Major Points in Both Paragraphs of the Second Pair

When he was alone (with) the twelve around him they asked about the parables.	They came to Bethsaida (mentioned elsewhere as a place of retreat with disciples).

And he said to them. "To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to those outside all they are given is in parables. This is so they may see and yet not perceive, and hear yet may not understand lest they should turn and their sins be forgiven them." He said to them. "Do you not know what this parable means and what all the parables mean? The one who is sowing is sowing the word. And those by the way, are those people, immediately they hear it find that Satan comes and takes the word that had been sown in them. And likewise the ones on the rocky places, being sown with the word, when they hear it, immediately hear it with joy and receive it. But they do not have roots within themselves and so it is short lived. As affliction or persecution on account of the word comes to them they are immediately offended. Others again, are the ones who are amongst thorns and the word is sown in them. These hear the word. Yet the cares of the age and the deceitfulness of riches and other things like desires come in and choke the word and it becomes unfruitful. And there are those again who are on the good earth. They hear the word and welcome it and bear fruit in thirty and sixty and in a hundred fold production." And he said to them. "When the lamp comes it is not put under a bushel or under the couch. Rather it is put on the lamp stand. For this is not to be hidden or covered but made manifest and put in the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."

8:22-26 People brought a blind man to Him and beseeched him to touch the man. Laying hold of the blind man’s hand He led him outside the village. And spitting in his eyes and putting hands on him he questioned the man. "Do you see anything?" And looking up the man said. "I see men so that they look like trees walking." Then He again put his hands on the eyes of the man.

And he said to them. "Take heed what you hear. With whatever measure you measure out it will be measured out to you and indeed added to. For the one who has, it will be given to him. And the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." And he said. "The kingdom of God is like this. A man might cast seed upon the earth. He might sleep and rise, night and day. And the seed sprouts and lengthens and he does not know. Of its own accord the earth bears fruit. First there is the grass, then an ear, then the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is produced, immediately the man puts this to the sickle because the harvest has come." And he said. "To what can we liken the kingdom of God or how can we present this in a parable. It is like a grain of mustard. When this is sown in the earth it is smaller than all the seeds on the earth. Yet when it is sown, it comes up and becomes greater than all the herbs. It makes great branches so that the birds of heaven are able to dwell in its branches."

The man looked steadily and his sight was restored.

And with such parables he spoke the word to them in many differing ways so that they were able to hear. But he explained everything privately to his own disciples without using parables.

He saw all things clearly. And (Jesus) sent him home saying “Do not go into the village.”