Do You See Clearly?
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Introduction:
Please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Mark :22-26. The title of today’s message is “Do You See Clearly?”
Glaucoma is a eye disease that causes damage to your eye’s optic nerve and worsens over time. It is often linked to a build up of pressure inside your eye. Some doctors say that for some it has been inherited.
If the damage continues, then it could lead to permanent vision loss. Unless there is treatment or radical surgery, a person can permanently lose vision for the rest of their lives.
What does that have to do with me Pastor Alex? Although you may have perfect 20/20 vision, all of us have spiritual glaucoma. Sin is a disease that affects the eyes of our heart and the eyes of faith. If we do not deal with our spiritual glaucoma, we too, can have permanent vision loss of God. And only Jesus can bring healing through his touch.
Only Jesus can give us sight again and restore our vision of God. We need Jesus to restore our sight.
We will be in chapter 8:22-26. functions as a transitional narrative before Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ. Act One is nearing the end before we see Jesus in Act Two making his way to Jerusalem to be condemned by the religious authorities and Romans culminating in his crucifixion and his glorious resurrection from the dead.
functions as a transitional narrative before Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ. Act One is nearing the end before we see Jesus in Act Two making his way to Jerusalem to be condemned by the religious authorities and Romans culminating in his crucifixion and his glorious resurrection from the dead.
is intermission and a transitional passage before we begin Act two with Jesus in Jersualem and the climax and culmination of his mission with his death on the cross
Recap:
We saw last time that Jesus was in Gentile territories where he fed the 4,000, similar to the miracle he did in with the feeding of the 5,000.
And he was confronted by the Pharisees who were demanding a sign from heaven, trying to discredit Jesus and his authority. Jesus would not play their mind games and thus departed on a boat with his disciples.
And while on the boat, the disciples argue about bread when Jesus told them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod. And you remember what Jesus told his disciples?
“You Still Don’t Get It?”
He rebuked his disciples with a series of questions, even alluding to OT passages.
Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?
Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.”
The disciples had spiritual glaucoma and they didn’t even realize it.
And as we turn to this story, there is a spiritual lesson for the disciples as Jesus heals a blind man. What makes this story unique is that this story and the story of the deaf and mute man in are the only miracles and healings found exclusively in Mark.
In previous healings, Jesus could just say a word and people would be healed. You remember he touched a leper, he healed a paralytic, he healed a demon possessed man, and a canaanite woman, and a deaf and mute man, and many other miracles that the Bible did not record.
Yet with this healing, it is a two-stage healing. And I believe that the story is sandwiched in between the stories of the lack of the disciples spiritual comprehension and Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah for a purpose: to teach the disciples that not only do they need eyes to see, but they need eyes to see Christ clearly. And only Jesus could bring restored sight.
Jesus can heal us of our blindness by his touch.
So this passage functions as a spiritual lesson for the disciples in Mark’s gospel. I think its Mark’s purpose to teach his disciples. And in this passage, it functions as a lesson for us who often don’t get it or see Christ clearly. In these five verses, we see how the touch of Jesus can grant us sight, and we need Christ help to help us see Him more clearly. We see the blind man who had:
I. No Sight (vv. 22-23)
II. Blurry Sight (v. 24)
III. Clear Sight (vv. 25-26)
Jesus healed this man in stages and I think it is purposely used here to give the disciples a lesson about the Christian life and a theology of sight. Let’s read about how Jesus has the power to restore sight both physically and spiritually speaking.
And its interesting that the words related to eyesight are repeated all throughout these five verses. In fact 8 words all have to do with eyesight in just five verses. Let’s read our text.
Scripture Reading:
And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”
I. No Sight (vv. 22-23)
I. No Sight (vv. 22-23)
Notice that the blind man had no sight. Jesus is now in Bethsaida with his disciples.
And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him.
The disciples and Jesus come to Bethsaida. Commentators tell us:
The town, whose name means “house of fishing,” was in Lower Gaulanitis, part of the tetrarchy of Philip. It was mentioned once before in Mark, at 6:45, where it was the intended destination of the boat after the feeding of the five thousand (though they end up at Gennesaret after the storm; 6:53).3 The town was also the hometown of three of Jesus’ disciples, Peter, Andrew, and Philip (; ).
