Jesus Healing the Blind

 John 9 recounts the story of Jesus opening the sight of a man born blind. I wrote about how I was captivated by this story here. 

Of course, this man was not the only man that Jesus healed. In the 4 gospels, there are other accounts of Jesus healing the blind. (Some are of course the same discourse recorded in the different gospel.)

Source: Internet

After studying the story in John 9, I was intrigued to study the other healing accounts as well. I had wanted to know the difference (or the similarity) when Jesus healed all these blind men. 

Here are the other accounts recorded in the Bible:

1. Matt 9:27-31 (two blind men)
2. Matt 20:29-34 (two blind men, out of Jericho)
3. Mark 10:46-52 (blind Bartimaeus, out of Jericho)
4. Luke 18:35-43 (certain blind man, near Jericho)
5. Mark 8:22-26 (a blind man, Bethsaida)

Let us first see the way these blind men were healed. 

In Matt 9, Jesus first asked the two blind men "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" He touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith, let it be to you."

In Matt 20, out of Jericho, Jesus asked the two blind men "What do you want Me to do for you?". He had compassion and touched their eyes. 

Mark 10 should be the same account although for some reason, Mark called out only one blind man and gave him name. Again, the same record of Jesus asking blind Bartimaeus "What do you want Me to do for you?.' Jesus then responded, "Go your way; your faith has made you well."

Luke 18 again should be the same account (near Jericho, by the road begging). Luke recorded Jesus saying "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well."

In Mark 8, at Bethsaida, Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. He spit on his eyes and put His hands on him. Jesus asked him if he saw anything. This is the account where the blind man saw men like trees walking at first. Jesus then put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. After the second time, he was restored and saw everyone clearly. 

In John 9, Jesus spat on the ground, made clay with saliva and anointed the blind man's eyes with the clay. Jesus then instructed him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam". He went and washed and came back seeing. 

Studying these accounts of healing showed me that:

1) Jesus dealt with and healed each one uniquely. 

It is clear that Jesus healed each of them differently. The method He used, the words He said...

There was no one formula that fits all.  

2) Jesus knew exactly what to do in every unique situation, with each unique person. 

Yes, Jesus knew exactly what to do. What needs to be done. 

And how did Jesus do that? How did He know what to do in each situation? 

Well, John 5:19 tells us all. Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

As simple as that, yet I bet most of us would find that difficult to achieve. 😂

3) Each blind man came to Jesus with the desire to be healed and the faith that Jesus can heal him. 

For some of them, Jesus preceded the healing of the blind men with a question. We also read about their cry or begging. It was plain to see their desire to be healed. And when they answered Jesus, we can see their faith in His healing power. 

OK, you may argue about the man whom Jesus had to put His hands on his eyes twice. Surely he didn't have enough faith for instant immediate healing. 

Now to that argument, I would like to point out and turn our attention to the fact that he did see men like trees walking. His sight did recover the first instant of laying of hands. Why would we want to focus and argue about his seemingly insufficient faith? Let's focus instead on his desire for healing and his faith in that he did receive his sight! 

And yes, we can also argue about the man born blind in John 9. Jesus went to him, not the other way round. And he didn't even utter a word in the beginning. 

But he obeyed and went, as Jesus instructed him. 

There was saliva-ed mud on his eyes. He could have easily just "went", only to wash off the mud from his eyes (after all it is dirty right?). I believe he has the desire and the faith to be healed. That is why he washed and came back seeing! 

And we see Jesus drawing something out of each blind man, whether asking him what he wants Him to do, or asking if he believes that He can heal him, or leading him out of the town, or instructing him to go wash. Jesus drew something out of each of them. 

(Again, this is proof that Jesus knew exactly what to do with each individual!)

Oh beloved in Christ, as I studied the different instances and methods of Jesus interacting with and healing the blind men, it truly brought home a scriptural truth. 

That Jesus was so filled with the Holy Spirit and was so in tune with the Father. Whatever He said, whatever He did, was what the Father said and did too. 

That Jesus, while on earth, lived in such obedience to the Father and such empowerment from on high. 

That in such manner, Jesus did the works of God.  

It gave me such desire and stirs up such faith within me to be just as Jesus was on earth. I pray that it stirs up your desire and faith too!