The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 355

blazed around him, to him it was as darkness, and objects which appeared to others real and 1:1ear were unperceived by him. Hence we often, and properly, ,speak of "moral blmdness" or "spiritual blindness," by which we mean, that he who eufftm~ that privation is incapable of discerning the moral or spiritual truths which are obvious to others. And the faculty which be lacks is something distinct from, although not .independent of, mental perception. In other words, a man must have brains to under- stand spiritual truth; but he needs something more-a faculty of soul, to which St. Paul alludes when he says, "Spiritual things are spiritually discerned;" "The god of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not." 2. He was brought by his friends t-0 the Lord. Unlike him, they could see, They knew better than he did what he lost by his blindness. They could find their way to the place where Jesus was, and see his face. Another blind man could not have led him thither. It becomes paren_ts, teachers, and friends, who are rejoicing in God's light, to bring others by ;pleadmg and by prayer to Jesus' feet. 3. He was willing to confide in the unseen Saviour. When Jesus took him by the hand, he did not withdraw it. In this wonderful Stranger, of whom he had heard so much, he had implicit confidence. His touch meant a blessing. How often, by our wilfulness and unbelief, we lose what by trustful waiting we might receive I II. THE METHOD OF TIIIS MIRACULOUS CURE. 1. Jesus led him apart. He wished to have him alone. Separation, secrecy, solitude, often precede the reception of blessing from Christ. Ile takes us away from the multitude by illness, in worship, etc. 2. Jesus gave him glimmerings of light (see ver. 24). He saw slightly and indis- tinctly. His companions, who bad been left at a little distance, appeared to him to be moving, but seemed vague, large, formless, like trees waving in the wind. Perhaps this cure was gradually wrought because the man's faith was weak, and the slight change already experienced would strengthen his expectation, and make him ready for a fuller blessing. It is at least a beautiful type of the gradual illumination of the soul with light. Lyilia was an example of this. 3. Jesus by repeated touch gave him perfect sight (ver. 25). He leaves nothing incomplete. lie is "the Author and the Finisher of faith." The imperfect vision of earth will be followed by the perfect vision of heaven.-A. R. Vers. 34.-38.-The worlclling and the (Jhristian: a contrast. Our Lord had just foretold his own sufferings, and now he goes on to speak of his requirement-that his disciples should be willing to follow him in the way of the cross, Soon they would be involved in persecution and trials, which they would be unprepared to meet unless they had wholly surrendered themselves to him. He never hid from his ilisciples what it would cost them to follow him. Again and again, when there were signs of defection on the part of the people, he gave the twelve an opportunity of leaving him if they wished to do so (John vi. 67). Only whole-hearted service is acceptable to our Lord. It seems strange that his definite announcements of his sufferings, death, and resurrec- tion should have been so imperfectly understood by his ilisciples. 'l'his can only be ac.counted for by the fact that they often took figurative language literally (Matt, :1:vi. 1; John iv. 33; xi. 12), and literal language figuratively (Matt. xv. 15-17; John v1. 70). In this passage some of the distinguishing points between a world.ling and a Christian are suggested, and by them we may test ourselves. L 'l'HE ONE FOLLOWS THE WOBLD, THE OTHEB FOLLOWS CHRIST, Our Lord speaks here of following him, i.e. doing what he did, going where he went, etc. In any doubtful sphere let us fairly and frankly ask ourselves-Would the Lor~ be here? He .did not confine himself to the syna:rogue or to the temple, but dwelt in the home at Nazareth, worked at the carpenter's bench, sat at the wedding feast, went out on the lake with the fishermen, etc. In our innocent enjoyments and ordinary work we may still be followina him. Su,mest (;'Ccasions on which there is a distinct choice between the worldly and the Christ-like. II. THE ONE INDULGES HIMSELF THE OTHEB DENIES llI11lSELF. A complete surrender of will is called for if we would btuly serve Christ. Whenever hie will .~ints i!3- o~e way and our inclination points in another, we must deny ourselves. This 1s an m~1s- pensable condition of followina, The true denier of self is the true confessor of Chmt. Wishes, tasteH, and appetites° must be restrained and (where obedience to the Lord requires it) denied by a Christian. oa. vlll. 1-38.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK.