Mark 8:22-26
Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida
22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”
24 He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”
25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”
Jesus using His spit to heal is seemingly an unusual actions and is intriguing!...In the Old Testament we learn that spitting directly on someone was a significant act of contempt and defilement in Jewish culture...Leviticus 15:8, as well as other passages like Numbers 12:14 and Deuteronomy 25:9, highlight the social and ritual implications of being spat upon...It was considered a deeply insulting and degrading act...In the Book of Job, the afflicted Job describes his suffering: "They abhor me; they keep aloof from me; they do not hesitate to spit in my face."...This verse further emphasizes the social stigma associated with being spat upon...It depicts it as an act of extreme contempt and rejection...So Jesus' use of spit could be seen as a Symbolic Act...By using spit in the healing of the blind man, Jesus may have been overcoming the power of impurity as outlined in Leviticus...By using a substance associated with defilement (spit) to bring about healing, Jesus demonstrated His power over impurity and disease...He was essentially "conquering" the power of blindness and restoring sight...Jesus, by using spit as an instrument of healing, subverted its traditional meaning as an insult and transformed it into a symbol of Divine Power and Restoration...This spitting and healing act would have been highly symbolic, both for the blind man and for the onlookers...It would have demonstrated Jesus' authority over disease and His ability to overcome even the most debilitating afflictions...Jesus use of spit adds another layer of meaning to Jesus' healing of the blind man...It highlights the symbolic significance of His actions and demonstrates His power to overcome even the most deeply ingrained cultural and spiritual defilements...
When some people, while Jesus was in Bethsaida, brought a blind man and they begged Him to just touch him (more about this later)...Instead He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village...When He had spit on the man’s eyes and put His hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”...He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”...Once more Jesus put His hands on the man’s eyes...Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly...Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”..."By using His spit, a substance traditionally associated with defilement, to bring about healing, Jesus symbolically demonstrated His power to overcome impurity and restore wholeness."...This emphasizes that Jesus was not literally "conquering" spit itself, but rather using it to symbolize His power over spiritual and physical defilement...
Also in ancient cultures, saliva was sometimes believed to have healing properties...It could symbolize the impurity of the disease being overcome by Divine Power...Mud, made from earth, and Jesus' saliva (to make this healing mud) could symbolize the physicality of the human body and the connection between the spiritual and the physical...
And touch, this also intrigues me...This touching part of His healing process was and is a significant means of healing in ancient cultures...Even today touching is important for feeling good and healing...The clasp of a loving hand while you are ill always is warm and has a good feel to the soul...Particularly, Jesus' touch symbolized His compassion, power, and connection with the individual...
Jesus' healings and modern therapeutic touch practices emphasize the power of human touch...Touch can have profound psychological and physiological effects, reducing stress, promoting relaxation, and fostering a sense of connection and comfort...Jesus' touch approach acknowledges the mind-body connection...Jesus' healings often involved addressing the spiritual and emotional needs of the individual, as well as their physical ailments...Modern therapeutic touch practices also recognize the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit...
But Jesus healings were from God...And as the people watched His healing miracles they would be trying to learn from Him...By using seemingly ordinary and even mundane means of healing (like spit and mud), Jesus demonstrated that healing power came from Him, not from any special ritual or technique...It emphasized that true healing comes from God's Grace and Power...
Jesus' healings were not merely physical acts; they were expressions of His compassion, His LOVE, and His Presence...Similarly, therapeutic touch practitioners emphasize the importance of compassion, empathy, and a genuine connection with the individual they are treating...
This seemingly unusual and odd act of Jesus could have served as teaching moment to bring people to His Ministry...By healing the blind man, Jesus was drawing attention to the miraculous nature of His healings and emphasizing the power of faith...Jesus' actions may have been influenced by the cultural and religious beliefs of his time...While we may not fully understand the specific reasons for these methods, they underscore the unique and unconventional nature of Jesus' ministry...