Bethsaida and the Healing of the Blind Man
Bethsaida, on the north east coast of the Sea of Galilee, was the childhood home of the Apostles Peter, Andrew and Philip. It was here that a crowd of 5000 people were miraculously fed with a few loaves and fishes by a humble carpenter. A short time later, this Jesus of Nazareth, restored the sight of a blind man just outside the village gates.
Just a generation after these happenings, Bethsaida was destroyed in the first Jewish/Roman war (67CE). And a few centuries later, pilgrims to the Holy Land were unable to find Bethsaida. The village was lost to antiquity until recent archaeology uncovered the last lost city of the Gospels.
Photo above: Jordan Estuary at El Araj courtesy of www.HolyLandPhotos.org
Revealing the Miracle of the Blind Man
Modern Ophthalmology may also have discovered secrets from Bethsaida. The healing of the blind man of Bethsaida was unusual (Mark 8v22-26 photo), it did not appear to be entirely successful at its first attempt. Matthew Henry, in his commentary, attributed this to the blind man's lack of faith. While that may be so, the account here may expose the working of the miracle to today's readers. Why did the blind man see "men walking looking like trees" and why was the healing in two parts? Ophthalmology may help explain this, as explored on the next page.
Photo: Mark 8v22-26 NIV
