Mark 8:22-26 “In Bethsaida”

Mark 8:22-26 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:

• Turn Your Eyes – Sovereign Grace Music (Lyric Video)
• I Speak Jesus – Charity Gayle (Lyrics) feat Steven Musso
• Run To The Father – Cody Carnes (Lyrics)
• Lord of My Heart | Scott Brenner | Levites (Korean Praise with ENG SUB)  
  • Click [CC] and select ‘English’ Subtitles/CC in Setting [Gear Wheel].

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• Mark 8:22-26 (Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida) – Bible Drama
• Priceless Treasure | Treasured VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Whole Lotta Change | Roar VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus | Shipwrecked VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth located in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

Mark continues by recounting what happened when Jesus and his disciples were in Bethsaida (v. 22). Bethsaida was a village located on the northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee and was a place Jesus visited frequently. The people of the town brought a blind man to Jesus and begged him to heal him. Jesus took the man by the hand and led him outside the village (v. 23). He had done something similar when healing a deaf and mute man (7:33). Through his miraculous healings, Jesus did not seek public attention or popularity.

Jesus spat on the man’s eyes, laid his hands on him, and then asked, “Do you see anything?” (v. 24). The phrase “laid his hands on” signifies an act of prayer. The man responded, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” When Jesus performed miracles, the results were usually immediate, but only a partial healing occurred in this case. Jesus then placed his hands on the man’s eyes again and prayed (v. 25). The man tried to see clearly (“he looked intently”), and his vision was fully restored. Jesus then instructed him to go home and not to spread the news of his healing to the townspeople (v. 26).

Meditation:

Jesus could have performed a miracle with just a word from afar. Why, then, did he heal the blind man in Bethsaida in this particular way? Was his miraculous power weakened? Or was the man’s blindness too severe? Rather, Jesus must have done this intentionally. He wanted to teach his disciples that while his touch is essential for full restoration, personal effort is also necessary. After spending time with Jesus and witnessing his works, the disciples gained a level of spiritual sight—yet it was still unclear, like seeing “people who look like trees walking around.” They needed to “look intently” to make an effort to see to gain full clarity. Likewise, true spiritual vision requires both divine intervention and a committed pursuit of deeper understanding.

All of Jesus’ words and miracles unlocked people’s closed hearts, revealing the kingdom of God. Just as the blind man first saw people moving faintly, when our spiritual eyes and ears are opened, we begin to perceive God’s kingdom and hear his voice—though imperfectly at first. However, if we settle for this incomplete vision, our eyes will soon close again, and our ears will become deaf. Like the blind man who regained his sight by looking intently, we must also strive to see the kingdom of God more clearly. Faith is the journey of stepping through the door that Jesus has opened to God’s kingdom, seeking to know and experience it more deeply.

The “yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod” represents unbelief—a refusal to see and accept the truth despite clear evidence. Even though Jesus has opened the door, some still refuse to step through it. When a mother hen breaks open an eggshell, the chick inside must stretch, move, and emerge into the new world. If the chick remains curled up inside the broken shell, it will never experience the world beyond. Likewise, faith is breaking free from the shell of ignorance and darkness that Jesus has already shattered. It is stretching out, stepping forward, and embracing the new world he has revealed.

Prayer:

Lord, we thank you for opening our ears to hear your voice. We desire to hear you more clearly. Help us to read and meditate on your Word more deeply so that our spiritual hearing may become more sensitive. We thank you for opening our eyes to see your hand at work. We long to see more clearly. Help us to pray more, to seek you more, so that our spiritual sight may grow even brighter. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: Faith is like learning to see clearly—it takes time, effort, and trust in Jesus. Just as the blind man’s sight was restored in stages, we grow in faith by listening to God’s Word, praying, and seeking to understand Him more deeply. Jesus opens the door to God’s kingdom, but we must take the step to walk through it.

• For Preschool-Lower Elementary
  • What would it feel like to be blind? How do you think the blind man felt when Jesus helped him see?
  • Jesus helped the blind man see little by little. What are some things about God that you are learning little by little?
• For Upper Elementary-Middle School
  • What things about faith or God feel a little unclear to you right now?
  • Jesus told the man to look intently—how can we “look intently” to understand God better in our daily lives?
• For High School
  • Jesus compared spiritual growth to seeing more clearly over time. In what ways do you think faith requires both God’s help and personal effort?
  • The blind man had to step out of the village and trust Jesus to heal him. What step of faith do you feel God might be asking you to take right now?