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One of the most unusual miracles that Jesus performed was done in Bethsaida. Here a blind man was brought to Jesus by a group of individuals that were determined to witness yet another supernatural manifestation. They were so involved in witnessing the miraculous that when they brought the man to Jesus they begged Him to heal him. It does not seem that the blind man was self-motivated to receive healing, or if they were close friends or acquaintances; rather, it was the excitement of the group that wanted to see a miracle. The group motivation is similar to the four men who had torn a hole in the roof of a house so they could lower a man suffering from palsy to Jesus. The Bible says that when Jesus saw their faith, He spoke healing to the man on the pallet. (Mark 2:1-12) In both of these incidents, the afflicted showed no commitment to the potential miracle. Jesus, sensing the motivation from the group at Bethsaida, takes the man by the hand and leads him out of the village, away from the circus atmosphere. Jesus then does something that would shock even the most neutral observer; He spits on the man’s eyes! Seemingly totally out of character with His healing miracles, He asks him what he sees. The man responds by saying that men look like trees walking. Jesus puts His hands on him again, and this time his sight is fully restored. After the man’s healing, Jesus tells him not to go back into the village or to tell what has happened to anyone from the town, at least for that day. (Mark 8:22-26)
What are we to draw from this unusual account? People can be motivated or influenced by the excitement of others. There is nothing to infer that the blind man anticipated that he would ever see again. He consented to be the focal point of the experience, but it was more an appeasement to the miracle seeking group. Notice the man did not request the healing, but the group insisted on it, even beseeching Jesus to do it. Jesus shocked the crowd by leading him outside the village. What He was doing was weaning the blind man from the sign seekers. The spitting on his eyes was the first step toward his healing. The spitting was the bridge between signs and personal faith. When his sight was restored partially, he was “seeing” the possibility of complete sight restoration. When Jesus laid His hands on him the second time, the man’s faith kicked into gear and sight was restored. I have seen over the years many who have been physically challenged being urged to attend “arenas” where miracles could be witnessed. People are talked into going because of the excitement of sign seekers. I have even seen the promoting of financial giving to assist in one’s healing. People fall for this because of the excitement of others.
Another time, Jesus spit on the ground and made clay and anointed the eyes of a blind man. He told him to go wash and, when he did, his sight was restored. (John 9:1-7) Jesus knows what each one of us needs, and we don’t need over-zealous groups leading us to where they want to go. Much of the confusion about healing is brought about by a lack of Biblical understanding. In Jericho, a blind man named Bartimaeus was healed by his own faith. (Mark 10:46-52)
Healing is not a circus event, rather, a gathering with Jesus outside of the village of sign seekers. It is brought about by being led by Jesus to a place where our faith can be birthed.
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