Mark 8 · a question people ask
Why did the blind man need Jesus to touch him twice?
Mark doesn't say why. He tells what happened. Jesus "took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village" (8:23). He "spat on his eyes, and laid his hands on him", and asked him if he saw anything (8:23). The man said, "I see men, but I see them like walking trees" (8:24). "Then again he laid his hands on his eyes. He looked intently, and was restored, and saw everyone clearly" (8:25). Matthew, Luke and John don't tell of this man. Mark tells it between Jesus's questions in the boat, "Having eyes, don’t you see?" (8:18) and "Don’t you understand yet?" (8:21), and his question on the way, "Who do men say that I am?" (8:27). Mark doesn't say whether the placing means anything, and these notes don't either.
The verses
“He came to Bethsaida. They brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. He took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village. When he had spat on his eyes, and laid his hands on him, he asked him if he saw anything. He looked up, and said, “I see men, but I see them like walking trees.” Then again he laid his hands on his eyes. He looked intently, and was restored, and saw everyone clearly. He sent him away to his house, saying, “Don’t enter into the village, nor tell anyone in the village.””
“Having eyes, don’t you see? Having ears, don’t you hear? Don’t you remember?”
“He asked them, “Don’t you understand yet?””
“Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?””