Mark 8:22-26 And he comes to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man to him, and sought him to touch him.… The profound and saintly Bengel calls our attention here to this touching spectacle, that significant fact — that Christ did not command his friends to lead him out of the town, but He led him out Himself. Oh, what a spectacle for men and angels — the Divine Son of God tenderly taking the hand of this poor blind beggar, and leading him out of the town Himself! And why did He lead him out of the town, away from the noise and confusion and preoccupation of town life? Surely it was because solitude and silence are great teachers of earnestness. He needed to be alone with himself and with his great want. It has been well said by a great teacher of our own time, that solitude in the sense of being often alone, is essential to any depth of meditation and character; and at present there is very little meditation and depth of character in this man. It is necessary that he should be alone awhile, that he might realize the meaning of these things — his great need and the love of God. And then it is also very significant that, instead of speaking a word to him as usual, He moistens His finger and places it upon the sightless eyeball of the blind, in order that by palpable evidence He might bring home to this man that He is about to bestow upon him a supreme blessing. But, so far, the efforts of Christ are not entirely successful; for, after He had put His hands upon him, He asked him if he could see, and he looked up, and said, "I see men as trees" — I can see better than I ever saw before, but so vaguely, so dimly, the out. line is so indistinct, that I confess I cannot distinguish between the men and the trees at the side of the road, except by the fact that the men are moving. Now, you will observe that Christ did not abandon His work when it was half done. Indeed, He asked the man whether he could see, in order to bring home to him the fact that he could see a little, and that so far hope might spring up within him; but, at the same time, that he might also bring home to him the fact that he could see only very little. And then Christ put His hands upon his eyes a second time, and after that second touch he saw clearly. (Hugh Price Hughes.) Parallel Verses KJV: And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.WEB: He came to Bethsaida. They brought a blind man to him, and begged him to touch him. |
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