MARKAN MEDITATIONS

Meditations in the Gospel of St,Mark

St. Mark 8:22-26

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WE HAVE come across other healings of Jesus in this Gospel, so the loving healing of Jesus is familiar to us. What is peculiar to this healing is the stages the man was taken through in the process of being healed. First he was led outside the village, then he was given partial sight, then he was brought to see clearly. In other places Jesus used different acts in his healing, but we have not met before Jesus healing in stages.

The first lesson that we learn is that in the process of blessing and healing Jesus uses many and varied ways. We must not suppose that the experience someone has, will be duplicated exactly in the case of others with a similar problem. It is a mistake that people often fall into. They have had a great blessing or healing, and they imagine that the way they were led and dealt with must be the pattern for everyone else, and they press certain procedures on others, which only cause pain, as Jesus will not be working in the same way with others, nor may the experience of one person be appropriate and wise in the case of another. All we can really testify to is the loving of Jesus and his gracious blessing which he bestows.

Then we learn, in this healing by stages, that Jesus sometimes does not give us the whole blessing all at once, but according to his wise purpose he takes us through a series of stages. We may at times feel frustrated by this, and want our blessing right away, but there is some purpose of love and good for us, which has prompted Jesus to bring healing to us in stages. We must learn to be patiently trusting, and humbly waiting upon Jesus for the complete blessing to be bestowed.

This is seen most powerfully and clearly in our spiritual development. Some peoples' conversion are instantaneous, others are brought through to faith after a spiritual struggle over a long period of time, which sometime reaches into years. Then in our spiritual growth, do we not know that suddenly we come to see clearly, or to see something with some much greater understanding in mind and experience than we knew before. We may wonder why we have been left so long until this spiritual sight has been given. The truth is that we would not have been able to learn it more quickly, and it has taken the time given for us to be able to see the truth in its beauty and clarity. The way forward when we find things difficult to understand, is to pray earnestly for more light, search the scriptures, but wait on the Lord for the right time when all things become clear. Praying for more spiritual sight should be a continual prayer for us all.

When the blind man was completely healed we are told he saw things clearly. This is such a vivid and good description of our spiritual enlightenment. When we are born again and justified, we see so clearly what was so confused and unbelievable before. What an enlightening vision it is when we clearly see how God has made Jesus our righteousness, so that we may know complete justification in his sight. Then as our spiritual experience deepens, each advance is a seeing things clearly which before seemed obscure. Jesus is continually improving our spiritual sight.

Notice again the self revelation of Jesus. Notice the loving way he treated the blind man. We read he took him by the hand and led him. What reassurance to him that here was someone who cared, and he was safe in that care. This is meant to assure us of the same treatment form Jesus today. Also we have here the self revelation of the divinity of Jesus as we see him performing what only God could do. Jesus did some acts in the healing, but none of them in themselves had any healing power. No, the power was in Jesus and was divine. He exerted that divine power and the man was given his sight. Jesus is the same all powerful Son of God and Saviour, and he acts in his church today.

The lastly let us notice again the example of the right attitude to approach Jesus. The friends of this man begged Jesus to touch him. There is a humble recognition here that we have no claims upon Jesus, rather because of our sins we have forfeited any right to blessing. We can only sue for mercy, but Jesus always responds in love to such a plea. Further see the worthwhileness in praying for others. This blind man did not come to Jesus himself, he was brought. He did not pray himself, he was prayed for. Such is the power and efficacy of intercessory prayer.