. (27 Miles North) As they were walking along, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” 28 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.” 29 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.” 30 But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

Structural Parallels in Mark 6-8
6:31-44 Feeding 5000 then 4000 8:1-10 
7:1-23 Conflict with the Pharisees 8:11-13 
7:24-30 What about the food? 8:14-21 
7:31-36 Healings Unique to Mark 8:22-26 
7:37 Confessional Climax 8:27-30

Mark 7:31-35
31 Jesus left Tyre and went up to Sidon before going back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns. 32 A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him. 33 Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then, spitting on his own fingers, he touched the man’s tongue. 34 Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened!” 35 Instantly the man could hear perfectly, and his tongue was freed so he could speak plainly!

Isaiah 35:4-6
4 Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, and do not fear,
   for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.
   He is coming to save you.”
5 And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind 
   and unplug the ears of the deaf. 6 The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot         speak will sing for joy!

Mark 7:36-37
36 Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news. 37 They were completely amazed and said again and again, “Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.”

Why would Jesus forbid people from spreading their confessions about Him?

Mark 8:22-26
22 When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him. 23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?” 24 The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.” 25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him away, saying, “Don’t go back into the village on your way home.”

What does your confession say about your understanding of Jesus?