And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. ²³ And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. ²⁴ And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. ²⁵ After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. (Mark 8:22-25 KJV)

This story has puzzled me for a very long time.  Recently, however, I felt that I gained some understanding.  I have always wondered why the man could not see clearly the first time.  Why did Yeshua have to touch him a second time for the man to be restored.  There are really no clues given in the text itself.  Thus what I have come to understand is based purely upon speculation and must, therefore, be taken with a grain of salt. 

In the scriptures righteous men are often described as trees. 

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. ² But his delight is in the law of YHWH; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Psalm 1:1-3 KJV)

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. (Psalm 52:8 KJV)

The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. (Psalm 92:12 KJV)

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. (Proverbs 11:30 KJV)

After the blind man’s first encounter with Yeshua his eyes were opened, but without discernment.  He could see but not clearly.  When unbelievers first come to faith in Messiah, they are often filled with zeal, but do not necessarily have discernment.  In their zeal anything that speaks of “Jesus” or “Yeshua” or God or YHWH appears to be good and wholesome to them.  The new convert, hungry for understanding and knowledge, is ready to eat from the table of anyone ready to feed him.  In the church, people almost immediately run to the “successful” congregations, and television evangelists and their ministries and begin devouring their teachings.  These preachers appear like “trees” or righteous men to those whose eyes have just been opened.  The same may be said of those in the Messianic movement.  So many “converts” to the Messianic movement have their “eyes opened” for the first time and quickly go running after the “kosher” teachings of the rabbis, who appear as “trees/righteous” men to them.  Unfortunately, as Yeshua clearly warns, not everyone is as the first appear.

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Matthew 7:15 KJV)

We know that there are indeed many ministers, teachers, prophets, priests, and rabbis that are genuinely serving themselves and their toxic religious systems.  They have polluted the pure water of the Torah with their takanot and ma’asim (precedence and reforms). They have twisted and perverted the truth with their self serving interpretations and poisoned philosophies.  To such shepherd, YHWH declared;

And the word of YHWH came unto me, saying, ² Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord YHWH unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? ³ Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. ⁴ The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. (Ezekiel 34:1-4 KJV)

Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of YHWH; ¹⁰ Thus saith the Lord YHWH; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves anymore; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them. (Ezekiel 34:9-10 KJV)

I need not remind you that there were two trees in the garden.

And out of the ground made YHWH God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9 KJV)

But as we know all “trees” are not equal.

And YHWH God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: ¹⁷ But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:16-17 KJV)

The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil may have looked pleasant to the eyes and as if it would be good for life sustaining food, but as we well know it was deceptive. 

In the story of the blind man, Yeshua touched the man a second time and he saw every man clearly.  Such is often the case with the new believer or convert.  It is our constant contact with the Master that not only opens our eyes but blesses us with discernment, knowledge, wisdom, understanding and clarity.  We learn from this story that appearances, especially first impressions, can be deceiving.  While it may appear that certain ministers and ministries are righteous, we must be careful not to jump to conclusions.  Instead, we should turn to YHWH in prayer and seek counsel from the one who searches the heart.  We are not to follow men—but Messiah.  When we are in constant contact with Messiah our eyes will be opened.  The more we know about Messiah, the more we will recognize him when we see him even in his genuine disciples.  The more we have contact with Messiah—the clearer the hearts, lives, and motives of others will be. The more we are connected to Messiah the easier it becomes to recognize who truly belongs to the body of Messiah, speaks in the name of Messiah, and is genuinely  motivated and animated by the spirit of Messiah within them.  We will begin seeing clearly who is bearing genuine fruit for the kingdom and who is but a fruitless branch waiting to be pruned.  The closer we are to the true “Vine” the easier it becomes to know the difference between a real “tree” and a “virtual tree.”

For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. (Luke 6:44 KJV)