Sight to the Blind | Mark 8:22–26
22 And they 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. 26 And
he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”
They return now to the major fishing town on the west side
of the Sea of Galilee, south of Capernaum, where Philip, Andrew, and Peter all
called home. As we read this, we’re not
surprised to find Jesus healing the blind man brought to Him—Jesus came to
proclaim the recovery of sight to the blind (Lk 4:18). Even so, there’s a notable lack of His proclaiming. This area is now under judgment, though this
man receives grace from the Lord.
Jesus withholds further
blessings for the region. We’ll read
no more about preaching in northern Israel.
After telling the Pharisees that they’ll have no more signs (vv. 10–13),
Jesus moves south. Even though Jesus
stops to heal this man, He does so outside of the village, instructing the man
not to return into the village. There’s
to be no further missionary activity here, no more testimonials of the Lord’s
grace. Bethsaida is among the cities
that Jesus pronounces woes against (Mt. 11:21–24), and darkness returns as the light
departs.
Jesus extends further
grace to this man. The blind man’s
friends bring him and beg Jesus on his behalf.
Jesus might have the village under judgment, but He takes the man by the
hand to lead him. He touches the man’s
eyes. He asks the man what he sees, and
continues healing him when the man expresses a lack of focus. He touches the man’s eyes and restores him, “and
he saw everything clearly” (v. 25).
Bethsaida was like this man; touched by the Lord, seeing
something for the first time, but not clearly.
The people there saw signs that would have brought wicked towns like
Tyre and Sidon to repentance (Mt 11:21).
Yet, they refused to allow the Lord to completely heal their spiritual
blindness, and He judges them by leaving them as they are.
Still, no matter what the Lord is doing in this world, this
nation, this city, or this neighborhood, He still accepts those who come to Him
for healing. They will see and receive salvation
from the Lord.
