Day One Mark 8:22-26
22 When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him. 23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?”
24 The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.”
25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him away, saying, “Don’t go back into the village on your way home.” – Mark 8:22-26 (NLT)
Discover
1. Look back at Mark 6:44-7:23 for a reminder of what has just happened in Bethsaida and the neighboring Jewish territory.
2. What new method does Jesus use to heal the blind man?
3. Does Jesus fail to heal the blind man the first time?
Respond
Back in Jewish territory now, some people bring a blind man to Jesus for healing. Most likely knowing the Pharisees are hot on His heels and that people are clamoring for miracles, Jesus takes the man to a private place to heal him. But the man’s healing comes in stages, seeing partially at first, then fully. Could this parallel the spiritual healing happening in the disciples? We've reached the halfway point in the book of Mark, and yet the disciples still don’t seem to fully grasp who Jesus is. They’re getting there! Spend a few minutes now asking God to restore your own spiritual sight and the sight of your loved ones. Ask for the ability to see everything clearly.
For Further Reading: This commentary on Mark (Scroll on the left to the specific section dealing with 8:22-26.)
*TPCC does not necessarily endorse all For Further Reading/Learning sources. They are simply meant to be a helpful tool.