Gramps,

I recently saw a PBS special with various scholars discussing Jesus. One referred to Mark 8:22-25 as a favorite scripture because it showed the “humanity” of Jesus since he apparently had to try a second time to “get it right” and heal a blind man. Please comment.

Joe, from Missouri

Dear Joe,

How curious that those who claim to represent the Savior are so quick to attribute fault to him rather than to the children of men among whom he ministered. If they read into Mark 8:22-15 supposed imperfections in the Savior, it would be interesting to learn what interpretations they would put on the following scriptures, that imply that Christ was and is perfect.

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Ephesians 4:13.

[Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature Colossians 1:15.

After the Savior anointed the eyes of the blind man, he saw “men as trees, walking.” Undoubtedly, the man did not see clearly, so the Savior put his hands on the man’s eyes again and made him look up, whereupon he then saw clearly. Nothing more is recorded in the scriptures of this occurrence. But no doubt there was much more to it. So the biblical scholars had to make some assumptions to fill in the blanks. If they had known Jesus for who he is they would never had assumed that he made a mistake, or had to practice the art of healing. He was perfect, the only perfect man who ever lived. Why could not those learned men have just as easily assumed that the poor man who was blind didn’t have at first sufficient faith to be healed, but through the ministrations of the Savior his faith increased to the point where the anointing was successful?

Gramps