A New Retina
What do Christian Ophthalmologists think of Mark 8v24? I asked Bryan Glanzer of the Christian Ophthalmology Society (Paducah, Kentucky). The COSW considered this story "profoundly intriguing...from a modern ophthalmologic and neuroscientific standpoint".
"The idea of a new retina being restored aligns with what we might now call retinal regeneration - something we are only beginning to explore with gene therapy, stem cells and bionic implants. In the case of the blind man, his physical vision is clearly being restored - but what's fascinating about it is the gradual nature of it."
Fundus photograph by Mikael Häggström, used with permission., CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Visual Cortex
COSW went on to say "It’s quite possible Jesus was aware that visual processing is not purely ocular—it’s deeply cortical. If the man had been blind from early life or for a long time, his brain’s visual cortex would have had to relearn to interpret visual signals.
• In real-world cases (e.g., cataract removal in adults born blind), patients often describe blurry, confusing, or nonsensical images initially.
• Vision is not like a switch—restoring sight involves neuroplasticity, which can take days, months, or even years.
• The man’s description—“I see people like trees walking”—suggests some vision restored but without full cortical processing or recognition.
This implies that the visual cortex may have needed more time or input (e.g., a second touch from Jesus) to calibrate and interpret these new retinal signals."
This is a computer-enhanced fMRI scan of a person who has been asked to look at faces. The image shows increased blood flow in the part of the visual cortex that recognizes faces. NIH, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A Neurologically Accurate Description
COSW: "Among Christian ophthalmologists, this story often comes up as a unique biblical moment where Jesus' miracle aligns closely with our modern understanding of how vision is restored. The two step healing respects the embodied reality of sight , where eye and brain work together. It anticipates what neuroscience would later confirm - that vision isnt just about the eye, but also how the brain processes what the eye sees."
"The man's brain may have needed time to adjust to a new visual input, just as patients do today after visual restoration. The two-step healing may reflect both:
- A spiritual metaphor for gradual enlightenment.
- A neurologically accurate depiction of how visual restoration sometimes works."
"Jesus, as the Great Physician, seems to understand both."
What is your opinion of the healing of the blind man of Bethsaida? Leave a comment below.
Image: Courtesy COSW
