The man Jesus touched twice was a blind man in Bethsaida, whose healing is recorded in Mark 8:22-26, where Jesus first touched his eyes, causing him to see people as blurry, tree-like figures, and then touched him again, restoring his sight completely, a story often seen as a lesson for the disciples about spiritual understanding.
Scholars believe that the two acts of healing in this miracle were probably designed to be a lesson to the disciples. Yes, they could see some things about Jesus, but they were still blind to a lot of what Jesus valued and intended.
The Blind Man
People in Bethsaida bring their blind friend to Jesus. Jesus leads him by the hand outside the village. He spits on the eyes and asks whether the man sees anything. He touches him a second time, “and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly” (Mark 8:25).
They see a blind man, who Jesus then leads by the hand out of the city where Jesus heals him. The first time, the man can only see slightly, his vision is blurred. Then Jesus did it again, and the “man looked intently” and was healed and could then “see everything clearly”.
The Blind Man of Bethsaida is the subject of one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels. It is found only in Mark 8:22–26. The exact location of Bethsaida in this pericope is subject to debate among scholars but is likely to have been Bethsaida Julias, on the north shore of Lake Galilee.
The blind man in verse 22 is a potent illustration of what is possible when a person allows Jesus to work in their life, even if it is slowly. The man's vision was not completely restored until after Jesus laid hands on him twice. The first attempt at healing was only partial (v 24).
Joshua 24:14–15 Reminds Us to Serve God
And then for us to pray that God would save us from idols in our country. We must decide if we will serve God or ourselves. Let's do that. God, we start this prayer by saying you alone are God.
Technically what Jesus said in Mark 8:23 about spitting and placing his hands on the blind man is also affirmed in John 9:1-6 where spit and applied to the eyes is mentioned. So the two passages can be compatible. One can think of Mark 8:22-25 as a summary while John 9:1-6 gives more additional details.
He records at least 11 instances where Jesus made physical contact with a person in need. He touched a leper (Mark 1:41), a dead body (5:41), and a demon-possessed boy (9:27). He broke the rules of the Pharisees by doing so, but Mark portrays Jesus as having deep concern first with people in need.
As Jesus came near Jericho, Luke tells us, a certain blind man sat by the road. Matthew's gospel tells us that there were two blind men. One was named Bartimaeus, and he was the spokesman for the two. Luke, then, is referencing Bartimaeus, the leader of the two.
This was the ultimate insult to sickness and disease. If Jesus could speak to sickness and rebuke it, then apparently sickness can hear (Luke 4:39). If sickness and disease can be heard, it can also be insulted. Jesus released all of His contempt for Satan and his works when He spit on the blindness.
In the Bible, St. Paul (Saul of Tarsus) was struck blind by a light from heaven. Three days later his vision was restored by a "laying on of hands." The circumstances surrounding his blindness represent an important episode in the history of religion.
Matthew 25:40 means that acts of kindness, compassion, and service shown to people in need—the hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, or imprisoned—are seen by Jesus as acts done directly to Him, revealing one's true faith and relationship with Him, as He identifies fully with "the least of these my brothers" (and sisters). This verse, part of the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, highlights that true faith is demonstrated through tangible love for others, especially the marginalized, and serves as the basis for final judgment.
This lesson discusses how important it is to trust in Jesus for all things, even if we have a hard time understanding Him. The story reminds us of a time when the Son of God healed a blind man by making mud with spit! Some people were upset by this action, but they missed out on who Jesus was and how great He was.
Saliva is believed to be the lubricant of life, consequently its absence leads to the end of life. The connection between saliva and man's essence makes it a sacred fluid, hence it can be used in contracting sacred agreements, for blessing, ritual cleansing and other sacred purposes.
Mark 8 continues Jesus' attempts to teach the disciples God's plan for the Messiah. Jesus has not come for the religious Pharisees but for the meek who willingly respond to Him. He has not yet come as the glorious and victorious champion of Israel, but to die for the whole world.
Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times'" (Matthew 18:21-22, NIV). These words from Jesus remind us that forgiveness is not a one-time act, but a continuous process. We are called to forgive not just once, but over and over again, just as God forgives us when we repent and turn to Him.
The Bible describes the night as divided into watches. Midnight to 3AM is the third watch. From 3AM to 6AM is the fourth. It was during this time that Jesus prayed and even walked on the water toward His disciples.
The Jubilee of 2033
The year 2033 will be of exceptional significance for the Christian community and the entire world. This extraordinary year will mark the 2000th anniversary of the Redemption, an event that highlights the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the foundation of Christian faith.
Many biblical commentators see here a parallel with the blind man's healing. If they're correct, Mark would then be implying that the disciples need a “second touch” from Jesus (through his continued ministry and teaching among them) so that they might see more clearly who he is and why he came.
Another reason He did this healing in two stages was to demonstrate not every miracle is instantaneous, but sometimes healing comes gradually. Since most of His miracles happened instantly, it would be easy to assume that was the only way God would perform healing.
(1) The blind man symbolizes an entity that acts beyond its own perception and relies on another for guidance, analogous to the interaction between the soul and primordial matter. (2) A figurative representation used to illustrate the need for guidance, similar to how a blind man requires a stick for support.
The holy things and the pearls represent the things of God, perhaps the gospel itself. The dogs and pigs represent hostile, unworthy people. And so the statement translates into something like this: Do not preach the things of God to hostile, unworthy people.
Application in Modern Context
In our fast-paced and often chaotic world, Joshua 24:14-15 invites us to pause and reflect on our own spiritual journey. It prompts us to evaluate our priorities and recommit ourselves to serving God with sincerity and passion.
Nevertheless, she persisted and replied, “Yes Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.” Bam! she gives it back as good as she got from him. She is not asking Jesus for a whole loaf, just for some leftover crumbs to her sick daughter.