32. Mark 8:22-26: A Double Touch

Now in Bethsaida, a blind man is brought to Jesus for healing. A number of links to the healing of the blind man in 7:31-37 tie these stories together. They are unique to Mark, allude to the Jubilee/New Exodus promise in Isa.35:5-6, involve touch and spit, and Jesus removes the person to be healed from those who brought him.[1]

A story of blindness needing healing just prior to the great revelation of Jesus’ identity to the disciples can hardly be about anything else than their spiritual blindness. Jesus has harped on this theme incessantly leading up to Peter’s moment of insight. In particular, the two feeding stories, one J  ewish, the other Gentile, correlates with the two touches the blind man in our story requires.

I suspect the touch and spit have the same allusion to Jesus’ restoration of the healed person to their original status and vocation as God’s image-bearer as we saw in the 7:31-37.

In all these ways this episode draws the major thrust on Jesus’ identity to a climax and prepares us the decisive revelation of that identity.

And it also begins the next major section of the gospel, the disciples’ education as Jesus’ followers on the way to Jerusalem. Our story brackets that section with the story of the healing of Blind Bartimaeus in 10:52ff.

Spiritual blindness, our ability to “see” who Jesus is and what he is up to is necessary and crucial to following him. What we cannot so “see” we cannot believe and participate in. And we need such “touches” from Jesus not only at the beginning but all along the way of our journey with him.

In C. S. Lewis’ Narnia story Prince Caspian there is a lovely scene picturing just this truth. Lucy meets the great Lion and Christ-figure in the stories Aslan in the woods one evening. It has been trying day of futilely trying to evade King Miraz’ troops and get to where Caspian and the loyal Narnians are in their struggle to restore Caspian to his rightful rue in the country. Lucy had seen Aslan earlier beckoning her to follow him on a way different from where the rest of her group, who had not seen him, decided to go. She cannot convince them she has seen Alsan and to follow the way he directed her. In the end she goes with them. The children are ambushed by Miraz’ men, though, and have to retreat back to where they started.

When Lucy is called to meet the lion deep in the night, well, here’s how Lewis tells that art of this story.

She rushed to him. She felt her heart would burst if she lost a moment. And the next thing she knew was that she was kissing him and putting her arms as far round his neck as she could and burying her face in the beautiful rich silkiness of his mane. “Aslan, Aslan. Dear Aslan,” sobbed Lucy. “At last.”

The great beast rolled over on his side so that Lucy fell, half sitting and half lying between his front paws. He bent forward and just touched her nose with his tongue. His warm breath came all round her. She gazed up into the large wise face.

“Welcome, child,” he said.

“Aslan,” said Lucy, “you’re bigger.”

“That is because you are older, little one,” answered he.

“Not because you are?”

“I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger.”

For a time she was so happy that she did not want to speak. But Aslan spoke.

“Lucy,” he said, “we must not lie here for long. You have work in hand, and much time has been lost today.”

“Yes, wasn’t it a shame?” said Lucy. “I saw you all right. They wouldn’t believe me. They’re all so—”

From somewhere deep inside Aslan’s body there came the faintest suggestion of a growl.

“I’m sorry,” said Lucy, who understood some of his moods. “I didn’t mean to start slanging the others. But it wasn’t my fault anyway, was it?”

The Lion looked straight into her eyes.

“Oh, Aslan,” said Lucy. “You don’t mean it was? How could I— I couldn’t have left the others and come up to you alone, how could I? Don’t look at me like that … oh well, I suppose I could. Yes, and it wouldn’t have been alone, I know, not if I was with you. But what would have been the good?”

Aslan said nothing. “You mean,” said Lucy rather faintly, “that it would have turned out all right— somehow? But how? Please, Aslan! Am I not to know?”

“To know what would have happened, child?” said Aslan. “No. Nobody is ever told that.”

“Oh dear,” said Lucy. “But anyone can find out what will happen,” said Aslan. “If you go back to the others now, and wake them up; and tell them you have seen me again; and that you must all get up at once and follow me— what will happen? There is only one way of finding out.”[2]

Seeing, growing, and following – all tied together. And we need Jesus’ touch for all of them.

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[1] Hurtado, Mark, 201.

[2] C.S. Lewis, Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia (The Chronicles Of Narnia Book 4), (pp. 141-143). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.