And they bring a blind man, &c.— Two things are remarkable in this miracle: first, our Lord led the man out of the town, before he would heal him; and, when the cure was performed, he forbad him to return thither, or so much as to tell it unto any who lived in the town. The reason was, the people had for a long time been solicitous to have him acknowledged as the Messiah; and every new miracle which they beheld, moved them afresh to make the attempt. Nor could the inhabitants of Bethsaida complain of being ill used, though they were not permitted to be witnesses of the cure, since they had brought this mark of Christ's displeasure upon themselves, by their ingratitude, impenitence, and infidelity. See Matthew 11:21. And as for the man, he could not think it any hardship to be hindered from returning into the city, since it was not the place of his abode, Mark 8:26. Secondly, in giving sight to this blind man, Jesus did not, as on other occasions of the like nature, impart the faculty at once, but by degrees: for at first the man saw things but obscurely; then, by a second imposition of Christ's hands, he had a clear sight of every object in view. Our Lord's intention in this might be, to make it evident that in his cures he was not confined to one method of operation, but could dispense them in what manner he pleased. In the mean time, though the cure was performed by degrees, it was accomplished in so small a space of time, as to make it evident that it was not produced by any natural efficacy of our Lord's spittle or touch, but merely by the exertion of his miraculous power. The blind man's expression, after the first imposition of Christ's hands, may easily be accounted for, on the supposition that he was not born blind, but had lost his sight by some accident; for if that was the case, he might have retained the idea both of men and of trees; in which light, his words I see men as trees walking, express the indistinctness of his vision very properly. See Doddridge, and ch. Mark 7:33.
Related Commentaries of Mark 8:22
Mark 8:22-26
22 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.
23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.
24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
26 And he sent him away to his house, saying,Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.