Mark 8:25 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

NIV: 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.

NASB: Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly.

CSB: Again Jesus placed his hands on the man's eyes. The man looked intently and his sight was restored and he saw everything clearly.

NLT: Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly.

KJV: After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

NKJV: Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.

Giving hearing to the deaf, speech to the mute, and sight to the blind was a Messianic expectation (Psalm 146:8; Isaiah 29:18; 35:5–6). This is not the first time Jesus had healed the blind. When John the Baptist was still alive, he sent his disciples to Jesus who told them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear…" (Matthew 11:4–5).

"Clearly" is from the Greek word telaugos and actually means "at a distance." It may mean that Jesus' first effort made the man near-sighted and the second brought his full vision back. That would explain why he thought the people were walking trees (Mark 8:24).

If so, the man's healing provides an even acuter metaphor of the disciples' spiritual maturity. Even as they are about to affirm Jesus as the Jewish Messiah (Mark 8:29), their vision is near-sighted. They see Jesus, His teaching, and His miracles up close, and they know the Messiah will deliver the Jews from their enemies and establish them as a powerful sovereign nation again, as the blind man must know there are mountains nearby. But in between, Jesus looks like a tree, walking. Soon, the disciples' vision will be healed, and they will see "'the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again'" (Mark 8:31).

Mark 8:22–26 contains an important fulfillment of prophecy. Much has been made about the fact that Jesus heals a physically blind man directly after dealing with spiritually blind Pharisees (Mark 8:11–12) and disciples (Mark 8:14–21). But it can't be overstated, particularly in this precise place in the book, that healing the blind is specifically listed in the Old Testament as a sign of God's Messiah (Isaiah 29:18; 35:5; 42:6–7). Even the restoration of Paul's sight was orchestrated by Jesus (Acts 9:17–18). The two-step nature of this healing is no accident: it symbolizes the fact that salvation does not impart instantaneous spiritual wisdom. Like the man in Bethsaida, the disciples' spiritual sight grows only gradually. Mark's account is the only recording of this miracle.

This chapter describes another miraculous feeding of thousands by Jesus. He also counters the hard-hearted and selfish hypocrisy of the Pharisees in seeking even more miraculous signs. Speaking to the disciples, Jesus rebukes their short memories and reminds them about God's intent to provide for His followers. After healing a blind man, Jesus accepts Peter's proclamation that Jesus is the Messiah. Almost immediately, though, Jesus rebukes Peter for resisting the idea that the Messiah must suffer and die.

Mark 8 continues Jesus' attempts to teach the disciples God's plan for the Messiah. Jesus has not come for the religious Pharisees but for the meek who willingly respond to Him. He has not yet come as the glorious and victorious champion of Israel, but to die for the whole world. And His followers must also be willing to sacrifice their lives. The chapter marks a turning point in Jesus' ministry as His miracles grow fewer and His teaching increases. Interestingly, Jesus also faces a repeat of the temptations He experienced in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–11).

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.