“Blinding sight and the gift of faith”

(Mark 8:22-27)
And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 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?" And he looked up and said, "I see men, but they look like trees, walking." Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. And he sent him to his home, saying, "Do not even enter the village." And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi…


Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? (Mark 8:18) This is the question Jesus asks His disciples, for they had no real sense of spiritual sight. Their eyes were spiritually dim and their ears were spiritually dull. Jesus continually had to remove scales from their eyes so they could see the real significance of the moment. Many times we get so caught up in what we see that we fall to really see! He also asks us if we remember. Why? So often we tend to forget what magnificent things He has wrought in our lives. So with this we come, not by accident rather with intentionality, to the healing of a blind man. The eighth chapter by in large deals with spiritual sight and foresight, and that of blindness, first spiritual, then the physical.

Throughout the New Testament we have individual faith reaching out to Jesus to receive, and we have the faith of others reaching out to Jesus on behalf of others. This seems to be how it works, a supernatural touch or the supernatural touch on someone else wanting others to experience a supernatural touch. When we encounter Jesus we invariably will want to share with other what Jesus has done for us, and what Jesus can do for you! So throughout this passage of scripture we will look at this taking place, and its spiritual significance and meaning for us right now.

And they came to Bethsaida. The city of Andrew, Peter, and Philip, a fishing town, which was situated by the sea of Galilee. John 1:44 tells us this, Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. They left the predominantly gentile region of Dalmanutha, and now are on more familiar shores. Christ had frequented this area and brought the kingdom to them on more than one occasion.

Introducing need to the Solution

Some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. If you can see Jesus, it is because He has opened your eyes. Without Christ we live in perpetual darkness and are eternally hopeless. Colossians 1:13 shows us this great miracle, He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son…So it is that perhaps these people who brought this desperate man to Jesus had experienced a similar encounter, or had witnessed His healing power at work. Either way, they believed that Jesus could heal this man, so they brought him to Jesus and begged Him to touch him. The Greek word for begged or besought is Parakaleo and means, summoned, called to one’s side, especially called to one’s aid and is closely related to the word that Jesus used for the Holy Spirit, which is Parakletos and means, one who pleads another’s cause with one, an intercessor or comforter. Notice the similarity between the two. The Holy Spirit pleads our cause and intercedes for us and was summoned to come to our aid at the ascension of Christ. (John 15 and Acts 1, 2)

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8:26) These friends of the blind man stood in for him and used their faith and expectations for him. By bringing him to Jesus, they understood that it was Jesus who alone could heal this mans blindness. Their begging shows us the heart behind the request. This wasn’t to prove something or to see some miraculous display of power. Rather this was a real genuine heartfelt desire for the afflicted. This is what faith does. The real power is in the intercession, where the need is introduced to the solution. When we intercede for others we are bringing our request before Christ, the great intercessor. Our intercession is never selfish and one dimensional, but selfless and multidimensional. Take a close look at the great biblical truth that is before us. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25) What we have seen here is the Holy Spirit who intercedes for us, (Romans 8:26) and Christ who lives to make intercession for us as well. This mans physical blindness is a type and shadow of the spiritual blindness of men everywhere. If our eyes have been opened to see, we then must bring others to the light as well. You may know some who seem to have no faith, it then “may be” your job to pray and step in between their unbelief with your faith. For it could be the very way they will be introduced to Jesus.

Taken by the hand

And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Jesus accepted their offer and stepped in to comfort and aid this mans desperate need. Taking him by the hand was such a gentle gesture of leading and consolation. He could not see Jesus, but he felt His hand in his. It is amazing how God designed the gospel. He gave us the command of introducing people to Jesus, until Jesus takes them out of your hand into His and begins leading them away, out of the village. This is the process of discipleship. We bring them to Jesus, beg and plead for them until they have a personal hand in hand relationship, until ultimately they see clearly! I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. (Job 29:15)

Do you see anything?

