“When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him. 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?” The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.” 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.” Mark 8.22-25 NLT
These words from the gospel of Mark puzzle me. Although I have more than a few questions regarding this particular bit of Scripture, my main query is this: Why doesn’t Jesus completely heal this man the first time? Surely, Jesus is powerful enough to do so. In Mark 1, Jesus takes Peter’s sick mother-in-law by the hand, and she is healed from a dreadful fever. Jesus simply speaks a word to the man with a shriveled hand in Luke 6, and the man’s hand is fully restored. A woman is healed by touching the fringe of Jesus’ robe as he walks down the road in Luke 8. Jesus goes so far as to raise a dead Lazarus back to life … by commanding him in a loud voice to come out of the grave! Furthermore, in a most astounding display of Jesus’ healing power…he heals the Centurion’s servant in Matthew 8 without touch, without words, without being anywhere near the servant. Jesus simply marvels at the Centurion’s faith and pronounces that the servant has been healed. Why then, with limitless power at his disposal, does Jesus make two attempts to fully restore the sight of the blind man in Mark 8?
As I mull over this passage yet again this morning and consider my own experience with Jesus over the past two decades, I think I am finally getting some clarity. Jesus brought numerous people from death to life (in a physical sense) in an instant. However, as I reflect on the life of the disciples, (those in Biblical times as well as those in my day), I see a progression. Much like the eyesight the blind man is being given in Mark 8, truth is being illuminated for those of us who follow Jesus. A progression. At first, the man’s eyes could only see shapes…perhaps colors. Although he was looking straight at people, he could not see them. At first, his vision was blurry. Isn’t it the same for us who know and follow Jesus? Salvation is instantaneous. In a moment, we are brought from death to life…just like Lazarus. However, spiritual growth is anything but immediate. It is a process. And no one, even the greatest Biblical scholar or theologian sees everything perfectly…nor will he in this life. No one will have perfect doctrine; no one will gain every insight into Biblical principles. Truth, however, is illuminated bit by bit as we spend time in the Scripture and in prayer. So, we press on. We can and must learn more, obey more, study more, love more … and we should not be discouraged when we don’t get it all the first time. I believe Jesus is faithful to work with us until all becomes clear.
