Mar 8:22-26 | KingComments | STEP | The Lord comes to Bethsaida with His disciples. There are people there again who care for others and bring someone to Him (cf. ). They implore Him to touch the blind man because they know that His touch means healing. There is faith in the goodness and power of the Savior. In the way He heals the blind man, there is teaching for the disciples who also had a problem with their eyes ( ). As He has previously done with the deaf man ( ), He also takes the blind man out of the crowd. He does not seek the admiration of people. He wants to do His service in silence, without drawing attention to Himself. That is really service. One word would have been enough, but He, the Son of God, is a Servant and is fully committed to the cause as Someone Who is closely involved in it. His inner strength, which we see in the symbol of saliva, comes on the eyes of the blind man. Then He lays His hands on him. Then, perfectly knowing the condition of the blind person, He informs him if he sees anything. The man’s answer seems to indicate that the healing has only partially succeeded. But there is no question here of a half succeeded and half failed wonder of the Lord. Here it is a wonder that He performs in phases. In John 9 the healing takes place without phases ( ). He works according to His plan, to teach us something too. Here we learn that in the spiritual development of someone who comes to faith, people can initially occupy a large place. This is also the case with the disciples: man, especially the Pharisee and his pious appearance, still occupies too great a place. Legalistic people make a big impression on some people. If we do not have a clear sight of the Lord, legalistic people impress us greatly. We bow down to their authority. We can also be impressed by the prestige and tribute of the world. In all such cases a second touch is necessary before we see all things clearly. Here too the love of the Lord does not get tired of their unbelieving slowness of understanding. He acts according to the power of His own purpose and makes it clear to us. Everything that impresses us makes it impossible for us to see clearly. That is because He, the one loaf, is not enough for us. For someone who has never been able to see, two things are needed. One is the ability to see and the other is the ability to use the acquired eyesight. In this blind man we see the condition of the disciples. Before the Lord, so to speak, lays His hands on them for the second time they don’t see everything clear because of Jewish customs. They are limited in seeing His glory. The laying on of His hands for the second time we see in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit has come, the disciples see everything clearly. The Lord’s hands always complete the work He has begun ( ). He sends the healed blind away with a command. He must go to his home, but not to the village. His family may know what He has done to him, but no spectacle should be made of it for the wider surroundings. Thus He has a command for everyone who has been delivered by Him from his sins.

‏ Mark 8:22-26

A Blind Man Healed

The Lord comes to Bethsaida with His disciples. There are people there again who care for others and bring someone to Him (cf. Mk 7:32). They implore Him to touch the blind man because they know that His touch means healing. There is faith in the goodness and power of the Savior. In the way He heals the blind man, there is teaching for the disciples who also had a problem with their eyes (Mk 8:18).

As He has previously done with the deaf man (Mk 7:33), He also takes the blind man out of the crowd. He does not seek the admiration of people. He wants to do His service in silence, without drawing attention to Himself. That is really service. One word would have been enough, but He, the Son of God, is a Servant and is fully committed to the cause as Someone Who is closely involved in it.

His inner strength, which we see in the symbol of saliva, comes on the eyes of the blind man. Then He lays His hands on him. Then, perfectly knowing the condition of the blind person, He informs him if he sees anything. The man’s answer seems to indicate that the healing has only partially succeeded. But there is no question here of a half succeeded and half failed wonder of the Lord. Here it is a wonder that He performs in phases. In John 9 the healing takes place without phases (Jn 9:7). He works according to His plan, to teach us something too.

Here we learn that in the spiritual development of someone who comes to faith, people can initially occupy a large place. This is also the case with the disciples: man, especially the Pharisee and his pious appearance, still occupies too great a place. Legalistic people make a big impression on some people. If we do not have a clear sight of the Lord, legalistic people impress us greatly. We bow down to their authority. We can also be impressed by the prestige and tribute of the world. In all such cases a second touch is necessary before we see all things clearly.

Here too the love of the Lord does not get tired of their unbelieving slowness of understanding. He acts according to the power of His own purpose and makes it clear to us. Everything that impresses us makes it impossible for us to see clearly. That is because He, the one loaf, is not enough for us. For someone who has never been able to see, two things are needed. One is the ability to see and the other is the ability to use the acquired eyesight.

In this blind man we see the condition of the disciples. Before the Lord, so to speak, lays His hands on them for the second time they don’t see everything clear because of Jewish customs. They are limited in seeing His glory. The laying on of His hands for the second time we see in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit has come, the disciples see everything clearly. The Lord’s hands always complete the work He has begun (Phil 1:6).

He sends the healed blind away with a command. He must go to his home, but not to the village. His family may know what He has done to him, but no spectacle should be made of it for the wider surroundings. Thus He has a command for everyone who has been delivered by Him from his sins.