24.151 | HE SAW EVERYTHING CLEARLY | Mark 8:22-26 | God’s Word for Today with Pastor Nazario Sinon

God’s Word For Today

Text: Mark 8:22-26 (ESV)

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.”

HE SAW EVERYTHING CLEARLY

Jesus was in Bethsaida. It was a fairly large city near the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. This is not the first time Jesus has healed the blind. He had done other such miracles before John the Baptist died (Luke 7:22), but it is the first recorded in Mark's Gospel. It's possible the people know of these other healings, as they ask Jesus to "touch" the blind man, and not merely bless him by laying hands on him.

He took him outside the village and had spit in his eyes. Why? Scholars suspect that Jesus’ purpose was to assure the people that He didn't use an esoteric magic spell. Here, He appears to use an accepted medical practice to show the crowd He isn't using witchcraft. God is well able to heal using medical practices—even those that have no basis in science. Sometimes He may do so to hide the fact His work is a miracle.

Interestingly, after Jesus asked him if he saw anything, he said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around." His healing wasn’t instant and complete, unlike the others. The bible doesn't say why some healings are immediate and some take a little time. One possible reason here is that this provides a metaphor for the progressive spiritual revelation. They are beginning to see Jesus for who He is—and, indeed, Peter will soon declare Jesus to be the Christ later(Mark 8:29)

He touched him again. His sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. "Clearly" is from the Greek word ‘telaugos’ and actually means "at a distance." It may mean that Jesus' first effort made the man near-sighted and the second brought his full vision back. That would explain why he thought the people were walking trees (Mark 8:24).

God won’t do something either half-done or mediocre. He would complete what He has started.[Phil 1:6] Moreover, this healing reminds us of the sanctifying process of God in our lives. When we become believers, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us to teach us the truth (John 16:13). We begin as the blind man, seeing Jesus and people as a tree, walking around. But as He works in us, we learn more about God and what He has planned for us.

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