7. BLIND WITHOUT ONE’S OWN WILL (Mark 8:22-26)
Background: The man had been able to see in his childhood; we know that, because Jesus healed only one person born blind (Jn 9:32). Our text tells us about the only time when Jesus healed an invalid little by little. Jesus had just finished his discussion with the disciples about their unbelief in his being the Son of God (18). Further, he had earlier complained about the unbelief of the inhabitants of Bethsaida, the scene of this present miracle (Mat 11:21).
1. Why didn’t the blind man himself ask Jesus for anything?
Imagine what the life of this blind man had been like this far.
What had made this man so unhappy that he could not ask for anything; list different reasons?
2. What did his companions want Jesus to do to the man (22)?
How did Jesus answer to the friends’ request?
3. Why didn’t Jesus want to heal the man in the village of Bethsaida, but outside it?
Imagine that some unknown person would take you by the hand in a situation where you could not see him. What would you do, would you follow him submissively? (What does it tell about the man that he did not resist when Jesus led him outside the village?)
4. What four things did Jesus do to the blind man?
Why did the healing demand so many phases? (What did the discussion and the gradual healing mean to the blind man himself?)
5. Jesus led the man outside the village particularly in order to get away from the people. Do you think there were still people present or did the man only imagine that he saw some (24)?
Imagine the situation when Jesus held both his hands (note! plural in the original language) over the man’s head and asked if he saw anything. What would have been the correct answer to that question?
Why didn’t Jesus repeat the question in the latter phase of the healing (25)?
6. Why didn’t Jesus want the man to return to Bethsaida, where his friends were apparently waiting for him? (What might have happened in the village if the cured man had returned there?)
What else was cured in the man’s life, except the eyes?
What was Jesus’ final goal in this man’s life?
7. This text also asks us if we see Jesus with faith ”with the eyes of our hearts” (18). Today Jesus is standing in front of you and asks: ”Can you see anything?” What will you answer to him?
In what different ways has Jesus tried to open ”the eyes of your heart” and to show you that he is behind everything? In what ways has he tried to help you so that you could learn to know him?
8. What does this miracle teach us about Heaven?
GLAD TIDINGS: The opening of the blind man’s eyes was a sign that the Master himself had arrived and people were allowed to see him face to face (Isa 35:4-5). Jesus was, however, so concealed that many people did not see God in him. Even the disciples had difficulty in seeing who Jesus actually was (18). This story affirms that Jesus does not leave his work in us unfinished before we see him like he really is (1 Jn 3:2).
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