The Gospel of Mark
The healing of a Blind Man, Mk 8,22-26
The healing of the deaf mute at the end of chapter 7 and the healing of the blind man in this episode are unusually complicated healings for Jesus. For the blind man especially, we know that Jesus is well able to get it right the first time. We can therefore conclude that something more is going on than simply a physical healing. This would be indicated by 8,18 and by the reference to Jeremiah 5,21. It is also indicated by the background of Is 35,5-6 which we looked at when we read the healing of the deaf man.
Curiously, Jesus is never named in this episode.
Bethsaida (8,22a) is a fishing village in Galilee, Jesus is back in Jewish territory. Thus the deaf man may have been Gentile while this blind man is most likely a Jew.
The healing of the blind man as with the deaf man (7,33) involves spittal or saliva. Jesus' question is part of the deeper meaning of this episode, not so much physical sight as spiritual sight. This is brought out in verse 25, "he saw all things clearly".
Verse 26 is the usual reminder that Jesus is not a wonder worker. His true identity by which he is able to perform his healings will only become clear on the cross.
Review: Mk 6,30-8,26
We discovered in the overview how the section of the Gospel we have just read presents two sets of stories in parallel. However, we can note that the Gentile journey of the story is formed by the second part of the first and the first half of the second series.
Notable in this series is the use of the boat, there are three trips altogether. The boat is a fragile closed place where in this Gospel dramatic things happen, either a storm or a controversy.
Bread also unites this section, not only with the two feedings but also with the two discussions, that of the Syrophoenician woman and the disciples in the boat.
The word occurs 16 times in this section, notably clustered in the two feedings and the boat scene. Bread then does not appear again until the Last Supper, 14,22.
The three healings which are special markers in Mark's story are that of the deaf man (7,32-37) and the two healings of blind men (8,22-26 which we have just read and 10,46-52).
The two blind healings in particular make a bracket around the next section of the Gospel. Thus the healing of the blind man forms a hinge (like 1,14-15) in the story, ending one section and opening the next. I have commented that we have arrived at the turning point of the Gospel.
For that next stage of the story, we can now return to the main page.