22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”
24 He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”
25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”
The disciples and Jesus continue on their journey and come to Bethsaida. Once again a person with a physical difficulty is brought to Jesus. It is a not so subtle reminder from Mark that people who need Jesus may need help from people who care about them to help. Like the man born deaf and mute, the blind man's companions beg Jesus to touch their friend and heal him.
As he did with the deaf mute, Jesus removes the blind man from the crowd. He even seems to try even harder to find privacy for the miracle when he takes the man outside of the town. Also reminiscent of the prior miracle, Jesus spittle is instrumental in the healing.
If it were merely this, the miracle would be like any number of others in the gospel. But Jesus looks to the man and asks him about the efficacy of the cure. Do you see anything?
And the man reports that while he has received sight, the vision that he has is far from 20/20. The people he sees look like trees walking around. This is an exceedingly strange moment. It could be that this is a continuation of the difficulty Jesus seems to be having with healing people. Remember the complicated effort required for the deaf mute, and now it takes more than a single touch.
Or, the healing miracle may be a lesson for the disciples and for us. They have responded to Jesus call, but still only imperfectly see what Jesus is about. They don't understand the feedings, their hearts are hardened. They, like the crowds, have been amazed by the displays of power, but they have not brought them faith or understanding.
So the man, who still does does not see people clearly as special creations of God but as moving objects, is once again touched by Jesus. And with this second touch, his sight is completely healed.
This miracle prepares us for the need for Peter who will proclaim correctly who Jesus is to be touched again to realize that he also needs to go to the cross. It is the same second touch we need to remind us that Christianity is not merely about the joy of salvation but also the discipline of sacrifice.
The corrective second touch of Jesus helps us to see others clearly and to realize the responsibility of our calling to them.
It is not surprising at this point that Jesus tells him to go straight home and not into the village. What is surprising is that the man appears to do exactly what Jesus told him to do, a feat that the excitement from being healed seems to be impossible for others. He sees clearly that Jesus' ministry is more than just power and that discipleship is following Jesus' instruction. With clear sight, he is the first to listen.
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