Strauss, Mark L.. Mark (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
This is most likely on the Northern shore of Galilee probably back in Jewish territories.
And similar to the paralytic and the deaf man, some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him.
I love that. These obscure people, there names not even recorded. They had compassion on their friend and they knew that Jesus could heal them.
Do you have compassion for lost people like these people? There names were not known, but they brought them to Jesus. Compassion moved them to get their friend to Jesus.
Do we pray and do whatever it takes to get people to see Jesus?
Do we have the same zeal? Do we have the same hope that if our friends can get to Jesus, Jesus can heal them?
The brought to him a blind man. William Barclay in his commentary says
Daily Study Bible Series: The Gospel of Mark (Revised Edition) A Blind Man Learns to See
BLINDNESS was, and still is, one of the great curses of the East. It was caused partly by ophthalmia and partly by the pitiless glare of the sun. It was greatly aggravated by the fact that people knew nothing of hygiene and of cleanliness. It was common to see a person with matter-encrusted eyes on which the flies persistently settled. Naturally this carried the infection far and wide, and blindness was a scourage.
Some people believed that blind people may have even were cursed by God or even blind because of their own sin.
And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
And notice the compassion of Jesus and what he does verse 23?
And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?”
Similar to the deaf and mute man, Jesus was personal and held the man’s hand. He isolated the man from the crowds because if he were to heal the man, the man may have been overwhelmed with seeing everyone or the crowds may have prevented Jesus from getting to the man.
Jesus was personal. He was compassionate.
We do well to learn of Jesus example. He related to the man. He was personal and relational and he cared. He didn’t cure everyone in a one size fits all approach. Jesus met people where they were at and healed people accordingly. He healed people in different ways because people had different needs.
He had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him.
That was interesting. Well, Jesus is communicating to him. Saliva in the ancient world was believed to help cure. But I think Jesus is just relating to him where he was at personally.
Jesus laid hands on him. Laying hands on someone often meant blessing, affirmation, and an act of compassion.
When you go to the hospital, touch can communicate affection. Touch communicates care. Holding someone’s hand shows you care for them and identify with them.
This is what Jesus is doing with the man.
And he laid his hands on him and asked him. Do you see anything?
His eyes were now opened. The first touch of Jesus opened the eyes of the man. But just as the man was healed physically, he was teaching his disciples that is what needed to be done to them spiritually. He needed to open their eyes to see who He truly is.
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
Christian—We come into this world blind because of our sin. We see, but we don’t see like the disciples. The glory of God is displayed all throughout the universe and the skies above, but we fail to see God because sin has blinded us. Sin affects our spiritual eyes. Sin is a spiritual eye disease.
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
Christian—We come into this world blind because of our sin. We see, but we don’t see like the disciples. The glory of God is displayed all throughout the universe and the skies above, but we fail to see God because sin has blinded us. Sin affects our spiritual eyes. Sin is a spiritual eye disease.
Or in Romans we read..
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
The disciples eyes saw, but they only saw dimly. They knew Jesus was powerful, but they didn’t realize the true identity of Jesus yet.
If our eyes have been opened, our task is to help others get to Jesus to see Jesus.
I don’t think it was a coincidence that Saul of Tarsus became blind first in his conversion.
And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
Non-Christian—The reason you don’t see God is not because God does not reveal himself. He has. He has reveled himself in creation, in your conscience, in His Word, in Christ. The reason you don’t see because sin is a disease that affects our sight of Christ. Only Christ can open your eyes to his healing touch.
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Religious People can be blind—The people who studied the Scriptures were blind guides as Jesus called them. He did not want to perform a sign for them because even if he did, they would be blind to see the significance of the sigh.
Salvation takes place when Jesus opens your eyes. As we sing the classic hymn,
Amazing grace, I was blind, but now I see.
Open the eyes of my heart Lord, I want to see you.
Church—Let’s get our friends to see Jesus. Let’s bring them to Jesus so that Jesus can open their eyes. Only God can awaken hearts and opens eyes. But we can help get our friends to Jesus. Jesus opens eyes. But let’s make all the effort to bring our friends to Jesus and pray that Jesus would open eyes.
Pastoral Prayer—I pray regularly in the pastoral prayer that God would open eyes to see Him. The world is blind in sin, and we need God’s grace to give us sight.
