The text shows us
I. The value of intercessory prayer. We need to pray for ourselves, but it is a poor religion that stops at self. We need the power and the grace of Christ to heal our own hurt; but if we truly realise the presence of Christ, and if we believe in His healing power, we shall seek Him, not only for our own sakes, but for the sake of others too.
II. Christ answers the appeal beyond the asker's expectation. In the healing touch we have a mark or characteristic of common occurrence in our Lord's miracles. The touch is a sign of a great spiritual truth. If Christ is to heal us, our soul must touch Him and He must touch us. There must be a meeting-ground with nothing to intervene between sinner and Saviour.
III. Jesus Christ, who had all power at His command, delayed the progress of a miracle and broke it into two. Had the work been done off-hand, it might discover to us a miracle of power and but little else. He gave sight to the blind; it was divided, delayed, and for a time apparently unsuccessful. The sequel exhibits a still greater work a miracle of patience. Here Christ shows us the Father. Christ suits His communications to human infirmity; He restrains His power and graduates revelation by our capacity. Our impatience will have results at once. God can abide delay. Christ taught the Word as they were able to hear it. We are apt to take our distorted images for true pictures; far wiser is it to await the open vision, when we shall see face to face. First impressions are not always correct. Christ must come closer and touch us once again for enlarged and purified vision. "After that He put His hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly." How many conversions do these words epitomise? They sum up a large series of religious experiences. Light may come by fits and starts. Not all at once, nor even gradually, are some brought to acknowledge their real condition before God. Partial awakening may be followed by times of spiritual collapse and apparent failure of the Holy Spirit's power; there comes at length what we might call a second conversion, or, to speak more correctly, the completion of the work conversion of heart and life; no longer crude and imperfect views of truth, or dim perceptions, "men seen as trees, walking," but all things seen plainly.
G. Walker, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xxii., p. 43.
References: Mark 8:22-26. H. M. Luckock, Footprints of the Son of Man,p. 174; H. W. Beecher, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xv., p. 11 Mark 8:23-25. A. Blomfield, Sermons in Town and Country,p. 169. Mark 8:24; Mark 8:25. H. P. Hughes, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xxviii., p. 217. Mark 8:24-29. Preacher's Monthly,vol. iii, p. 297. Mark 8:25. W. F. Hook, Sermons on the Miracles,vol. ii., p. 20. Mark 8:27-30. A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve,p. 164.Mark 8:27-33. H. M. Luckock, Footprints of the Son of Man,p. 178.