In Mark 8:22-25, And they (Jesus and the disciples) came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. (23) And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Do you see anything?" (24) And he looked up and said, "I see people, but they look like trees, walking." (25) Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.
When I read this story of the blind man I thought it was unique due to the fact it is the only time when Jesus had to lay his hands on someone twice before they were totally healed. And after contemplating a while about the peculiar way in which this man's sight was restored left me with several questions concerning this miraculous event.
After this they came to Bethsaida where Jesus touched a blind man's eyes and he said, "I see people, but they look like trees, walking." Jesus laid his hands on the man's eyes for a second time and when he opened his eyes his sight was completely restored and he saw everything clearly, Mark 8:21-25.
Mark 8:27-29 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?" (28) And they told him, "John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets." (29) And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ."
The disciples first recognized Jesus as Israel's Messiah, not by their human intellect or the wisdom of man, but through revelation from the Father in heaven. After this Jesus told his disciples that he would be killed and rise again after three days when Peter began to rebuke him for saying this. Jesus then replied to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God but on the things of man”, Mark 8:31-33.
Since the disciples did not understand that Jesus came to die on the cross as their suffering Messiah, their first revelation from the Father was partial and limited, and it was also distorted by their hopes for a victorious Messiah King, Mar 9:31-32, Luk 9:44-45, 18:31-34, 24:21. And at this point in time the disciples initial perception of their Messiah was vague and inaccurate, just like the blind man who saw men like trees walking when Jesus first laid hands on him. What the disciples needed was a second touch of spiritual revelation so they could clearly recognize their suffering Messiah, just as the second touch from Jesus completely healed the blind man who at first saw men like trees walking.
In Luke 24:13-32, on the day of the resurrection Jesus approached two of his disciples walking on the road to Emmaus, however the disciples did not recognize him. The partially blinded disciples began to explain to their new acquaintance how Jesus was a mighty prophet of God who was crucified and how they hoped he was the Messiah who would redeem Israel as their conquering King. The disciples went on to say how a few women went to the tomb that day and said it was empty and how some angels said Jesus was alive.
Jesus began to interpret the scriptures concerning his death and resurrection to his partially blinded disciples, and when he broke bread and gave it to them their eyes were opened and they recognized their resurrected suffering Messiah who became broken on the cross for their sins, Luke 24:13-32.
The story of the two discouraged disciples on the road to Emmaus reveals this is the Lord's second touch of revelation for his blinded disciples who incorrectly believed Jesus was their Messiah who would redeem Israel. Now instead of grieving over their imaginary King whom they thought was defeated and dead in the tomb, the two disciples now see Jesus clearly for the first time in the scriptures as their victorious resurrected Messiah who came to suffer and die for their sins.
After this Jesus appeared to eleven of his disciples in Jerusalem when doubts arose in their hearts because they thought he was a ghost. Then Jesus opened the minds of his doubting disciples to understand the scriptures concerning his death and resurrection, Luke 16:31. This again is the second touch of revelation that healed the disciples partial blindness so they could clearly see Jesus for the first time as their victorious risen Savior and Lord, Luke 24:33-49.
The story of the blind man who saw men like trees walking may at first appear to be just a miraculous two stage healing, however in context it's meant to be a picture for the spiritually blinded disciples who did not clearly recognize Jesus as their suffering Messiah, until after the resurrection when they were given a second touch of revelation to understand the scriptures.
And the blind man also represents our vague and limited understanding when we first read a scriptural story. However if we seek after God and ask him for wisdom and understanding, we will receive a second touch of eye opening revelation so we may be able to perceive the deep spiritual truths that Jesus has hidden in his mysterious Word, Proverbs 2:1-7.
When I read this story of the blind man I thought it was unique due to the fact it is the only time when Jesus had to lay his hands on someone twice before they were totally healed. And after contemplating a while about the peculiar way in which this man's sight was restored left me with several questions concerning this miraculous event.
- Why was the blind man only partially healed when Jesus touched him?
- Was it because the people who brought the blind man to Jesus had little faith?
- Or did Jesus get out of the wrong side of bed that day and was not walking in the full power of the Holy Spirit?
- Why did Jesus have to touch this man's eyes a second time before his sight was completely restored?
- Could there possibly be a spiritual meaning that is hidden within this story?
- Or am I asking difficult questions about a few minor details that may not have any meaning in them after all?
- Am I being too spiritually nit-picky?
- The first important rule when studying the Bible is to humble ourselves and pray, asking Jesus for wisdom and understanding of the scriptures, Matthew 13:36, Jeremiah 33:3.
- The second rule is to read a story in its context to see if the adjacent scriptures might shed any light on a possible hidden meaning.
