Dull and obtuse

Mark 8:21 (Berean Study Bible)

Do you still not understand?

The disciples were dull and slow to understand. They confined the Lord and His power to what they thought He could accomplish. When we limit God's omnipotence to what we can naturally do and ask for "just a little help" from the Lord, we miss out on the limitless power of an infinite God. The Pharisees were also equally guilty of this sin. They simply could not believe that the Man they saw in their midst was God's Son who could indeed raise people from the dead. So, many of them labeled Him a blasphemer while some merely called Him a good teacher. They thought they could be holy by merely cutting themselves off from the world on the outside while actively craving on the inside. A man will never believe who Jesus is unless there is a circumcision of the heart. And, only the Holy Spirit can open a callous heart to the power, goodness and glory of God.