It's been noted in this unholy Forum that "Mark's" (author) healing of the blind man at Bethsaida story (8:22) has unusual features, even by Markan standards. Do the unusual markers here parallel elsewhere in GMark?:
The beginning frame of the story:
Mark 8
21 And he said unto them, Do ye not yet understand? [Said to the Disciples]
Jesus creating sight for blind man | "The Jews" destroying sight for Jesus | Commentary |
8:21-26 | 14:45-15:1 | Chapter 8 is still in the Healing Ministry part of GMark while Chapter 14 is well into the Passion |
8:23 "And he took hold of the blind man by the hand" (ἐπιλαβόμενος) "Definition: I lay hold of, take hold of, seize (sometimes with beneficent, sometimes with hostile, intent)." | 14:46 "And they laid hands on him, and took him." (ἐπέβαλαν) "Definition: (a) I throw upon, cast over, (b) I place upon, (c) I lay, (d) intrans: I strike upon, rush." | Somewhat different words but same meaning can be derived, taking and holding by force. Same action than but different purposes, Jesus', to heal, "The Jews", to destroy. |
"and brought him out of the village" | 14:53 "And they led Jesus away to the high priest" | Jesus takes the man out of the village before healing him. Unorthodox, even by Markan standards (so to speak), but does fit the context there of Jesus not wanting attention from the healing (Jesus was miracle working but he was not enjoying it). By an act of Providence (or style) it also creates a nice parallel. Thank you sir, may I have another? |
"and when he had spit on his eyes" | 14:65 "And some began to spit on him" | Jesus spitting on eyes in order to make them see is ironic all by itself |
"he asked him, Seest thou aught?" | 14:61 "Again the high priest asked him, and saith unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? " | Jesus asks a question and Jesus is asked a question |
8:24 "I see men; for I behold [them] as trees, walking." | 14:62 "ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." | The blind man answers with what he sees and Jesus answers with what "The Jews" will see. The blind man sees men carrying the cross/stauros (trees). Jesus' answer is especially ironic. In an effort to convict Jesus, "The Jews" are convicting themselves. |
8:25 "Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes; and he looked stedfastly, and was restored, and saw all things clearly." | 14:65 "and to cover his face" | Jesus creates sight for the blind man. "The Jews" take away sight from Jesus. |
8:26 "And he sent him away to his home" | 15:1 "and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate." | The blind man and Jesus are taken away once more. The blind man is freed and Jesus is incathlocserated. |
The ending frame of the story:
8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
Thus the two pericopes have quality parallels with the explanatory power of explaining the otherwise odd (even by Markan standards) additions to the healing story:
- 1) Jesus lays hands (forcefully) on the blind man.
2) Jesus forcefully moves the man at the start and end of the story.
3) Jesus spits on eyes as part of the healing.
4) The man has an intermediary condition of seeing men as trees walking.
Joseph
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