May 17, 2025 - Mark 8:22-25 - "Blind Eyes Opened"

Mark 8:22-25

"And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly."

Christ's miracles were often public because He was manifesting Himself publicly as the Messiah. These miracles that He did proved Him to be the Messiah. But in this particular case, He pulls this man aside privately. Notice, it doesn't mention anything about him having faith—even in what the Lord was about to do. He was blind. He couldn’t see. And yet we find the Lord separating him out, that this miracle should be for him and not for those around who might be looking for a sign or wonder from the LORD.

This text reveals a great spiritual truth. We may not be able to identify with physical blindness, but we can relate to spiritual blindness—if we’re the LORD’s. Spiritually, it is the LORD Who must give us eyes to see. If not, we’ll never know Him, and we’ll never know His grace. So, in this encounter with the blind man, there is a progression in how the LORD was pleased to restore his sight. And by way of parallel, we can see a progression even in how the LORD is pleased to reveal Himself in us. Some argue that as soon as the Spirit has done a work of grace in a sinner’s heart, they have full knowledge and receive that unction of the LORD so that they no longer need to learn anything more. They feel like it’s a done deal. Well, it wasn’t a done deal with this man.

In addition, it’s not that we sought the LORD—no, He sought us. Why did the LORD pass by Bethsaida? It was for this one needy sinner, though there were many others, that He passed by on His way to reach this one. Left to ourselves, in our blindness, we wouldn’t even know to reach out to the LORD. We do not know how to pray as we ought (Romans 8:26). In this case, the blind man’s friends brought him, seeking the LORD on his behalf.

Certainly, we are concerned for various loved ones, and we pray that the LORD might be merciful to them. But notice the word “besought”—it was a humble plea to the LORD that He might show mercy to this one sinner. We do not come demanding, but seeking. The need was so great that the man could not even seek the LORD himself; he would not have known how to find Him. His condition was one of serious infirmity. And that is true of every one of us—because of who we are and the sinfulness into which we are born. We may have physical sight, but spiritually, we are blind. How we need the LORD to intervene! And here, we see our LORD’s willingness to intercede. God is a merciful God, willing to save those whom He is pleased to save.

First, we see how the compassion of the LORD was particular and personal to this man (v. 23). It says, "he took the blind man by the hand," it doesn't say that the blind man took Him by the hand. That's how it's often preached. Sinners are told, "You better get hold of Jesus' hand, while you can." We wouldn't even know where to look. No, He took the blind man by the hand and led him. That's the way it is in salvation. How compassionate that He would take this blind man and lead him gently to where He would be pleased to deal with him. So, we see how the compassion of the LORD was personal and particular to this needy blind man. Here was a man who needed the work of the LORD Jesus Christ. Notice also that he didn't speak a word until the LORD asked him what he saw. We were born in this world in darkness and blindness, but it took the LORD to minister particularly to us. There were a lot of other blind people that the LORD didn't heal that were in the land but the LORD had drawn this one to Himself.

Second, it was private. He led the man literally out of town. Can you imagine that blind man as he continued to walk with the LORD wondering what this was all about? He didn't know, but the Lord did because His eye had been set on Him from before the foundation of the world. This was one for whom He came and would lay down His life. It may well be that some of these actually saw the LORD crucified when He hung on that cross because that's why He came. Salvation doesn't often occur in a public setting.

Third, not only is this a particular work and private work, but also a purposeful work. The LORD had his eye on this man, even though he could not see the LORD. And when the LORD was pleased to spit on his eyes and touch him, and then ask him what he saw. And he said, "I see men as trees walking." When the LORD first opens our eyes, we don't see Him as clearly as we do now. Yes, His Spirit drew us to Him to cause us to see His accomplished work at Calvary. That's where the Spirit turns the eyes of those in whom He does this work of grace. But oh, how we need Him to continue to do that work, that we might see Him even more clearly! And our confidence is certainly that "He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" (Philippians 1:6).

Christ opening the eyes of sinners is a progression. Here in verses 23 through 26, we see this transformation that took place with this blind man through the Power of the LORD . He's the creator and He's the Savior and His work is perfect. Here we see the provision that when He spat on his eyes and put His hands on him, He's the one doing the work. He didn't demand the cooperation of this man that He had given sight to, but He was doing the work from the spittle to laying His hands on him. That's pretty humbling to have someone spit in your eye. A lot of people find this unsettling, but here our LORD knew what He was doing.

Then it says he looked up and said, "I see men as trees walking." This part of the passage seems to cause confusion for some because they want it to be immediate. And there are some that in their pride will make you think that when they first believed or had their eyes opened that was it. There's no more learning to be done. That's not the case with the Lord. Didn't the LORD say, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls" (Matthew 11:28-29). That word "learn" is in the present tense. We continue to learn. That's what the word disciple means. We're ever learners. You never graduate from being a disciple. Even the LORD said to His disciples, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now" (John 16:12). Even right up to the cross, they did not have a clear view of what that death represented. He continued to teach them, never left them alone, never abandoned them.

There's much that we will not know yet, even after all this time of studying the Word. None of us can say, "I know everything there's to know about Christ." He will be the Object of our learning, even through eternity. "Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing" (Revelation 5:12). That's going to be the theme in glory, and how we need to learn of Christ.