The Pharisees were looking for a sign... so Jesus didn't want to heal the blind man publicly.

He at first says the people look like trees...

1. He wasn't always blind

2. It was as if he was briefly seeing people as "trees" in another dimension. If anyone would follow Jesus, he must carry a tree (cross).

3. 1 Enoch was popular, quoted in Scripture. chapter 3 verse 1... talks about people as trees. In chapter 5 as well.

He didn't even want the man to walk back into the town! No sign for the Pharisees.

Geography...

The first man to see Jesus as the Christ is from Caeserea Phillippi... an evil, pagan Gentile city. Gentiles were as the Ninevites in the story of Jonah.

Getting as far away from Jerusalem as possible, from the leaven of the Pharisees... that's where Peter's eyes are opened!

Parts of 1 Enoch can be trusted (as they are quoted in Scripture), but not all.

Caeserea Phillippi was built into the foot of Mount Hermon.

Two interpretations of the "Sons of God" from the Old Testament:

1. Sons of God were the godly line, daughters of God were ungodly (Cain), and that's why God flooded the earth.

2. Sons of God are actually angelic beings, creating giants, all sorts of evil, and that's why the flood.

1 Enoch 6:1... Angelic beings that fell were watchers of the earth, and they came down to Mt. Hermon to sleep with human women. They procreated with them, creating giants, then nephilim. Created much godlessness. Taught people secret knowledge.

According to 1 Enoch, Mt. Hermon was the beginning of the world's evil. Yet in Mark 8, Mt Hermon is where God reveals himself to humanity, reversing the curse through Jesus Christ!

v27... some say Jesus was "one of the prophets"... not a small thing, a term of honor. They see he's special, but don't see yet that he's the Christ. Peter says he is the Christ, and Jesus confirms.

The Pharisees studied the God of the Old testament, but completely missed him when he was standing right in front of them! We need the Holy Spirit to see Jesus is the Christ. Hard-heartedness can only be overcome by God himself. Only if the Spirit of God is present can hearts be changed!