The Pharisees were blind. And they needed the miracle of sight before they understand the signs.
Transition: After Jesus opened his eyes, Jesus asked him if he saw anything…Notice the man’s response...
II. Blurry Sight (v. 24)
II. Blurry Sight (v. 24)
If salvation is Jesus opening our eyes to himself, sanctification is the process of seeing Jesus more clearly.
And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.”
His sight was restored, but not completely, hence his response. This verse tells us that the man was not born blind, but lost his vision because he sees men who look like trees.
I have bad eyes now because I read so much. If I take off my glasses, it becomes blurry. This man’s eyes were opened, but his vision was extremely fuzzy and blurry.
It wasn’t that Jesus have the power to heal instantaneously or if his power was limited. We saw throughout Mark’s gospel that he healed instantaneously in other miracles. But in this case, he is continuing to teach his disciples a lesson.
The doctrine of illumination and sanctification.
Their spiritual understanding did not come instantaneously, but gradually. Sanctification is the process of seeing Christ gradually and clearly isn’t it?
Daily Study Bible Series: The Gospel of Mark (Revised Edition) A Blind Man Learns to See
There is symbolic truth here. No man sees all God’s truth all at once. One of the dangers of a certain type of evangelism is that it encourages the idea that when a man has taken his decision for Christ he is a full-grown Christian. One of the dangers of Church membership is that it can be presented in such a way as to imply that when a person becomes a pledged member of the Church he has come to the end of the road. So far from that being the case the decision and the pledge of membership are the beginning of the road. They
The disciples had a fuzzy and blurry vision of Christ. Over and over again Jesus tells his disciples you still don’t get it? Were you not with me on the boat when I calmed the waves and the winds? Were you not with me when I cast out the demon? Were you not with me when I fed the 5,000? Were you not with me when I fed the 4,000? Do you not realize who I am? Do you see yet?
Isn’t Jesus so patient with us? Because we are like the disciples. We have blurry vision of Christ. Because of the world, the flesh, and the devil, it hinders our sight of Christ.
Christian—That’s us. When we see Jesus, we don’t see him clearly. We expect all of our problems to go away, but fail to realize that the Jesus we follow, is a suffering Messiah.
This and the miracle in 7:31-37 are the only miracles recorded by Mark.
Maybe that is some of you. You thought that in following Jesus, everything would be better. But there may be more problems because now you face the hardship of trying to live a holy life. Maybe you face conflict in your home or in your marriage because you want to follow Christ. And you are perplexed. Is this what I signed up for?
The disciples did not realize the path they were following was not paved with gold and glory, but with suffering before glory. I hope we learn this song where the hymn writer ask for growth,:
I asked the Lord that I might grow:
I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith and love and ev’ry grace,
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly His face.
‘Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer,
But it has been in such a way
As almost drove me to despair.
I hoped that in some favored hour
At once He’d answer my request
And, by His love’s constraining pow’r,
Subdue my sins and give me rest.
Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart
And let the angry pow’rs of hell
Assault my soul in ev’ry part.
Yea, more with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe,
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Humbled my heart and laid me low.
“Lord, why is this,” I trembling cried;
“Wilt Thou pursue Thy worm to death?”
“’Tis in this way,” the Lord replied,
“I answer prayer for grace and faith.”
“These inward trials I employ
From self and pride to set thee free
And break thy schemes of earthly joy
That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”
This is what Jesus was going to do with his disciples. He would wean them from self-sufficiency to suffciency in Him. Later we see in Mark’s gospel, they still were arguing with one another about who would be the greatest. But they did not realize
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.
And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.
And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
Peter wasn’t seeing clearly was he. He thought that Jesus was a strong and political Messiah, not a weak and suffering Messiah. He would not understand who Jesus was until after his resurrection.
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Just like the man who was awakened and sight was restored, yet he had fuzzy vision of others and Jesus. One of the thing God does in conversion is give you new eyes. But often our eyes are clouded by living in this fallen world where things become fuzzy.
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.
What hinders our sight of Christ?
Sin will hinder your sight of Christ. Sin will darkened the eyes of your heart. Sin will blur your vision and it will contribute to blindness. Sin will speed up the process of blinding and deadening.
