Please explain Mark 8:22-26 about the blind man at Bethsaida. This is the only miracle God did by touching someone twice. And please let me know why he was taken outside of town.
Let’s read that passage: “Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So, He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, ‘I see men like trees, walking.’ Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. Then He sent him away to his house, saying, ‘Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town’” (NKJV).
To be sure, this miracle is unlike any others, for this is unique in that it took place in stages. Earlier, in Mark 7:31-35, a deaf and dumb man was brought to Jesus and in that case too the Lord touched him, but He only touched him ONCE (verse 33) and then we read, “Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly.” This naturally raises the questions you have raised as to the blind man who was TOUCHED TWICE (8:23& 25) and only then do we read, “And he was restored and SAW EVERYONE CLEARLY” (verse 25).
Why did the Lord touch him twice? We are not told why but it does teach us that the Lord heals “different persons in different ways.” Surely, He could have “touched him once” resulting in instant healing. I would offer one thought. We know that “physical healing” is often a picture of “spiritual healing.” We have the case of the blind man in John chapter 9 who was given his “physical sight” first and then his “spiritual sight.” For physical healing the Lord “spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva: and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay…and said to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’…he went and washed and came back seeing” (9:6-7). Later, the Lord Jesus found the man and asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of God” (verse 35) and the man said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” (verse 36). We then read, “’You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.’ Then he said, ‘Lord, I believe!’ And he worshipped Him” (verses 37-38). The Lord then went on to say, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind” which teaches us that those who KNOW THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY BLIND WILL BE GIVEN SPIRITUAL SIGHT, and that those who THINK THEY HAVE SPIRITUAL SIGHT WILL BE BLINDED FURTHER because of their unbelief. If we read the different accounts of those who were given spiritual sight in the Bible, we see that with some it was INSTANTANEOUS (as in the case of the penitent thief on the cross…. see Luke 23:32-34, 39-43), but with others it was a GRADUAL PROCESS (as in the case of Nicodemus…. see John 3:1-16; 7:50-51; and 19:39-42). The instant physical healing of the deaf and dumb man illustrates the spiritual healing of the saved thief; the gradual physical healing of the blind man illustrates the spiritual healing of Nicodemus.
Why did the Lord take the blind man out of town? It seems obvious the Lord did not want to draw attention to this healing for we are told in verse 26, “Then He sent him away to his house, saying, ‘Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.’” He had also told the deaf and dumb man the same thing, “Then He commanded them that they should tell no one” (7:36). This is where the “illustration of spiritual healing” ends, for once one is given their spiritual sight, they are always told to tell others. Jesus said to one newly saved, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you” (Mark 5:19). Jesus told His disciples (and us), “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). (DO) (645.1)