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6.1 KiB
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<p>This cure is related only by this evangelist, and there is something singular in the circumstances.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">I. Here is a <i>blind man</i> brought to Christ by his friends, with a desire that he would <i>touch him</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Mark.8.22" href="/passage/?search=Mark.8.22">Mark 8:22</a>. Here appears the faith of those that brought him—they doubted not but that one touch of Christ’s hand would recover him his sight; but the man himself showed not that earnestness for, or expectation of, a cure that other blind men did. If those that are spiritually blind, do not pray for themselves, yet let their friends and relations pray for them, that Christ would be pleased to <i>touch them</i>.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">II. Here is Christ <i>leading</i> this blind man, <a class="bibleref" title="Mark.8.23" href="/passage/?search=Mark.8.23">Mark 8:23</a>. He did not bid his friends lead him, but (which bespeaks his wonderful condescension) he himself <i>took him by the hand, and led him</i>, to teach us to be as Job was, <i>eyes to the blind</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Job.29.15" href="/passage/?search=Job.29.15">Job 29:15</a>. Never had poor blind man such a Leader. He led him <i>out of the town</i>. Had he herein only designed privacy, he might have led him into a house, into an inner chamber, and have cured him there; but he intended hereby to upbraid Bethsaida with the <i>mighty works</i> that had <i>in vain</i> been done <i>in her</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Matt.11.21" href="/passage/?search=Matt.11.21">Matt. 11:21</a>), and was telling her, in effect, she was unworthy to have any more done within her walls. Perhaps Christ took the blind man <i>out of the town</i>, that he might have a larger prospect in the <i>open fields</i>, to try his sight with, than he could have in the <i>close streets</i>.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">III. Here is the cure of the blind man, by that blessed Oculist, who came into the world to <i>preach the recovering of sight to the blind</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Luke.4.18" href="/passage/?search=Luke.4.18">Luke 4:18</a>), and to <i>give</i> what he <i>preached</i>. In this cure we may observe, 1. That Christ used a <i>sign</i>; he <i>spat on his eyes</i> (spat <i>into</i> them, so some), and <i>put his hand upon him</i>. He could have cured him, as he did others, with a word speaking, but thus he was pleased to assist his faith which was very weak, and to help him against his <i>unbelief</i>. And this spittle signified the <i>eye-salve</i> wherewith Christ anoints the eyes of those that are spiritually blind, <a class="bibleref" title="Rev.3.18" href="/passage/?search=Rev.3.18">Rev. 3:18</a>. 2. That the cure was wrought <i>gradually</i>, which was not usual in Christ’s miracles. He <i>asked him if he saw aught</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Mark.8.23" href="/passage/?search=Mark.8.23">Mark 8:23</a>. Let him tell what condition his sight was in, for the satisfaction of those about him. And he <i>looked up</i>; so far he <i>recovered his sight</i>, that he could open his eyes, and he said, <i>I see men as trees walking</i>; he could not distinguish men from trees, otherwise than he could discern them to move. He had some glimmerings of sight, and betwixt him and the sky could perceive a man erect like a tree, but <i>could not discern the form thereof</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Job.4.16" href="/passage/?search=Job.4.16">Job 4:16</a>. But, 3. It was soon completed; Christ never doeth <i>his work</i> by the halves, nor leaves it till he can say, <i>It is finished</i>. He <i>put his hands again upon his eyes</i>, to disperse the remaining darkness, and then bade him look up again, and he <i>saw every man clearly</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Mark.8.25" href="/passage/?search=Mark.8.25">Mark 8:25</a>. Now Christ took this way, (1.) Because he would not <i>tie himself to a method</i>, but would show with what liberty he acted in all he did. He did not cure by <i>rote</i>, as I may say, and in a <i>road</i>, but <i>varied</i> as he thought fit. Providence gains the same end in different ways, that men may attend its motions with an <i>implicit faith</i>. (2.) Because it should be to the patient <i>according to his faith</i>; and perhaps this man’s faith was at first very weak, but afterward gathered strength, and accordingly his cure was. Not that Christ always went by this rule, but thus he would sometimes put a rebuke upon those who came to him, doubting. (3.) Thus Christ would show how, and in what method, those are healed by his grace, who by nature are <i>spiritually blind</i>; at first, their knowledge is confused, they see <i>men as trees walking</i>; but, like the light of the morning, it <i>shines more and more to the perfect day</i>, and then they <i>see all things clearly</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Prov.4.18" href="/passage/?search=Prov.4.18">Prov. 4:18</a>. Let us enquire then, if we <i>see aught</i> of those things which <i>faith</i> is the <i>substance</i> and <i>evidence</i> of; and if through grace we see <i>any thing</i> of them, we may hope that we shall see yet <i>more</i> and <i>more</i>, for Jesus Christ will <i>perfect</i> for ever those that are <i>sanctified</i>.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">IV. The directions Christ gave the man he had cured, not to <i>tell it to any in the town of Bethsaida</i>, nor so much as to <i>go into the town</i>, where probably there were some expecting him to come back, who had seen Christ lead him out of the town, but, having been eyewitnesses of so many miracles, had not so much as the curiosity to follow him: let not those be gratified with the sight of him when he was cured, who would not show so much respect to Christ as to go a step out of the town, to see this cure wrought. Christ doth not forbid him to tell it to others, but he must not tell it to <i>any in the town</i>. Slighting Christ’s favours is forfeiting them; and Christ will make those know the worth of their privileges by the want of them, that would not know them otherwise. Bethsaida, in the day of her visitation, would not know the things that belonged to her peace, and now they are <i>hid from her eyes</i>. They will not see, and therefore shall not see.</p>
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