Who Was Blind In The Bible? A Comprehensive Look
Blindness is referenced many times throughout the Bible. If you’re looking for a quick answer, some of the most well-known blind characters in the Bible include Saul of Tarsus, Isaac, Jacob, and Bartimaeus.
But there are many other biblical figures who were blind or received their sight through miracles.
In this comprehensive article, we will take an in-depth look at the various blind characters found in the Old and New Testaments. We will examine their stories, what the Bible says about their blindness, and how their lives connect back to major biblical themes.
Blind Characters in the Old Testament
Isaac’s Blindness in Old Age
Isaac, the son of Abraham, suffered from blindness in his old age. According to Genesis 27, when Isaac was old and “his eyes were too dim to see”, he wanted to bless his elder son Esau before dying. However, Rebekah and Jacob deceived Isaac into blessing Jacob instead.
This biblical account shows that blindness was a medical condition associated with advanced age even in ancient times.
Jacob’s Blindness in Old Age
Similarly, Isaac’s son Jacob also experienced blindness in his old age. In Genesis 48:10, when Joseph brings his sons to receive a blessing, it is said that “Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see”.
Yet Jacob was able to bless Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh through touch instead of sight. Like his father, Jacob’s blindness was a result of natural aging.
The Blind Slave of the High Priest
In the New Testament, the high priest Caiaphas had a slave who was blind in one eye according to Luke 22 and John 18. When Peter cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant Malchus while trying to defend Jesus, it is recorded that Jesus healed the ear.
However, the gospels never mention Jesus healing Malchus’ blindness, suggesting it was a permanent condition.
Blindness as a Judgment and Healing
There are also instances in the Bible where blindness is inflicted as a punishment or judgment from God. For example, 2 Kings 6 records that the Arameans were struck blind after surrounding the prophet Elisha. Yet afterward, Elisha prays for them to regain their sight.
The gospels also recount Jesus healing blind beggars, which Christian scholars see as illustrating Jesus’ compassion and divine power.
Healings of Blindness in the Gospels
Healing of Two Blind Men
One of the most well-known healings of the blind is found in Matthew 9:27-31. Here we read about Jesus healing two blind men who cry out to him for mercy. Despite the crowd telling them to be quiet, the blind men persist in calling out to Jesus.
He asks them if they believe he can restore their sight, to which they respond “Yes, Lord”. Jesus then touches their eyes and tells them their faith has healed them. Instantly they are able to see and follow Jesus. This remarkable healing demonstrates Jesus’ compassion and power.
Healing of Bartimaeus
The healing of Bartimaeus is recorded in Mark 10:46-52. Bartimaeus is blind and sitting by the road near Jericho. When he hears that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by, he begins to shout “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”.
Many in the crowd sternly tell him to be silent, but he continues to call out loudly. Jesus stops and commands that Bartimaeus be called to him. Throwing off his cloak, Bartimaeus comes to Jesus who asks what he wants. “Rabbi, I want to see” he answers.
Jesus tells him his faith has made him well and immediately his sight is restored. Bartimaeus then follows Jesus on his way.
Healing of a Man Born Blind
One of the most dramatic healings is the giving of sight to a man blind from birth, found in John 9. Jesus sees the man and tells his disciples that it is so God’s works can be displayed in him. He spits on the ground, makes mud with his saliva, and smears it on the man’s eyes.
Then Jesus instructs him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The man does so and is able to see for the first time in his life! When questioned by the Pharisees about the healing, the man sticks to the facts about his case.
He doesn’t know where Jesus came from, but one thing he knows – he was blind but now he sees! This phenomenal miracle leads many to put their faith in Jesus.
These healings of blindness recorded in the Gospels give us a glimpse of Jesus’ ability to restore sight to the physically and spiritually blind. They reveal his divine power and authority over infirmities and point to his identity as the long-awaited Messiah.
Though he lived centuries ago, the compassionate Jesus still has the power to open blind eyes today!
Saul’s Blindness on the Road to Damascus
One of the most dramatic conversion stories in the Bible involves Saul, who later became the Apostle Paul, being struck blind on the road to Damascus. As told in Acts 9, Saul was an avid persecutor of early Christians and was on his way to Damascus to arrest followers of Jesus when a bright light from heaven suddenly shone down on him.
According to the account, Jesus himself spoke to Saul from the light, asking “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4). Saul was knocked to the ground by the light and heard Jesus’ voice but could not see anything.
The men traveling with Saul were speechless, as they heard the voice but saw no one. They then led the now blind Saul by the hand into Damascus. For three days, Saul remained blind and did not eat or drink anything.
