Mark 8:22-26
They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Can you see anything?” And the man looked up and said, “I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Then he sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not even go into the village.”
One of the things I love most about Mark’s gospel is that it’s often a little raw. You won’t, for instance, find a two-part healing in Matthew or Luke. But Mark doesn’t seem to mind the possibility that Jesus needed a second try on this one. And, actually, that’s only one of two “oddities” in this story. Let’s look at both in the order they appear in the story.
First, Jesus leads the blind man out of the village to be healed. Why? To tell you the truth, we have no clear idea. Perhaps, like in Jesus’ hometown, there is sufficient unbelief to make it difficult to perform what Mark describes as “works of power.” Or perhaps Jesus was not prepared to have his identity disclosed in Bethsaida or was concerned that word of his arrival there would spread even more quickly than usual should he heal in public. We simply don’t know. Nor do we know why Jesus tells the man he heals to avoid the city on his way back home. These are a few of the odd quirks of narrative detail that Mark doesn’t shy away from and, indeed, give Mark’s account of Jesus’ life texture.
My hunch – and it really is just that; your guess is as good as mine – is that as we approach the “turning point” of Mark’s story – the transfiguration and Jesus’ turn to Jerusalem and the cross – Jesus becomes ever more careful about disclosing his identity. It will be increasingly easy, I think, to misunderstand what he has come to accomplish. For despite all the displays of power Jesus performs, in the end we will see God’s greatest work of mercy and salvation revealed not in power but in weakness.
The other odd detail, as we’ve already noticed, is the two-part healing. This seems particularly peculiar in light of Jesus’ earlier ability to raise Jairus’ daughter from the dead with a single word or that the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years could be healed simply by touching the edge of his cloak. Is it again a matter of disbelief? Some have suggested so, particularly given Matthew and Luke’s later stories that Jesus denounced their lack of belief (Mt. 11:21, Lk. 10:13). But it could be this was their best attempt to make sense of Mark’s passage or reflected another tradition.
The strong consensus of the Church’s teaching over the centuries has been to read this passage as a metaphor for the life of faith. That is, it often takes time for true spiritual insight to arrive. I think this again lines up with the place we are in the story. Thus far, the disciples have perceived Jesus’ identity and mission only partially. They will soon encounter Jesus’ predictions of his passion and respond with similarly limited insight. Yet in time, after the cross and the announcement of resurrection, they will come to much fuller awareness of Jesus’ mission.
I find this interpretation helpful not only in terms of Mark’s story or description of the disciples, however, but also in terms of our life of faith as well. How many times have I needed a “second chance” – or, truth be told, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth chance! – to recognize God’s presence and activity in my life. This is especially true when God works in ways I wouldn’t expect, coming in mercy rather than judgment, for instance, or in weakness rather than in strength.
Some might wonder when reading this passage what went wrong, or why Jesus couldn’t get it right the first time. I, however, think the rawness of Mark’s story matches the rawness of our lives of faith in this world, and so I take this story as a testimony to God’s forbearance, patience, and commitment to keep working with us and on us until we all have seen the glory and grace of the Lord.
Prayer: Dear God, thank you for your refusal to give up on us. Thank you for second (and third and fourth and fifth) chances. Thank you for coming to us and all people again and again and again. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
I will make this quick and concise. I believe the man was an idol worshiper, Isaiah 1.29). The people of bethsaida were already in darkness and under judgement, Jesus pronounced judgement on Bethsaida and Chorazin and Tyre and sidon Matthew 11.21-25 the word trees means drus (an oak) in the greek also in Gen 3.2 eve said we may eat of the (fruit) of the trees of the garden, in Gen 3.6 it says when the woman saw that= saw means visions and again 1 kings 19.3 elijah said in response to jezebel V2 when he saw that, again saw means=visions he had a vision as from jezebels evil words. Psalm 23.7 as a man thinketh so is he/she. In verse Gen 3.6 it says:when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and it was pleasant to the EYES and a tree to be desired to make one wise and she took of the fruit. she talked about the source the tree not the fruit but the tree. this word tree means firmness something hard, but the root word (aw-tsaw) means to fasten, make firm, to close or shut the eyes. when jesus spit on the mans eyes the word spit means=the idea of expanding or to offend the conscience. all of us have understand that we have a need for a savior that we are undone. the lord knocked saul of his horse. when jesus spit on his eyes, it says (he) looked up, verse 25 says he made him look up. I believe there is a two fold meaning in this passage about the disciples hardness of heart in 8.17-21. But I believe the man was an idol worshipper because why did he see (men, plural) as trees. Addicts are that way, they are always thinking plotting and planning their next fix. Jesus spit on hi eyes to offend his conscience so he could see him self, that he needed help a savior. Jesus took him by the hand-that was his love for the man, led him out of town because the blind can’t led the blind, for they were blind in the things of Christ, they rejected Him the first time around. this is my story and i’m sticking to it. Amen Would like to hear anyone’s comment on this view. my email garyleespirit@yahoo.com