Basic Questions

1. Identify as completely as possible the person in need (e.g., age, ethnic origin, religion, gender, social status).
   A blind man.

2. What was the immediate, obvious need?
   Man was blind.

3. Who took the initiative in effecting the healing?
   The person in need? Others? Jesus?
   How was it expressed?
   The man was brought to Jesus. The people begged Jesus to touch the man.

4. Describe the actions or process leading to the healing; that is, what was said (e.g., questions, requests, commands) and what was done (e.g., approaching, following, touching, publicly/privately), and by whom?
   The man was brought to Jesus. The people begged Jesus to touch the man.
   Jesus took man by the hand and led him outside the village.
   Jesus healed the man in stages.
   The man saw clearly.
   Jesus said "Don't go into the village."

5. Did the person in need or someone else verbally express faith? Non-verbally? Describe how and by whom faith was in involved in this healing.
   The man was brought to Jesus. The people begged Jesus to touch the man.

6. What were the evidences that the person was healed?
   The man saw clearly.

7. What were the reactions to the healing?
   Doesn't really say.

8. What in this narrative led Jesus to minister healing to the person in need?
   The man was brought to Jesus. The people begged Jesus to touch the man.

Digging Deeper

1. In the minds of the blind man's friends, what do they believe is the connection between touching and healing?
   They believe Jesus' touch is healing. They probably saw or heard this since news of Jesus' healings were spreading.

   Is healing by touch already underway when Jesus takes (touches) the man's hand to lead him outside the village?
   Yes, it also seems significant that Jesus is leading and the man is following.
   Matthew 4:19     "Come, follow me," Jesus said ...

   What other healing stories imply a connection between touching and healing?
   Account #3 - Simon Peter's Mother-in-law Study
   Account #4 - Leper Study
   Account #11 - Woman with Hemorrhage Study
   Account #12 - Jairus's Deceased Daughter Study
   Account #13 - Two Blind Men Study
   Account #16 - Deaf Man with Impediment Study
   Account #17 - Blind Man at Bethsaida Study
   Account #21 - Woman Bent Double Study
   Account #22 - Man with Dropsy Study
   Account #25 - Blind Bartimaeus Study
   Account #26 - Malchus Study

2. Why do you think the man wasn't completely healed the first time?
   Some scholars say this story is a symbol of how the disciples perceive the Messianic secret. They gradually learn that Jesus is the Messiah. They also gradually learn what this means. Only after Jesus' resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit did the disciples fully grasp the meaning and depth of Jesus' teachings and fully believe his divinity.

   There are also parallels between the gradual process of healing and the gradual process of faith.

   Are two or more "steps" sometimes required for complete healing? What does this suggest to you about praying for healing, or praying for anything for that matter?
   Here again praying seems to be a repeating process, ask, listen, & obey.

   Can you think of other healing stories (Old or New Testament) in which the healing is gradual or in stages?
   This is the only gradual healing in the ministry of Jesus.
   The Widow at Zarephath - Elijah needed 3 times to raise the son from the dead.     1 Kings 17:7-24

3. Jesus asks, after starting the healing, "Do you see anything?" Is it sometimes (always?) important or useful to check on the progress of the healing?
   Yes, this does seem like a useful technique.

4. Modern medical science reports that upon restoration of sight after years of blindness, the cerebral cortex must be "reprogrammed" to process what the eyes are receiving. When opening their eyes for the first time, healed individuals initially confront a nonsensical, even frightening landscape; and normal vision is experienced only after a period of time. These facts were obviously unknown when the Gospels were written, so in effect, science is now confirming what happened then. Is it possible or probable that other incidents in Jesus' ministry can be proved as well?
   Yes. You need spiritual milk before solid food.     1 Cor 3:1-3

5. Mark often intentionally places two stories side-by-side to make a point. Placing this story before that of Peter's confession is such an instance. Do you see the connection between vaguely seeing after the first step, and Peter's partial understanding of who Jesus' is and what His mission is?
   Read     Bethsaida
   The two-stage healing of a "blind man from Bethsaida" also parallels the two-phase understanding of the spiritual vision of Jesus by his most important disciple - Peter, the man from Bethsaida. Peter's first stage of newfound sight was his confession at Caesarea Philippi that Jesus was the Messiah ( Mark 8:27-30). The second and final stage was the full vision of Jesus as the Son of Man and Son of God, a vision realied only by Jesus's subsequent crucifixion and resurrection.

6. What lesson(s) have you learned about healing from this account?
   The story of Nicodemus asking Jesus about being born again ( John 3) and "living" water following this ( John 4) are also about spiritual vision & blindness. Read these with account 17 - Blind Man at Bethsaida in mind.

   Healing may take place in stages.

   There are the parallels between the gradual process of healing and the gradual process of faith.

   Jesus has the power to open blind eyes both physically and spiritually.

   There is the need to take those who cannot see by the hand and lead them to a place where they can be cured.

   There is the importance of direct physical contact with the needy.