Men As Trees Walking: What's in a Name?

They came to Beit-Tzaidah and some people brought him a blind man and begged Yeshua to touch him. Taking the blind man's hand, he led him outside the town. He spit in his eyes, put his hands on him and asked him, "Do you see anything?" He looked up and said, "I see men, as trees, walking." Once more Yeshua put his hands on the blind man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Yeshua sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village." (Mark 8:22-26)

If you have ever read 'Out of the Silent Planet' by C. S. Lewis, you'll remember when Ransom meets with Oyarsa the eldila. In order to be "seen" by Ransom, Oyarsas' shape, or form, goes through certain manifestations, almost killing Ransom, until a suitable shape/form that can be perceived, conceived, viewed, by Ransom, with comprehension and without danger, is achieved. In the story, Ransom states that this is maybe why angels are always depicted in "flight"; angels are actually "moving" in order to be seen in our dimensional plane.

I have always thought of that meeting between Ransom and the Oyarsa of that planet when reading this account in Mark of a healing presumably "gone wrong." Were the eyes of this blind man opened to a dimensional plane coexisting invisibly with ours? Did Yeshua error, needing to touch him twice? I don't know... I do know this: Contextually, if you consider what the disciples had been experiencing for the last few days, you'll read that they were experiencing a convergence of dimensional planes themselves. Let me explain.

At the top of Mark 6 we find Yeshua back in His home town of Natzeret with his disciples. On the sabbath day He goes and teaches in the synagogue and "many who heard him were astounded. They asked, 'Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom he has been given? What are these miracles worked through him? Isn't he just the carpenter? the son of Miryam? the brother of Ya`akov and Yosi and Y'hudah and Shim`on? Aren't his sisters here with us?' And they took offense at him."

The Dimensional Plane of Practicality

I propose that a convergence of dimensional planes occurred that day in the synagogue of Natzeret. His townspeople could not grasp the fact that this common, everyday man, a carpenter's son, a man they knew from childhood was a wise miracle worker. And because of that, they were offended by Him. I say a convergence of dimensional planes because the "plane" or "dimension" that His townspeople functioned from couldn't comprehend or accept that it was their Yeshua that was teaching them with wisdom, power and authority.

The reason is quite simple -- and let me state here that I am just an average guy myself. I've never been to seminary. I haven't a doctorate or master's in theology or biblical studies, etc., etc. I am simply a man that pursues hard after God, that's all. Even still, I'm amazed how something this "simple" causes so many to walk not only outside of the mandates, mysteries and precepts of God, but how something so simple causes so many to be offended by Him. Howbeit, this is a crucial point to understand. Their dimensional plane of understanding and comprehension was based on the practical. This plane/dimension of practicality, that we all function from, completely contradicts and opposes "...on earth as it is in heaven." This is why they couldn't and didn't believe. This is why man has historically struggled with the basic concept of intimacy with Abba, obedience to Abba and stewardship towards Abba. His dimensional plane isn't our dimensional plane, and until we live outside of our known "plane of practicality" we will always miss Him. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares ADONAI. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9) And because of this, many of us choose not to believe. We choose to doubt and we choose to be offended by the things of God. (By "believe" I don't mean "believing" for salvation, unless of course it applies. By this I mean there is so much more to believe Him for after salvation). Take this simple concept of functioning from a "plane of practicality" as the biggest hindrance in our lives and let's use it as a key to unlock the mysteries of God as the disciples had to do.

Back to the Synagogue in Natzeret

Yeshua said to them, "The only place people don't respect a prophet is in his home town, among his own relatives, and in his own house." As a result, he could do no miracles there other than lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their unbelief. Then he taught throughout the surrounding towns and villages.

When we choose to function from a dimension of practicality (unbelief) we not only miss Him, we render Him powerless in our situation. The Children of Israel in the wilderness is a great example of this (1 Corinthians 10:1-12), but that's for another time.

Go: Preach Repentance, Cast Out Demons, Heal the Sick

Yeshua summoned the Twelve and started sending them out in pairs, giving them authority over evil and unclean spirits. He instructed them, "Take nothing for the journey except a staff - no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave as a testimony against them." They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

More "convergence". Power and authority over evil and unclean spirits. Power and authority over sickness. Traveling without food, money, extra clothes. Is any of this "practical"? I know many who believe that a lifestyle defined by these things is ridiculous. Sad...

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