BLIND MEN MADE TO SEE
[p. 330] BLIND MEN MADE TO SEE
Mark 8:22 - 26; Mark 10:46 - 52
One has always peculiar delight in turning to Mark, because he presents the Lord as engaged in gospel work. The other evangelists do also, but Mark in a special way presents Him thus; and he takes particular interest and pleasure in working out the details in each instance, of the Lord’s service, to show that not only was need relieved, but relieved with the greatest possible skill. The Lord undertakes to relieve and to make whole, and He accomplishes this result with the least possible suffering to the patient. It is not temporary, it is final. Souls need final relief, and in a spiritual sense that must be by being made whole.
Now, the Lord after bringing in the relief, tests what has been accomplished. Those who are Christians here will bear witness to this. The Lord puts His work to the test in order to bring out the perfection of it. Hence, in the first instance in chapter 8, you will observe the man is drawn attention to, as seeing everything clearly; he requires no glasses, he sees everything clearly. That is the effect of the Lord’s work. Ofttimes, alas! the Lord’s work is greatly hindered by others, quacks, so to speak, interfering. Christians in that way begin their spiritual history under great disadvantage. Whereas, what you get in Mark 7:37 is: “He hath done all things well”. It is very interesting for a workman to note the skill of another, especially if he be a master hand. Mark presents a Master hand, and he tells us that the Lord “hath done all things well”.
Coming to this man in chapter 8, we find he made no request from Christ. Fortunately for him, others requested on his behalf; whereas the man spoken of in chapter 10 has no one to make request for him,
[p. 331] but does so himself. How many a young man has received blessing through the influence and prayers of others! how many are blessed through kind friends taking them to the meeting! Mark loves to present cases like these. You read of a paralytic borne by four. It is not that he was too heavy to be carried by two, but the four show that the man was surrounded by sympathetic interest. Friends and neighbours were interested in him. You may thank God for any interest evidenced in you by relatives or neighbours. That interest is of God, and placed in those friends for you by God. And if the Spirit of God relates the history of your conversion, He will not fail to tell of those kind sympathetic friends who thought of your need, even before you did so yourself. The Christian knows your need because he knows his own; yours is similar. So we are told in Mark 2, that the man was borne of four, and that “they uncovered the roof where He (Jesus) was ... and let down the bed”. The man, as I said, was fortunate. He could not have reached the roof himself, it was an utter impossibility, physically. So with many a young man. If left to himself he would never turn aside to hear about Christ, but “borne of four” he is brought into His presence. Happy for that man who is let down in the presence of Christ! The Person who upholds the universe of God was sitting there in that house in Capernaum, and the paralytic man was let down into His presence.
This is how Mark presents things, so here in chapter 8 the people besought the Lord for the blind man. Nothing is said of the exercises of the man himself; what is said refers to the exercises of those who asked the Lord for him, but the man got the benefit. You have come to the meeting tonight, and our prayer is that you may get the benefit. The Lord takes account of those who brought you. He omits nothing. He oversees the work, He also [p. 332] oversees the workmen and the workwomen; nothing done for Him goes without reward. But the concern we all have for the moment is your soul’s salvation, that your eyes might be opened. The necessity is great, for if unconverted you see nothing spiritually. There are very few even among the Lord’s people who accustom themselves to look at things through spiritual eyes, how much more is this true in regard of the unconverted man or woman! This man was living in a village, but blind, blind in relation to all that is of God, or of Christ. You see the Lord’s people reading the Word, you know nothing of what is beneath it all; not only can you not see afar off, you cannot see at all. Others know and are concerned about you, if you are not concerned about yourself. The Lord Jesus is concerned about you. He has charged Himself with the blessing of mankind. He is a Man, with the feelings of a Man, with the heart of a Man, and He loves your soul, and died for you before you knew it. The Lord is interested in you. Were He here in my stead, He would make you feel it, but at this moment He would endeavour to make you hear of His interest through me, and through the prayers and sympathies of His people. He has a way of making His power felt down here, there is the hem of His garment to be touched. He is sympathetic.
