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 men, 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, Mark 8:22-25.
When I read this story of the blind man I thought it was unique due to the fact its 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 two stage process that Jesus used to restore this man's sight, I had several questions concerning this miraculous event.
Do you not yet perceive or understand?Jesus, aware of this, said to his disciples, "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 he 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 to his disciples they understood to beware of the leavened and corrupted teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees, Matthew 16:11-12
After this peculiar two stage healing of the blind man Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do you say that I am?"
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 through the wisdom of man, but by 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 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 Messiah is a conquering King similar to David who will 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.
Since the disciples did not yet understand that Jesus came to die on the cross as Israel's suffering Messiah, their first revelation from the Father was partial and limited, and it was also distorted by the disciples hope for a victorious Messiah King, Mark 9:31-32, Luke 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 revelation so they could recognize Jesus as their suffering Messiah, just as the second touch from the Lord completely healed the blind man who at first saw men like trees walking.
Later that day Jesus approached two of his disciples walking on the road to Emmaus, however the spiritually blinded disciples did not recognize their risen Savior.
The two discouraged disciples began to explain to their new acquaintance that 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, Luke 24:13-32.
- Continued -
- Why was the blind man's vision only partially healed when Jesus first 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 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.
Jesus and his disciples feed a crowd of 4,000 with 7 loaves and a few fish
With this in mind lets read the story of the blind man in context starting with Mark 8:1-12. Jesus with the help of his disciples miraculously feed a crowd of 4,000 with 7 loaves and a few fish and there were 7 baskets of broken pieces left over. After this they entered a boat and went to Dalmanutha where the Pharisees began to argue with Jesus seeking a sign to test him. Jesus said, "Why does this generation seek after a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation."Jesus warned his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees
Then Jesus and the disciples got into the 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.Do you not yet perceive or understand?
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 he 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 to his disciples they understood to beware of the leavened and corrupted teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees, Matthew 16:11-12
The blind man sees men like trees walking after Jesus touched him
When they came to Bethsaida Jesus touched a blind man's eyes who said, "I see men, but they look like trees, walking." Jesus laid his hands on the man's eyes a second time and when he opened them his sight was completely restored and he saw everything clearly, Mark 8:21-25.After this peculiar two stage healing of the blind man Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do you say that I am?"
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 through the wisdom of man, but by 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 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 Messiah is a conquering King similar to David who will 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.
The disciples first revelation of Jesus
was distorted by their expectation for a Messiah King
As I said, the first revelation the disciples received from the Father was that Jesus is the Messiah. However because of their flawed reasoning, they believed Jesus was their conquering King who would deliver Israel from their submission to the Roman government, Luke 24:21. And this is why Peter rebuked Jesus when he spoke about his death and resurrection after 3 days.was distorted by their expectation for a Messiah King
Since the disciples did not yet understand that Jesus came to die on the cross as Israel's suffering Messiah, their first revelation from the Father was partial and limited, and it was also distorted by the disciples hope for a victorious Messiah King, Mark 9:31-32, Luke 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 revelation so they could recognize Jesus as their suffering Messiah, just as the second touch from the Lord completely healed the blind man who at first saw men like trees walking.
Two discouraged disciples on the road to Emmaus
do not recognize Jesus on the day of his resurrection
On the day of the resurrection Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Mary the mother of James told the disciples that the tomb was empty and how two men in dazzling apparel said Jesus had risen, but the disciples did not believe them, Luke 24:10-12.do not recognize Jesus on the day of his resurrection
Later that day Jesus approached two of his disciples walking on the road to Emmaus, however the spiritually blinded disciples did not recognize their risen Savior.
The two discouraged disciples began to explain to their new acquaintance that 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, Luke 24:13-32.
- Continued -
-
3
-
1
- Show all
