22 Jesus and his disciples came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged him to touch and heal him. 23 Taking the blind man’s hand, Jesus led him out of the village. After spitting on his eyes and laying his hands on the man, he asked him, “Do you see anything?”
24 The man looked up and said, “I see people. They look like trees, only they are walking around.”
25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again. He looked with his eyes wide open, his sight was restored, and he could see everything clearly. (Mark 8:22-25)
How often do you pretend to understand what someone else is saying, when you don’t really understand? I know I am guilty at times, of “smiling and nodding” as someone talks giving the appearance of understanding, but not really following.
As we rapidly approach Easter, I am reminded of how many times on Jesus’ journey to the cross, the disciples seemed to understand Jesus’ teaching, but would turn around and say something that indicated they really didn’t understand. Prior to this story about a blind man quoted above, in Mark’s narrative we are told of Jesus’ feeding of the crowds (numbering 4000 in Mark’s account).
Despite this miraculous sign of Jesus’ identity the disciples still don’t get it, they don’t fully grasp who Jesus is and where he is headed. Jesus himself points this out when he says, “Don’t you grasp what has happened? Don’t you understand? Are your hearts so resistant to what God is doing? 18 Don’t you have eyes? Why can’t you see? Don’t you have ears? Why can’t you hear? Don’t you remember?” (Mark 8:17b-18)
Then we encounter this story of Jesus healing a blind man, but after the first attempt the man’s vision is still distorted. I remember once being confused about this miracle, why didn’t Jesus seem to get it right the first time? I’ve now come to understand that this miracle is meant to point to a bigger truth of what is happening with the disciples.
Jesus’ teaching has opened the disciple’s eyes, they are beginning to understand who Jesus is. They have concluded he is the Messiah. However, they don’t see the whole picture. Like the blind man they can only see part of the picture. They don’t fully understand that Jesus is being called to give up his life for them.
Too many times we are like the blind man and the disciples. We love the victory celebrated at Easter, but are quick to skim over the cross, to miss the point of the story. Jesus own death serving as the example of our own calling to take up our cross and follow Him.
Pray with me: Lord in this season leading up to Easter help us to embrace the cross not only as the sign of your victory over death and sin, but also as our own calling to self-sacrifice and death to self. Open our eyes that we can see the full message of Easter, touch our eyes that we might see clearly your vision of sacrificial love bringing forth your reign on earth and in our hearts. Amen.
