West Kirk Blog

Seeing Jesus – Two Blind Men

Miracle and Parable.
“What miracles did Jesus do?” It’s the standard question from Holiday Bible Clubs or Sunday Schools. Calmed a storm, fed lots of people, made people walk, raised people from the dead, made blind people see. Jesus healed people including blind people. In Mark’s Gospel, Mark only writes about Jesus healing two blind men. Both of these healings are significant not only for the men who received their sight but, also for us living thousands of years later as they teach us about Jesus himself.

22 And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him.
23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?”
24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.”
25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.
26 And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.” – Mark 8:22-26

Jesus is going around the countryside teaching and healing. He is followed by a crowd of people and especially by the twelve disciples he has chosen. There is a lot of debate among the wider crowd about who Jesus is. Some think he is a prophet or a teacher others think that he is the Messiah or the Christ who has been promised in the Old Testament. There’s a lot of confusion about who Jesus really is. We might think the disciples would have a better understanding of who Jesus is, after all they spend all their time with him. But, they too don’t fully understand. After a strange discussion about bread or opposition in Mark 8:14-17 Jesus asks his disciples, “Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?” He’s asking his disciples do you not understand who I am? To illustrate his point Jesus is going to heal a blind man in an unusual way.

After arriving in Bethsaida a blind man is brought to Jesus. The blind man’s friends beg Jesus to heal him. Jesus leads the man out of the village to where it is quiet. Bizarrely, Jesus spits on the man’s eyes and then asks, “Do you see anything?” By asking the question Jesus is anticipating the man’s sight has not been fully healed. The man says that he can see but it’s not quite right. He sees people but they look like trees. Jesus then touches the man’s eyes and he is able to see clearly.

This acts like a picture to the disciples. The disciples can see a little bit of who Jesus is. They are like the blind man when he can see people like trees. They understand that Jesus is special but they don’t fully understand yet. One day however, the disciples will be like the blind man when he is fully healed. They will understand Jesus is the Messiah promised in the Old Testament, the one who came to save the world.

Have we fully understood who Jesus is? Do we see him as someone a bit special? Or, do we see him as the Messiah the Saviour of the world. If we haven’t fully understood who Jesus is, pray that God would open our eyes to who Jesus is.

46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.”
50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.
51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”
52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. – Mark 10:46-52

A Blind Man Who Sees Clearly…Jesus is Lord!

We meet the second blind man as Jesus is making his way to Jerusalem to die. On his way there Jesus passes through Jericho. As he leaves Jericho there is a commotion as a blind beggar called Bartimaeus starts to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”. What Bartimaeus is saying is amazing. “Son of David” is an Old Testament name for the Messiah. He is saying that Jesus is the one the whole Old Testament has been looking forward to coming. Bartimaeus is saying even more than Jesus is the Messiah/Christ. He attaches to “Son of David”, “have mercy on me”. “Have mercy on me” is a phrase often used when addressing God in the Psalms (Psalm 4:1, 6:2, 41:4, 51:1, 109:26, 123:3). Bartimaeus is saying that Jesus the Messiah is divine. He is saying that Jesus is God. Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, has hit the nail on the head. Jesus is the Messiah who is truly and fully both man and God.

The crowd tries to get Bartimaeus to be quiet but he won’t be silenced. He has an opportunity to meet with Jesus and he won’t be stopped. Jesus hears Bartimaeus and sends for him. Bartimaeus jumps to his feet leaving his coat where it lies. He is healed by Jesus and immediately follows Jesus to Jerusalem. Like all beggars Bartimaeus would have laid his coat out in front of himself to collect money from passersby. By leaving his coat he is giving up everything to follow Jesus. He is all in with Jesus. Jesus has healed him. Jesus has saved him; what else is there to do but follow him?

If, by God’s grace, we have had our eyes opened to who Jesus is then what else is there to do but follow him? I’m sure life wasn’t always easy for Bartimaeus as he followed Jesus. The one who had just healed him was making his way to Jerusalem to die. But, Bartimaeus had received his sight from Jesus so he followed him. May we follow Jesus wherever he leads.

By Peter Burke

A Call To Pray as A Family

Here is a video that the Clawson Crew made to encourage families to pray. Annie and Bizzy filmed it and everyone has something to say, we hope that it will help you pray together.

A Call To Pray – From PCI Moderator

The challenges faced by our world are without parallel in living memory, and the effect upon our society is stark. No one is untouched by the impact of this virus.

So, what is our first response? Yes, we will follow all government advice but let’s, with primary urgency, call upon the one who has the power to change and stop anything, “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” 1 Chronicles 16:11

With the leaders of the main churches in Ireland, I have called for a National Day of Prayer throughout Ireland centred on Palm Sunday between 3-4pm. Materials will be provided here on the PCI website, so get together with your family in prayer, and join me in asking God to deliver our land and our world.

I ask you to share this Call to Prayer so that across Ireland we are united in prayer in that hour.

From The Moderator

Rt Rev Dr William Henry

Day of Prayer Materials

Let’s try and spend time in prayer together with sisters and brothers around the island.

The material that has been prepared is outlined in the picutres below. Take 10 minutes on each of the headings. Preparation, Lord’s Prayer, Praise, Parable, Promise and Parting.