Well, they brought this man to Jesus, and besought Him to touch him. The prayer on behalf of the blind man was an intelligent prayer; those who appealed to Christ for the man knew Christ, and the power of His touch, and so does every Christian. We have all been touched by Christ if touched at all; how wonderful is the touch of Christ! But note! these who brought the man do not specify as to how, when or where he should be touched; all that comes in as the prerogative of Christ. No Christian can dictate to the Lord, for He knows better than any [p. 333] Christian as to how, when or where to touch a soul. So the Lord is very particular as to where the man is to be touched. He takes him by the hand to lead him out of the town. The town represents that in which evil is concentrated. Young people love towns; more experienced people prefer woods, fields, rivers, lakes; God’s creation. Towns are built up by men. They are not intended for Christians. No town in the world has been built up in view of Christ; on the other hand, no river, nor wood, nor lake exists, but has Christ in view. All is God’s handiwork, and is for Christ. The first town that was built was built by a murderer. Was it built for Christ? No. It is difficult for Christians even to get a meeting room in a town; no town is designed for Christians. Plenty of room is found for theatres and all that shuts out Christ in the cities of this world. I do not deny that cities are recognised by God, for elders were appointed by Paul in cities to take care of the testimony, for God ever pursues men. But the town influence is terrible, and most detrimental to a person who is to be relieved. Many a young man is held in the meshes of theatres, picture houses and other similar resorts. I am not here to run these down, I simply want to show the things by which Satan would hold you. Are you prepared to go out of the town? The Lord leads this man out and spits on his eyes. It is a real Man dealing with men, though He is the Son of God. It is real humanity, the spittle shows that. As a real Man, Christ sympathises with you; He has a heart capable of being touched with the “feeling of our infirmities” (Hebrews 4:15), and as a real Man He died. “It is Christ that died” (Romans 8:34), the Word says, and again, “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5). He is, as I say, a real Man. God has in mind that man should be justified and to this end He had effected [p. 334] redemption, because, aside from this, there is no possible relief for your soul. “Without shedding of blood, there is no remission”. Remission of sins is utterly impossible, aside from the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Here, in Mark 8, the Lord Jesus spits on the man’s eyes, and now the Lord asks if he saw anything. I should like to ask you that question. You who have heard the Word from your infancy. Your feet are perchance found in the by-paths of this world, seeking its pleasures and finding them all vexation and vanity. I would ask again, What do you see? This man saw men as trees walking. Many a preacher would have numbered him among his converts, and sent him off, but the Lord does not send him away. Seeing men as trees walking does not prove perfect sight. Men are not as tall as trees! Things were all out of proportion. We see in this man what marks one partially enlightened and partially dark. The men he thus sees will soon act upon him, those tall men. Renowned men in the world, leaders of art and science, are very tall. The Philistines were tall men, and David destroyed them. If that giant of Gath were alive now with his six fingers and toes, he would be regarded as a man of great value, a wonder! David destroyed that man; moreover, David and his men extirpated the whole race of giants. They are most dangerous men, those tall men. The defect here is that the man did not see rightly, and the Lord is not satisfied. He loves that we should see things in their right proportions. Do not esteem a brother too highly. Esteem him according to his measure; remember there are others. A Christian with eyes like this man is apt to become partisan. A brother is to be rightly regarded, but to what extent? “Be ye followers of me”, the apostle says, but adds, “even as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Now, you see a taller Man, so to speak, much taller.
[p. 335] So you are not deceived, for no Christian can eclipse Christ. “Thou art the Christ” (Matthew 16:16), Peter says. This is the Man towering above all the apostles, even Peter, James, and John. Christ towers above them all, and he who sees rightly sees this, and is not deceived.
Then it goes on to say, “after that he put his hands again upon his eyes”. You will note the Lord puts His two hands upon him; it is complete committal on the part of Christ to that man; it is in figure, the gift of the Spirit. The Lord commits Himself completely to the believer in the gift of the Spirit. Now the Lord again makes the man look up, and it says, “he was restored, and saw every man clearly”. He is now viewed as having the Holy Spirit. God gives His Spirit to those who obey Him. Paul put the question to the saints in Ephesus, “Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?” and they replied, “We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost” (Acts 19:2). There are thousands of professing Christians who think of the Spirit of God merely as an influence. He is a mighty influence, it is true, but He is a divine Person. So the apostle says, the spiritual discerneth all things; that is to say, one who has God’s Spirit and recognises and gives place to Him, sees all things clearly. Indeed, he is not discerned by any one. His true glory is hidden for the moment, he does not want it displayed. He discerns all, but who discerns him? No one.
Then the Lord says to the man, “Neither go into the town nor tell it to any in the town”. Why is he not to go into the town? Is he not to be evangelical? It is for God to send His servants into the village or town; He knows whom to send. It is for you to be subject to Christ; hence the Lord directs this man where to go. Do not be found running hither and thither until the Lord sends you. Isaiah 6:8 says, “Here am I, send me”. It was where there was a need. So the Lord sends this man to his house;
[p. 336] that was the place for him. There was some good influence in his house already, no doubt, and one must be right at home. If you are doing violence to parental authority, the Lord would remind you that you must be right at home. He warns the man about the village, and so would I warn you, Be careful, be on your guard.
