HEAL – God’s Heart for Healing in MarkSample

Second Time’s a Charm

We find Jesus visiting the village of Bethsaida in this account. Some people brought a blind man to Him, and they begged Jesus to touch the man. Instead of healing the man right there on the spot, Jesus took him by the hand and, like the account of the deaf man in Mark 7:31–36, Jesus led him away from the crowds.   

Once outside the village, Jesus spit on the man’s eyes, and put his hands on him. Jesus asked him what he saw and the man replied, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” So this tells us it wasn’t an immediate, all-at-once healing. Once more Jesus put His hands on the man’s eyes and then his eyes were opened and he saw clearly. 

This second time his sight was completely restored—no longer did he have blurry vision, but 20/20. Isn’t it interesting how the healing took place in stages? Do you think Jesus could have healed the man all at once? Once the man was healed completely, Jesus instructed him to not go into the village. Wonder why?

Questions:

1. What reasons do you think Jesus brought the guy out of the village to heal him?

2. Can you relate to healing in stages? How does this passage speak to you? 

3. When Jesus heals, can we trust the outcome?