Mark 8 v 22 - 26

Again, we so easily dismiss the more commonplace things in this miracle as we focus on the miracle and the challenges of this particular healing. However, let us just reflect a moment or two on what Jesus did initially. He took the blind man's hand- demonstrating awareness of the reassurance the man required and He led him away from the other people. Jesus respected the man's need, but also his self-respect, his need to be regarded as another human being, one made in God's image. So notice that Jesus does not seize on this opportunity to show how powerful He is, using this man who is visually handicapped for His own purposes. No, He demonstrates true compassion for one who is suffering. Not for that man all the aids someone suffering with visual disability benefits from today. He would have had experienced the discrimination that others did in his time. However, Jesus showed that He understood him, He had the gift of considerateness. Also, Jesus used methods in healing this man that he would have understood. Saliva was commonly used in all sorts of healing techniques and even today children have an amazing faith in a parent's ability to make them better by rubbing some saliva on their cut! Notice that Jesus did not use mumbo-jumbo, He had the greatness which could be easily grasped. Now, let's look at what makes this miracle unique in the miracles of Jesus recorded in the Gospels: it is the only one which could be said to happen gradually. It was as if Jesus knew that the man, probably born blind, could only cope with healing in stages. This may have been because of the Middle Eastern climate and the pitiless sun, or it could have been that mentally he could only cope this way. However, we see Jesus in complete control as always. It may be a two step miracle, but there is no sense of panic from Jesus.