In Mark 10 we find no sympathisers. The blind man is sitting by the highway-side begging, and his name is given, and his father’s name. This is of special note according to Mark. There are those who stand out in the administration of grace, who stand out prominently as monuments of it. So Mark says, as it were, I want you to take special note of this man. He was a blind beggar, and he sat on the Jerusalem side of Jericho as the Lord went out. To his credit, be it said, he was on that side. Doubtless he was exercised, for I do not at all question that he had spiritual thoughts. Unlike the man in chapter 8, he has exercises of his own; as to that man others had exercises about him. It is happy to preach to those who are exercised. I trust that you are here tonight on account of your own exercises. You are much more interesting, if so, and you are sitting on the Jerusalem side of Jericho. How you got there it might be hard to say; but if there, you have spiritual thoughts and spiritual associations. It is said he heard that Jesus of Nazareth passed by. “Jesus of Nazareth”, that was the humble, lowly, despised Man, He passed by. This man, you will notice, did not call Him Jesus of Nazareth, for He had spiritual thoughts. We are apt to dissociate spiritual thoughts from persons who have them. It is spiritual to repent, and undoubtedly Bartimaeus had spiritual thoughts.
Well, he heard that Jesus of Nazareth passed by, and he cries out, “Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me”. That was a spiritual expression.
[p. 337] Who but one with spiritual thoughts would recognise the spiritual dignity of that Man who passed by. It is always a good sign if a man is marked by reverence, and if he refers to Christ according to His divine dignity. “Jesus, thou Son of David”. It was a great thought to a true Israelite that one should be the son of David. He was recognised as the Messiah, but here it is the Son of David. “Have mercy on me”, the man says. It is an immense thing to have an audience of those who are sympathetic with the gospel, those who are sympathetic with the souls of men. The Lord stands still and calls him. I would say to those who are prepared to come, the Lord is calling you. “And they call the blind man, saying unto him: Be of good comfort, rise he calleth thee”. How one would re-echo that now! The Lord is calling you. So the man arose. The word says, “casting away his garment, he rose and came to Jesus”. Whatever his garments were he cast them away. Usually the garments denote distinction; his might hardly be that, but whatever thou were, he cast them aside.
Now the Lord asks what his need was. It is very fine when one can just tell, whether it is conscience trouble or heart trouble, to make it known. No one knew better than the man, for he was exercised, and an exercised man is much more urgent for relief, than those exercised about him, for he is the sufferer. “Lord, that I might receive my sight”, and the Lord responds, “Go; thy faith hath made thee whole”. “Thy faith”. Would you believe it? It is your faith. The Lord does not say, “Faith hath made you whole”, though perfectly true, as justification is on this principle, but what He tells this man is, that the faith he had makes him whole. It is essential to say that, because the faith I have will not make you whole. The Lord credits this man with much; He knew the man, and He says: Thy [p. 338] faith hath made thee whole. Wonderful word for the heart! It is all a question just of that, as the apostle reasons, on the principle of faith, to faith. I am standing here to present the truth to you on that principle. It is the only principle on which preaching can be carried on now, the principle of faith. But it is to faith. The faith must be in you, and if so, it is divinely begotten. Others can tell it has its own distinctive marks which experienced Christians can recognise. There were distinctive indications that this man had faith, so that the Lord says, “Thy faith”. Then it adds, “And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way”.
Now, the man in chapter 8 did not do that. Do not talk of following the Lord till you are right at home. The epistle to the Romans qualifies a man for following; one is adjusted in regard of God, and in regard of all that He owns on earth. The man in chapter 8 was sent home, but this man is allowed to follow the Lord in the way. “The way” is a synonym for Christianity in Acts. Christianity is alluded to as “the way”; it is the only way there is. Christianity was never intended to adjust things in the world; any effort in that direction meets with failure. It was intended to lead a soul out of the world. It was not necessary for this man to go through Jericho to follow Christ; he was on the Jerusalem side, and followed Jesus in the way. And that way in which Jesus led would end in death; it would lead to Calvary and to the cross, however little this man understood it. Possibly he had the Holy Spirit, and was in the assembly when Mark wrote it. It is looking backwards at what happened. The man came into fellowship in following in the way; that is what it means. A soul is not really “landed” until in fellowship, till he joins the Lord “in the way”.
There was no hankering after Jericho with this poor man; he chose “the way”. Many are in the same “way” now; it is fellowship. So if you are exercised like this man, and your eyes are wholly opened, it is simply to follow Christ, and to follow Him in the way, that distinct way which is marked out in fellowship. The Word says of those who believed, that “they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). That is how they began, and it says this of all those converted at this time, not simply of the hundred and twenty, but the three thousand. Those all continued in the apostles’ doctrine. That is the way, and if your eyes are really opened by the gospel to see Christ as this man did, you will thus join Him and His people, like Moses when he came to years, and this expression has a spiritual meaning, he refused the finest position after the flesh that a man could desire, and chose to suffer affliction with the people of God. Mark that it is with the people of God. It was no path full of roses; it is for faith, a path, as Scripture says, of affliction, but at the same time a path of blessing and privilege. The man in Luke 9:57,58 said to the Lord, “I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest”. The Lord replies, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head”. But you will have a place to lay your head, if you follow Him; like John, you will find a place on the bosom of Jesus. May the Lord grant it!
Pages 340 - 448 — “The Anointed Pillar and the Worshipper”, Indianapolis, January, 1916 (Volume 34).