The
Gospel According to Mark
Chapter
8:22-25
23 Then he took the blind by the hand, and led him out of the town, and spat in his eyes, and put his hands upon him, and asked him, if he saw ought.
24 And he looked up, and said, I see men: for I see them walking like trees.
25 After that, he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look again. And he was restored to his sight, and saw every man afar off clearly.
“His
sight was not yet clear, but he interpreted what it told him rightly.
The naturalness of this description of the first impression of the
restored sense strikes every reader. From the point of view which
looks on our Lord’s miracles as having a symbolic character, and
being, as it were, acted parables, we may see in it that which
represents an analogous stage in the spiritual growth of men, when
truths for which before they had no faculty of vision are seen for
the first time, but are not as yet apprehended in their full or
definite proportions. They need a second touch of the Divine Hand,
the passing away of another film of ignorance or prejudice, and then
they too see all things clearly.”
C.J.
Ellicott
“He
saw some objects at a little distance from him, which, by their
motion, he supposed to be men; otherwise his sight was so imperfect,
that he could not have distinguished them from trees: he was capable
of discerning the bulk of their bodies, and that they walked, or
moved forward; but he could not distinguish the particular parts of
their bodies; they seemed to be like trunks of trees, in an erect
posture, and which he should have took for such, had it not been for
their walking. As this man immediately, upon Christ's putting spittle
on his eyes, and laying his hands on him, had sight given him, though
it was very obscure and glimmering; so, as soon as ever the Gospel
comes with power, it dispels the darkness of the mind, and introduces
light; though at first it is but very small; it is let in gradually:
the sinner is first convinced of the evil of his actions, and then of
the sinfulness of his nature; he first sees the ability and
suitableness of Christ as a Saviour, and after that his willingness,
and his interest in him as such; and all this is commonly before he
is so well acquainted with the dignity and infiniteness of his
person, as the Son of God: and it is some time before he has his
spiritual senses exercised to discern between good and evil, between
truth and error; or arrives to a clear and distinct knowledge of
Gospel truths, and a stability in them. Hence it is, that such are
greatly harassed with Satan's temptations; are disquieted in their
souls; are filled with doubts and fears, and are in danger of being
imposed upon by false teachers.” - John Gill
No comments:
Post a Comment