- And the third rule is to diligently search for other scriptures that might be spiritually related to a particular story.
Then Jesus and the disciples got into a boat and he cautioned them “to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees." The disciples did not bring any left over bread after feeding the 4,000 and there was only one loaf in the boat, so they began to discuss the fact of having no bread in response to Jesus warning about the leaven of the Pharisees, Mark 8:13-16.
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?" Mark 8:17-21
Jesus was telling his spiritually blinded disciples that they shouldn't be concerned about the lack of bread since he just fed 4,000 people with 7 loaves. And then Jesus said, How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." After Jesus spoke a second time his disciples understood to “beware of the leavened and corrupted teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees,” Matthew 16:11-12.After this they came to Bethsaida where Jesus touched a blind man's eyes and he said, "I see people, but they look like trees, walking." Jesus laid his hands on the man's eyes for a second time and when he opened his eyes his sight was completely restored and he saw everything clearly, Mark 8:21-25.
Mark 8:27-29 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?" (28) And they told him, "John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets." (29) And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ."
Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.The disciples first recognized Jesus as Israel's Messiah, not by their human intellect or the wisdom of man, but through revelation from the Father in heaven. After this Jesus told his disciples that he would be killed and rise again after three days when Peter began to rebuke him for saying this. Jesus then replied to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God but on the things of man”, Mark 8:31-33.
At this point it's important to understand the scriptures describe two completely different Messiahs that would come to Israel. One is a conquering King similar to David who would deliver Israel from all their enemies. While the other Messiah is a suffering servant like Joseph who was betrayed by his brothers, thrown into a pit and sold as a slave to Egypt.
As I said the first revelation that was given to the disciples was Jesus is their Messiah. However because of their flawed human reasoning they believed Jesus was their conquering King who would deliver Israel from their submission to the Roman government, Mat 20:20-24. And this is why Peter rebuked Jesus when he spoke about his death and resurrection after 3 days, Mark 8:31-33.Since the disciples did not understand that Jesus came to die on the cross as their suffering Messiah, their first revelation from the Father was partial and limited, and it was also distorted by their hopes for a victorious Messiah King, Mar 9:31-32, Luk 9:44-45, 18:31-34, 24:21. And at this point in time the disciples initial perception of their Messiah was vague and inaccurate, just like the blind man who saw men like trees walking when Jesus first laid hands on him. What the disciples needed was a second touch of spiritual revelation so they could clearly recognize their suffering Messiah, just as the second touch from Jesus completely healed the blind man who at first saw men like trees walking.
In Luke 24:13-32, on the day of the resurrection Jesus approached two of his disciples walking on the road to Emmaus, however the disciples did not recognize him. The partially blinded disciples began to explain to their new acquaintance how Jesus was a mighty prophet of God who was crucified and how they hoped he was the Messiah who would redeem Israel as their conquering King. The disciples went on to say how a few women went to the tomb that day and said it was empty and how some angels said Jesus was alive.
In Luke 24:25-26, Jesus then said to his disciples, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! (26) Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?"Jesus began to interpret the scriptures concerning his death and resurrection to his partially blinded disciples, and when he broke bread and gave it to them their eyes were opened and they recognized their resurrected suffering Messiah who became broken on the cross for their sins, Luke 24:13-32.
The story of the two discouraged disciples on the road to Emmaus reveals this is the Lord's second touch of revelation for his blinded disciples who incorrectly believed Jesus was their Messiah who would redeem Israel. Now instead of grieving over their imaginary King whom they thought was defeated and dead in the tomb, the two disciples now see Jesus clearly for the first time in the scriptures as their victorious resurrected Messiah who came to suffer and die for their sins.
After this Jesus appeared to eleven of his disciples in Jerusalem when doubts arose in their hearts because they thought he was a ghost. Then Jesus opened the minds of his doubting disciples to understand the scriptures concerning his death and resurrection, Luke 16:31. This again is the second touch of revelation that healed the disciples partial blindness so they could clearly see Jesus for the first time as their victorious risen Savior and Lord, Luke 24:33-49.
The story of the blind man who saw men like trees walking may at first appear to be just a miraculous two stage healing, however in context it's meant to be a picture for the spiritually blinded disciples who did not clearly recognize Jesus as their suffering Messiah, until after the resurrection when they were given a second touch of revelation to understand the scriptures.
And the blind man also represents our vague and limited understanding when we first read a scriptural story. However if we seek after God and ask him for wisdom and understanding, we will receive a second touch of eye opening revelation so we may be able to perceive the deep spiritual truths that Jesus has hidden in his mysterious Word, Proverbs 2:1-7.
