The Life of Christ

• In Mt. 17:27 Jesus will provide money so that Peter can pay his share of the temple tax.

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Mk. 8:23 And they came to Bethsaida. And they brought a blind man to Him and entreated Him to touch him. 23 And taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes, and laying His hands upon him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?”

To spit in a person’s eye was very degrading, especially since the Jews considered spit unclean.

• Then to touch a blind man was also ceremonially illegal.

Mk. 8:24 And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I am seeing them like trees, walking about.”

A healing had begun, but it had not been completed.

• From the man’s ability to recognize men resembling trees, it indicates that he was not born blind.

Mk. 8:25 Then again, He laid His hands upon his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored and began to see everything clearly.

After the second touch came the complete healing.

• This is the only recorded miracle of healing performed in two steps.

• The purpose of this story is to show that some miracles come in stages; not every healing is instantaneous.

The operative word is “restored.” Throughout Scripture restoration is a common theme.

• The prophet Joel said God “will restore to you the years ...” (Joel 2:25).

• The early church resembled this man back when he was originally able to see clearly.

• Over the centuries, however, the church fell into the dark ages and gradually lost her ability to see the truths of God's word.

• At the appointed time, beginning with the Reformation, the Lord began to touch and to heal; with each successive revival more and more sight has been restored.

• The healing of sight will not end until the church is able to see all things clearly.

• 1 Cor. 13:12 "For now we see through a glass, darkly, but then face to face.”

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Mt. 16:13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He began asking His disciples, saying, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

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