Neglect of private and corporate worship. The world will blur your vision of Christ.
Weak preaching. Moralistic preaching. Thearapeutic preaching. Gospel-less preaching. No Christ in preaching.
Bad examples. Bad examples will hinder your sight.
Misunderstanding Jesus. Not knowing Jesus well. Having the wrong expectations of him. Like the disciples.
Worldliness. Worldliness that hinders your sight. He warned the church in Revelation.
Wrong Expectations of Jesus
Lukewarmness. Worldliness that hinders your sight. He warned the church in Revelation.
Sin
Lovelessness.
Forgetfulness and Neglect
Pride
“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.
“ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
Revelation 3:14:
Church—Let us not be a hindrance to prevent people from seeing Christ clearly. We need to gather regularly to help each other see Christ more clearly. If we don’t gather, our vision will be blurred of Him.
How can we have better sight of Christ?
Transition: The man regained his sight, but his sight was only restored gradually. But finally, the man could see clearly after the second touch of Christ....
III. Clear Sight (vv. 25-26)
III. Clear Sight (vv. 25-26)
Salvation is restored sight, sanctification is gradual sight, and glorification is completely renewed sight. Just like this man here.
Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”
Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.
Here we see the second touch of Jesus. His eyes were opened and his sight was restored. And he saw everything clearly. His sight was clear. His vision was restored.
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
Psalm 14
Jesus does what the Lord does. Jesus is the Lord!
The lesson for the disciples was this: only as Jesus keeps on opening your eyes to him will you see him clearly. They did have some spiritual vision; but it needed to be healed and sharpened. That would be an ongoing process in their lives as Jesus continued to perfect what he had begun. Indeed, if the ‘second touch’ symbolized a definite experience for the believer, it would be glorification, when we will no longer see only fragments of Christ, but his full glory revealed before us. 126 Sinclair Ferguson
Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of your law.
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
Psalm
How can we get clear sight of Christ?
Faith is the imperfect eyes of the heart.
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
Ephesians
The Bible is the eyeglasses by which we see more clearly.
We need the Word to help us see Christ more clearly. Expositional preaching helps us see.
Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of your law.
Repent of anything that hinders our sight of Christ
We must repent of anything that hinders our sight of Christ.
Read the Puritans
Habitual Sight of Him
What is it to have Christ dwell in the heart by faith? First, it is to have Jesus Christ in one’s eye, a habitual sight of Him. I call it so because a man actually does not always think of Christ; but as a man does not look up to the sun continually, yet he sees the light of it, so here faith is called the seeing of Christ: “Everyone one that seeth the Son, and believeth on Him” (). And our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, speaking of himself, says, “I have set the Lord always before me” (ps. 16:8) Thomas Goodwin
See Christ in His People
Paul prayed for the Ephesians to see Christ.
See Christ in His Word, See Christ in His Gospel, See Christ in Songs, See Christ in prayer, See Christ in the Sacraments, and see Christ in suffering.
Church is where the the body of Christ is made visible.
Suffering helps us understand Christ more deeply.
Luther said he never understood the psalms until he was afflicted. There is a way how suffering is the key that unlocks certain scriptures where we see more clearly the glory of the suffering Messiah.
Only after the resurrection would the disciples understand who Jesus was.
The man was healed. He could see Jesus more clearly. And this was a spiritual lesson for his disciples who had blurry sight. Only after his resurrection could they see better and more clearly.
Jesus helps us see God.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
John 14:
The man could see clearly and Jesus commanded him not to enter the village.
Why does Jesus tell him not to enter the the village?
And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”
He did not want the popularity of the crowds to prevent him from going to Jerusalem. As we will see, Jesus will go to Jerusalem to die for sinners. And he will die for sinners so that eyes will be opened and fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah:
Say to those who have an anxious heart,
“Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God
will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
He will come and save you.”
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
For waters break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down,
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
For waters break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
For waters break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
Isaiah 35:
psalm
Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of your law.
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
Ephesians 1:17-
“The spitting on his sigless eyes, was a symbolic act which the man could feel, assuring him that Jesus would deal with those eyes.” Edmond Hiebert
Open the Eyes of my Heart Lord
Jesus is the spiritual optometrist.
It seems that the second touch comes after Easter.
