EVERY PERSON UNIQUE
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.” Mark 8:22-26
Why did Jesus have to touch this man twice to be healed? Why did He spit on the man’s eyes? Why did He deal with him alone, outside the village? Why did He send him straight home? Was His popularity becoming a hindrance to His real mission? Were the crowds getting to Him?
These are all questions which can probably only be answered by speculating but, as we look across His entire ministry, there are trends and patterns which help us to find answers. Jesus did not operate according to formulae. Every person was a unique individual and, in union with the Father through the Holy Spirit, Jesus ministered to each one according to his personality, understanding and need. Likewise, He touched their hearts individually. He was never responsible for formulae like “accept Jesus as your personal Saviour” or “be born again” or even “say the sinner’s prayer” as though any one of these is a guaranteed entrance into the kingdom of God. Jesus’ ministry was more about changing people’s awareness than about “making a decision” for Him.
Secondly, He sometimes spoke to a need and sometimes used a physical aid or a sign to arouse faith in the individual. There was always a combination of confidence in Jesus and the operation of divine power – triggered by the faith that produced the miracle. Sometimes the miracle was instantaneous and at other times, like on this occasion, it happened in stages or in response to obedience, on the way (the ten lepers).
Thirdly, it seems that Jesus avoided the limelight more and more because His presence and actions were producing sensation and popularity for the wrong reasons. He did not advertise His presence or send His disciples out to gather the crowds. He wanted people to be convinced of who He was so that they would love and trust Him as the Son of God. Only this would produce loyalty and obedience strong enough to take them through fire and water with Him.