While on the beach near the fishing village of Bethsaida (which means “house of fishers”), people from the city of Bethsaida-Julias, only 2 miles to the north, brought to Jesus a man who had once been able to see but had become blind. They wanted Jesus to heal the man. Jesus took the man away from the village to a secluded place. Then Jesus spit on the man’s eyelids, placed his hands on the sides of the man’s head and placed his thumbs on the man’s eyelids.
Jesus then removed his hands and backed up. ‘Look around’, said Jesus, ‘and tell me what you see’. The man answered that he recognized forms and shapes, but nothing clearly. This was a perfect description of how people “saw” Jesus. The leaders were blind, seeing Jesus as a misguided rabbi. Most, including the disciples, saw Jesus as a healer, prophet, or even as the traditional Messiah. No one yet saw Jesus clearly – as The Messiah, a servant leading God’s people into a spiritual kingdom.
Once again Jesus placed his thumbs on the man’s eyes and concentrated on helping the man focus. When Jesus was done, the man could see the world clearly again. Then Jesus sent the man back to Bethsaida-Julias, since there was no reason for him to go back to the fishing village.
DAB