Blindness was more common in the ancient world. Some begged, and some even considered cursed by God.
But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.
2 Corinthians
Non-Christian.
Strauss, Mark L.. Mark (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
Some of you are blind. You enter into the world blind because of sin. And Jesus can restore your sight. He died on the cross for your sin and he rose again from the dead. Jesus can restore your sight because of what he achieved for us by being the suffering Messiah.
Strauss, Mark L.. Mark (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
Strauss, Mark L.. Mark (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
Repentance is gradual restoration of sight as we remove obstancles. Repent and trust in Christ. As you do that, your sight will be slowly regained.
As you look to Christ, he will change you and restore your sight.
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Strauss, Mark L.. Mark (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
Strauss, Mark L.. Mark (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
Strauss, Mark L.. Mark (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Touch that Gives Sight (8:22–26)
The juxtaposition of the two stories is a clue that the lingering blindness of the disciples may also be relieved, as is the blindness of the man at Bethsaida, by the continued touch of Jesus.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Touch that Gives Sight (8:22–26)
The healing of the blind man of Bethsaida is the only miracle in the Gospels that proceeds in stages rather than being instantly effected.
Daily Study Bible Series: The Gospel of Mark (Revised Edition) A Blind Man Learns to See
BLINDNESS was, and still is, one of the great curses of the East. It was caused partly by ophthalmia and partly by the pitiless glare of the sun. It was greatly aggravated by the fact that people knew nothing of hygiene and of cleanliness. It was common to see a person with matter-encrusted eyes on which the flies persistently settled. Naturally this carried the infection far and wide, and blindness was a scourage.
Daily Study Bible Series: The Gospel of Mark (Revised Edition) A Blind Man Learns to See
There is symbolic truth here. No man sees all God’s truth all at once. One of the dangers of a certain type of evangelism is that it encourages the idea that when a man has taken his decision for Christ he is a full-grown Christian. One of the dangers of Church membership is that it can be presented in such a way as to imply that when a person becomes a pledged member of the Church he has come to the end of the road. So far from that being the case the decision and the pledge of membership are the beginning of the road. They
Conclusion:
What is it to have Christ dwell in the heart by faith? First, it is to have Jesus Christ in one’s eye, a habitual sight of Him. I call it so because a man actually does not always think of Christ; but as a man does not look up to the sun continually, yet he sees the light of it, so here faith is called the seeing of Christ: “Everyone one that seeth the Son, and believeth on Him” (). And our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, speaking of himself, says, “I have set the Lord always before me” (ps. 16:8) Thomas Goodwin
Do you see clearly yet?
Second, it is to know him as the truth. Thomas Goodwin
God works on men by degrees. Solomon makes the comparison that righteousness shines as the dawning of the day, until it comes to perfect day. Conversion out of the state of nature into the state of grace is called coming ‘out of darkness into light.’ Now light comes into the world by degrees. A man who sits up in the middle in the night cannot discern when the first break of day happens; it is half or a quarter of an hour afterward when he begins to see light. Thus it is with many poor souls; light breaks in upon them, so that they can tell that they were in darkness, but they do not know when the instant when this light broke in, because God reveals Himself by degrees. Thomas Goodwin
I was blind, but now I see.Maybe you can’t see clearly yet, and maybe you need to ask God again to touch your eyes again. But Lord, help me see you clearly?
Do you see clearly yet? Look to Christ to give you sight. And may he touch your eyes again so you see more clearly.
Beatific Vision
who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
1 timothy
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
The final vision is when salvation is complete and the saint attains perfect blessedness and happiness.
The Beatific Vision is the final reward for those saints elect by God to partake in and "enjoy the same happiness wherewith God is happy, seeing Him in the way which He sees Himself" in the next life.
Jesus will get us home so that we can one day see God and enjoy Him forever.
Saul was blind, then his sight restored.
He must restore your sight.
I Asked the Lord that I Might Grow
He must make you see clearly.
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
And only the touch of Jesus can do this.
And one day our faith, will be perfect sight if we trust in Christ and continue to trust in Him.
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.
Laying on hands was a symbol of affirmation, blessing, and compassion.
Suffering helps give better sight.
The Bible is the eyeglasses by which we see more clearly.
Christ is who we see God.