When he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Do you see anything?" Perhaps the spit was an impartation of faith, for there was no indication he had any on his own. It is not clear, and has had scholars perplexed for centuries as to why. One thing is clear and that is why Jesus came, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed. (Luke 4:18) Mankind is poor, held captive, blind and oppressed. Jesus is the answer for every malady, (a condition or situation that is problematic and requires a remedy) He brings good news to the poor, the proclamation of liberty to the captive, the recovery of sight to the blind, and liberty for the oppressed. We know faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) When Jesus asks what we see, He invariably is asking about what we see in faith. So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17) When Jesus speaks, faith will respond.

Men walking as trees

And he looked up and said, "I see men, but they look like trees, walking." Something strange happens here. His eyes are not instantly healed. Jesus has rebuked storms in there tracks, opened blind eyes more than once, walked on water, and has raised men from the dead, yet his eyes were not opened completely. This is you and I at times as well. Jesus opens our eyes of faith to see, and we squint just to peak at the things of the kingdom, things we see dimly. We must never stop short of the vision Christ gives, He was sent to restore sight to the blind. How many times do we look at men and see trees? We judge the fruit, or lack thereof. We also see how they are rooted and grounded. Are they planted by the water? Are they of knowledge or are they of life. Which do they belong? The restoration of sight may not be immediate or complete all at once. We grow in understanding and our spiritual eyes see more clearly with age rather than more dimly, as in the natural. When we first encounter Jesus and He lovingly applies eye salve to us we are opened to a whole new world, just not a clear world at first. The book of Job brings comfort to some and trouble to others; however Jobs conclusion is really the whole purpose and intention of God. This is what He say’s, I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you. (Job 42:5) Job had heard of God and maintained a relationship with Him on that basis alone, now He sees God and knows fully the God he worships.

Seeing clearly

Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. The Spirit of the Lord in Christ Jesus brought restoration to completion and he looked and saw…clearly. Jesus longs to open the blind spots we have and bring clearer perspective to our faith. Jesus will touch us as many times as it takes, till we see. When He takes our hand into His, leads us away from familiarity, He intends to do a thorough work of restoration. The Father specializes is restoration. All creation even longs for such restoration. The creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. (Romans 8:21-22) The freer we become the freer the Earth becomes. This is an amazing reality. If we seek clarity, we must be honest with ourselves and with Jesus. How many settle for a little relief when Jesus wants us to be totally free. If this man settled for an improved ability to see, (for surely it’s better than before) yet never spoke plainly and honestly about his condition, he wouldn’t have been completely restored. How many of us stop short of total restoration because of an obvious improved life. Jesus wants us to have an abundant life, not just a better life. I do not mean this in the monetary sense, rather in the spiritual sense, which in any case will become positively impacted by the quality of restored sight. When Jesus leads us it is with an intended purpose. It never will be just random and without direction, thus the need for sight, complete vision.

Don’t tell everything you can see

And he sent him to his home, saying, "Do not even enter the village." And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi… Jesus led him out of the village, restores his sight and tells him not to go back. Why? Sometimes we should not return from where Christ has taken us. The old nature or village can represent our past and keep us from going forward with a new set of eyes. His destination was home, not the village. Family not familiarity was need, for this new way of seeing. He wanted him to see his family, not feel his way through the village. How many of us get a new vision and tend to feel our way through it with familiar surroundings? "Do not even enter the village." The masses cannot relate the way those who know you can. Jesus leaves the man after sending him home, only to go Himself to the villages. Undoubtedly this miracle would have brought undue attention on Jesus making it difficult for Him to navigate His way though out this region. The demanding crowds could easily become hostile, and it was not yet His time. So this formerly blind man now has blinding sight, vision with limits, yet clarity without obstruction. Christ opens our eyes to a world of possibilities, and then gives us precise directions and orders to be carried out. He has a plan for every individual He restores sight to. Listen carefully to His directions and follow closely His Word, for in it you will discover why you see what you see.

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. (Revelation 3:18)