Mark 8:23-24

"Our Lord’s action here is significant. Having abandoned Bethsaida to judgment (Matthew 11:21-24), He would neither heal in that village nor permit further testimony to be borne there (Mark 8:26). The probation of Bethsaida as a community was ended, but He would still show mercy to individuals." [Note: The New Scofield Reference Bible, p. 1059.]

Jesus may have led the man out of Bethsaida so He could establish a personal relationship with him (cf. Mark 5:35-43; Mark 7:31-37) and perhaps to avoid publicity (cf. Mark 8:26). The man’s willingness to follow Jesus demonstrated some faith. This was evidently one of only three miracles that Jesus did in private that Mark recorded. In all three cases, some disciples were present, as witnesses.

The English translations permit a rather unpleasant interpretation of what Jesus did, namely, spitting in the man’s face and placing His hands on his head or shoulders. The Greek text encourages us to interpret the data differently. Probably Jesus applied a small quantity of His spittle to the man’s eyes with His fingers. This action would have made it clear to the blind man that Jesus was restoring his vision. Perhaps the saliva told the man that this healing came out of Jesus’ mouth (cf. Genesis 1:3; Genesis 1:6, et al.).

". . . the use of saliva was a well-known Jewish remedy for affections of the eyes." [Note: Edersheim, 2:48.]

Jesus asked the man, "Do you see anything?" to get him to state what he saw for the disciples’ benefit. Evidently the man had lost his vision; he appears not to have been blind from birth. He knew what trees looked like. Blindness from disease was and still is common in many Middle Eastern countries.