Mark 8:27-30

And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

The realisation that Yeshu must be the longed-for Messiah Christ came forcefully to Peter like new sight. “Now I see it; you are God’s Mashiga!”

And equally forcefully Yeshu now tells them to keep this insight to themselves.

Mark 8:22-26

And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spat on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see men, but they look like trees, walking.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. And he sent him to his home, saying, ” Do not even enter the village.”

See the faith of those who brought the blind man. What of the blind man? was his own faith encouraged by the touch of Yeshu’s hands?

Note the details: Who were the men who seemed to him ‘like trees walking’? Were they Yeshu’s disciples? And was this event related to Mark by one of those who were there, an eye-witness who personally saw and heard everything?

Mark 8:14-21

Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts 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 broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?” 

A mere pinch of yeast used in bread-making will influence and make the whole lump of dough swell up. Yeshu was saying that the concerns of the Pharisees and Herodians, for example with worldly and political matters, preoccupied them so totally that it was like the influence of yeast.

Yeshu said, “Don’t be taken up with concerns like theirs. Where is your believing spirit? Why are you being so preoccupied with bread when taking part with me in my work? or if you go where I send you?” (See Mark Chapter 6 verses 7 to 13)