
Sermon Title: Only Half-Healed
Scripture: Mark 8:22-26 (NIV)
Contributed by Ellyn Schwaiger
“They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.” —Mark 8:22
The Gospel of Mark records many miracles that Jesus performed during his earthly ministry. The miracle we focus on today is unusual in that it takes place in two stages. As we will see, the full meaning of the story can only be understood from taking in the larger context.
The book of Mark is a short and action-focused account, written in the mid-50s to late-60s A.D. by John Mark, a scribe and close associate of both Peter and Paul (1 Pet. 5:13, 2 Tim. 4:11, Colossians 4:10). Early tradition from church father Pappias describes the book as being a compilation of memories from Peter and other eyewitnesses to Jesus’ ministry. Mark focuses heavily on miracles and accounts of the miraculous comprise a third of the book. Interestingly, the book’s length relative to Matthew and Luke suggests standardized scroll lengths, with Mark being a “budget option” that perhaps led to increased circulation. The book’s audience was Gentile Christians. Thematically, the book focuses first on the local confusion surrounding Jesus’ identity (chapters 1-8), then the disciples’ progressive understanding of Jesus’ identity (chapters 8-10), and finally, the implications of Jesus’ identity as the Messiah (chapters 11-16).
The two-stage miracle we examine today takes place in Bethsaida, a fishing village on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. The hometown of Peter, Andrew, and Philip, Bethsaida was apparently “unrepentant” and ultimately rejected Jesus’ identity and ministry (Matthew 11:20-21), despite the miracles performed there. Jesus is described as arriving in town, only to have people bring a blind man to him and beg for healing. Jesus leads the blind man away from town and puts spit in his eyes. At this likely breathless point, the man indicates that he cannot yet see fully: “I see people; they look like trees walking around” (v. 24). Jesus puts his hands on the man’s eyes again, after which the man’s “eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly” (v. 25).
We do not know the full nature and extent of this man’s vision loss. Religious and literary sources indicate that poor vision was widespread in the ancient world. Isaac (Gen. 27:1), Jacob (Gen. 48:10), and Eli (1 Sam. 3:2) are three Old Testament characters whose vision loss features in their stories. We know Homer, the 3rd century Celtic warrior Oisín, the Christian theologian Didymus the Blind (313–398 A.D.), and many others were either blind or could not see well. Traditional Jewish literature describes many Talmudic sages with less than optimal vision. Interestingly, those suffering from vision loss were, in the Jewish culture of Jesus’ day, not considered to be so disabled as to be exempt from the obligations of the Law, which suggests that the blind man in Bethsaida was perhaps more active in the community than might otherwise be surmised.
The key to the meaning of this story, however, is not to be found in the physical dysfunction nor in the physical correction, but in the symbolic and contextual. As a “living parable,” the story is sandwiched between an interaction displaying the disciples’ complete spiritual blindness with regards to his identity (v. 21) and another interaction in which partial clarity is achieved, with Peter exclaiming in wonderment, “You are the Messiah!” (v. 29). Before the story of the two-stage healing, the disciples seem to understand their job description as following an exceptionally talented local wandering sage. After the story of the two-stage healing, when Jesus asks them about his identity, they achieve partial clearing of their spiritual vision by identifying him as the promised Messiah. However, as the blind man’s two-stage healing represents, they can at this moment only see dimly what Jesus’ messianic mission entails. Rather than a victorious military king, they are following a suffering servant. The rest of the book of Mark describes the clearing of their vision and understanding as Jesus’ ministry continues to unfold.
Consider –
╬ The two-stage healing of the blind man reflects our own progress toward understanding who Jesus is and the extent of his compassion and provision for his people. Think about your own journey as a follower of Jesus. How do you understand and know Jesus differently now than you did when you first became a Christian? As you think about your own growth as a disciple of Jesus, what words would you use to describe your progression of who you have known him to be—Friend, Savior, Healer, Lord, Shepherd, Suffering Servant, Lamb of God, Risen Christ, Son of God, Righteous Judge, …
╬ Think about a time when your vision was obscured by life circumstances. How do you see that situation differently now?
╬ Father God, thank you that you are sovereign, and you are in control, even when circumstances unfold differently than we may have expected. Spirit of Truth, give us eyes to see and ears to hear that we may understand and believe in Jesus, our Messiah. In Jesus’ name, Amen.