The account says God spoke to a disciple named Ananias in a vision, telling him to go lay hands on Saul to restore his sight. Ananias was afraid because he knew Saul’s reputation for persecuting Christians, but God told him that Saul was his chosen instrument to deliver the gospel to the Gentiles, kings, and the people of Israel (Acts 9:15).
After Ananias laid hands on Saul, something like scales fell from his eyes, his sight was restored, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17-18). Saul emerged from the experience a changed man.
He was converted and became a follower of Christ, even taking on the new name Paul as he traveled and planted churches throughout the Roman Empire. Paul later recounted his dramatic conversion in his New Testament epistles.
The Significance of Saul’s Blindness
Saul’s three days of physical blindness represents the spiritual blindness he had been living in up until his conversion experience. It took losing his sight for Saul to truly “see” that he had been persecuting and attacking the very Son of God in going after the early Christians.
His physical blindness humbled him completely and opened his heart to receive the gospel when his sight was restored.
In his letters found in the New Testament, Paul frequently references his earlier blind zeal as a persecutor of Christians and traces his life-changing conversion to the events on that road when he met the risen Christ (1 Corinthians 15:9, Galatians 1:13).
His temporary blindness was a wake-up call and turning point that launched one of the most consequential missionary careers in history.
The story of Saul losing his sight only to regain it three days later also foreshadows a central irony of his ministry. He who once tried to blind others to the gospel would himself lose his sight and depend on the help of others.
Although God restored his sight physically, Paul would eventually lose it again because of his intense labor in spreading the very gospel he once sought to destroy (Galatians 4:13-15).
Parallels to Other Biblical Accounts
Saul’s conversion bears similarity to other biblical accounts about lives suddenly changed. In John 9, Jesus heals a man blind from birth, but when the religious authorities question the man, he professes faith in Christ.
Saul, conversely, is struck blind when he thinks he is serving God well by persecuting Christians. The parallel shows the true blindness is spiritual, not physical.
In Acts 22, a retelling of Paul’s conversion, Jesus says Paul will be told what he must do. This echoes the prophet Samuel’s call in 1 Samuel 3. Samuel and Saul both have their spiritual eyes opened and go on to serve God in unexpected ways neither would have imagined.
Another parallel occurs between Saul and the apostle Peter when the risen Jesus is revealed to each of them. They both undergo three key days of transformation because of an encounter with Christ (Saul’s three days of blindness, Peter’s three denials of Jesus).
Saul never recovered from the change in his vision, just as Peter was undone and converted by Jesus’ love for him.
Symbolic Meaning of Blindness in the Bible
Blindness as Lack of Understanding
In the Bible, blindness often symbolizes a lack of spiritual understanding and insight. Numerous passages use blindness as a metaphor for those who fail to perceive spiritual truths. For example, in Isaiah 42:18-20, God rebukes Israel for being “blind” and “deaf” to His message.
Despite God clearly revealing Himself, the Israelites lacked the spiritual vision to comprehend His works and words.
Likewise, when Jesus heals two blind men in Matthew 9:27-31, this represents removing spiritual blindness to realize Jesus as the Messiah. The Pharisees, who observed the miracles, still remained blind to Christ’s true identity.
Their blindness represented an unwillingness to believe despite seeing the light.
Healing of Blindness as Proclamation of Jesus
In several healing miracles, Jesus uses blindness to showcase His divine nature and mission. By restoring sight to the blind, Christ symbolically proclaimed spiritual illumination to those previously ignorant of God’s salvation.
These acts declared Jesus as “the light of the world” (John 8:12), the one who brings God’s radiant glory to those walking in darkness.
For instance, in healing the man born blind (John 9:1-41), Jesus not only showcased His power over disability but also declared Himself the source of spiritual vision to recognize God’s promises.
Blindness in Prophecy of End Times
The Bible often associates the concept of blindness with the judgments and tribulations preceding Christ’s second coming. Several prophetic passages depict blindness impacting the unbelievers who persist in rebellion against God.
As an example, in Zechariah 12:4, God promises to “strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness” in the final siege of Jerusalem. This blindness represents God confounding Israel’s enemies to thwart their attacks.
Additionally, the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:4 refers to Satan as “the god of this age” who has blinded unbelievers from seeing Christ’s light. This indicates willful spiritual blindness will increase in the end times deception.
Conclusion
As we have seen, there are many important blind figures throughout the Bible. Their physical blindness often symbolized deeper spiritual blindness and separation from God. However, Jesus repeatedly healed and restored the blind as a sign of the coming of the kingdom of God.
Though physical blindness was a source of hardship in the ancient world, the stories of the blind in Scripture remind us of God’s compassion. He cares for the disabled and marginalized, and promises to one day wipe away every tear and make all things new.
