Mark 8:22-26
22 And they *came to Bethsaida. And some people *brought a man who was blind to Jesus and *begged Him to touch him.
23 Taking the man who was blind by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting in his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?”
24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, for I see them like trees, walking around.”
25 Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly.
26 And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”
The Healing of the Blind Man
Miracle recorded only in Mark
Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. The reason was that He didn’t want His rumor to spread through this miracle. Bethsaida was a prominent village on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. If He became famous in that village, the news would quickly spread throughout the entire Galilean region. It was for the same reason, Jesus instructed the man not to enter the village after performing the miracle. Now, this miracle occurred in two stages. (1) In the first stage, Jesus spit on the man’s eyes, laid His hands on him, and asked if he could see anything. The blind man began to see, but his healing was partial. (2) In the second stage, Jesus laid His hands on the man’s eyes again. At that moment, his eyes were completely healed, and he could see everything clearly.
Spiritual application
There are spiritual applications in this miracle. (1) In the next passage we will look, the disciples confess Jesus as the promised Messiah. Peter, representing the group of disciples, confesses, “You are the Christ.” However, their understanding of the Messiah was still incomplete. Their spiritual eyes would be fully opened after the experience of Pentecost (Acts 2). (2) The second spiritual application pertains to Israel. Paul states in Romans 11:25-26, “A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved.” Among the Israelites, there has always been the “Remnant of Israel,” a group of true believers, in every age. This means that only a portion of the Israelites had their spiritual eyes opened. However, there will come a time when the spiritual eyes of all Israelites will be opened. Let’s apply this spiritual truth to ourselves. We have believed in Jesus, and our spiritual eyes have been opened. Yet, it is still incomplete, and there will come a day when we will see the Lord fully. “For now, we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I also have been fully known” (1 Cor. 13:12).
Today's prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank you for opening my spiritual eyes. Please continue to guide me so that I may worship before you Lord even more. I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.