And they came to Bethsaida: and they bring to him a blind man. And they besought him that he would touch him.
και ερχεται εις βηθσαιδαν και φερουσιν αυτω τυφλον και παρακαλουσιν αυτον ινα αυτου αψηται
8 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Bethsaida and Chorazin appear to have experienced significant disbelief, which elicited rebuke from Christ, as He states in Matthew 11:21: ‘Woe unto you, Chorazin, woe unto you, Bethsaida, for if the miracles performed in you had occurred in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.’ When the Lord arrived in this region, a blind man was brought to Him.
They arrived at Bethsaida, the town associated with Andrew and Peter, as well as James and John. The name Bethsaida translates to "house of fishermen," from which both hunters and anglers were dispatched throughout the entire world. Reflect on the significance of this! The narrative is clear in its surface meaning, yet the deeper spiritual understanding requires exploration. Consider that He traveled to Bethsaida, that there was a blind man present in that location, and that He departed from there—what is the fundamental importance here? The key lies in the miracles He performed; without the ongoing relevance of these past events, we would find little reason to deem them significant.
Take a moment to observe the implications of this. Within the apostles' abode lies a blind man: the very location where the apostles originated also harbors spiritual blindness. Do you grasp the message I am conveying? The blind man who was in the house of the apostles represents the people of Israel.
In Bethsaida, Jesus restored sight to a man who was blind, similar to His previous healing of a man who could not hear. After a series of remarkable interactions, He instructed the man to keep the healing private. Having navigated through the northern regions of Galilee and returning to the shore from which He initially commenced His mission in Capernaum, He set out once more towards Caesarea Philippi. This journey, along with related occurrences, marks the conclusion of the Lord's significant work in Galilee, as recorded by all three Gospel writers. Key to this period is the most profound transfiguration of the Lord.
As Jesus Christ and His disciples journeyed northward, they departed from the regions of Dalmanutha and Magdala, located on the eastern shore of the sea. Their path led them to Bethsaida, also known as Bethsaida-Julia. The man who received healing in this place appeared to have been blind from birth. However, after experiencing some relief from his affliction, when Jesus inquired, "Do you see anything?" the man replied, "I see people, but they look like trees walking." This indicates that he had previously been accustomed to seeing both people and trees. Regarding the healing process, Jesus employed the same physical actions as he did with the man who was deaf and mute, maintaining a consistent purpose.
This gradual restoration likely aimed to correspond with the gradual development and strengthening of the man's faith. The Lord discerned the faint flicker of faith within him but also recognized the potential to fan this spark into a flame through His healing touch. Initially, Christ provided merely a measure of relief. It is possible that this method of healing held significance for the man’s future spiritual journey. The Lord understood that the man had little engagement with spiritual issues and perceived that his spirit was capable of focusing on his salvation’s foundation. Thus, it was not necessary for him to instantaneously transition from a state of affliction to one of wholeness; rather, a gradual progression would allow him to more profoundly appreciate the goodness he experienced and retain that memory more firmly in his heart. To facilitate this reflection, the Lord led him outside the village. The instruction, "Do not enter the village, and do not tell anyone in the village," likely served this purpose. Instead of indulging in tales of the miraculous transformation he had undergone or attracting curious onlookers, the healed man was encouraged to return home to contemplate his past, present, and future more thoughtfully. This directive also prevented him from inciting public interest or provoking the anger of those who opposed Jesus.
After traversing the lake, Jesus and His disciples arrived at the shoreline and proceeded to Bethsaida of Julia. In this town, a blind man was brought to Him, requesting Jesus to touch him for healing. This man had not been blind since birth, as evidenced by his statement that after Jesus first laid His hands on him, he perceived men as trees; thus, he had previously seen both men and trees.
Jesus led the blind man away from the village, performing similarly to when He healed the deaf and mute individual, likely due to the surrounding semi-pagan context. It was essential to evoke the blind man’s faith in the divine power of Christ. Since the man could not see Jesus, it was crucial for him to physically feel the presence of the Healer through touch. This is exactly what Jesus accomplished. Rather than providing immediate healing, Jesus chose a gradual approach, perhaps to help the blind man recognize that his restoration came solely from the touch of Jesus. Ultimately, he was healed and began to see everything distinctly (Mk. 8:25).
The boat was heading towards the northern part of the lake, specifically to Bethsaida, which had recently been renamed Juliana by Philip the Tetrarch in honor of the daughter of Augustus, his benefactor. This location was along the route Christ intended to take, although under different circumstances, it could have provided Him a welcome respite. Perched on a verdant hill above the Plain of Batigah, known for the miraculous feeding of the multitude, it offered a view of the Jordan's mouth where it meets the lake. To the west, a vast, exposed expanse of dark basalt extended from the Jordan’s outlet to the towns of Chorazin and Capernaum.
To the south, the barren highlands rose along the eastern shore of the lake, and the city, renowned for the splendid tomb that Philip had recently constructed for himself, possessed its own form of beauty. However, Christ did not have time for a lengthy visit, nor was there much incentive to do so, given the people's indifference towards Him. He frequently preached in the streets and synagogues of that city and performed many miracles, yet the inhabitants of Bethsaida, like those of Chorazin and Capernaum, preferred the words of their scribes over His and did not turn from their ways. Nevertheless, there were some with a more favorable disposition who, upon hearing of His arrival, hurriedly brought a blind man to Him, requesting that He lay His hands on him (Mk. 8:22-26).
The narrative detailing the healing of the blind man from Bethsaida is unique to the Gospel of Mark. The phrase “to Bethsaida” suggests, given that this story is soon followed by a description of events near Caesarea Philippi, that it refers to another location also named Bethsaida, known as Julia. This town is situated a short distance northeast of the Lake of Galilee, along the route to Caesarea Philippi when traveling from Perea. Tetrarch Philip, who governed the territory northeast of the lake as noted by historical accounts, transformed the small village into a city, naming it Julia in honor of Augustus's daughter.
It seems that the Lord journeyed from Perea, where He had just performed the miraculous feeding of the multitude, and rather than entering Galilee, He went straight into the northern regions of Palestine, possibly seeking safety from the hostility of the Pharisees who were persecuting Him. He traveled through Julia-Bethsaida to reach Caesarea Philippi.
As for the blind man, it is clear from the subsequent account that he was not born blind but became sightless later on. After the first touch of the Savior’s hands, he remarks that he sees men like trees, indicating that he had previously been able to see both men and trees. Furthermore, the Gospel does not indicate that the man’s blindness was caused directly by an unclean spirit, and there is no implication that he was also demonically afflicted, unlike the previously mentioned deaf and mute individual. The phrase “that he might touch him” signifies that Jesus intended to heal him through the power of His miraculous touch.
After passing over the Sea of Galilee, Jesus Christ arrived in Bethsaida. When news of the Lord's presence circulated, a blind man was brought to Him, pleading for healing through a miraculous touch. In healing this blind man, Jesus employed similar actions as He did with the deaf and mute individual. He took the blind man by the hand, led him outside the village, applied spittle to his eyes, laid hands upon him, and inquired, "What do you see?" The man replied, "I see men like trees walking," indicating he perceived movement but could not yet discern specific details, seeing only vague outlines. Then, Jesus placed His hands on the man's eyes again and instructed him to look. The blind man was restored to sight, seeing everything distinctly.
The Lord then sent him home, instructing him not to share the miracle, likely for the same reason as when He healed the deaf mute: to avoid drawing unnecessary attention or to ensure that the significance of His works was not misinterpreted.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 14 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS