"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.
And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
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 8:23-25
Someone on another post here said that Jesus never failed to do anything that He wanted to do, but this is not true. Consider this very well known verse:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
The ones who would not perish are limited to those who believed in Him. God really wants everyone to believe in Him and provides the means and opportunity, but He insists that they do it His Way. If they do not then will they not receive the reward of hypocrites... or?
"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward." Matt 6:5
The man believed but his belief had only just begun. God's work was incomplete in him. He needed to move or grow closer to God. Anyone on this forum need to do this?
Why did Jesus need to touch the man's eyes twice in Mark 8:23ff ?
I would say it is likely that the man was not completely open to God the first time. For good reason or bad in his own mind he blocked God's way even as people today who have known God block or quench the Holy Spirit.
Consider this man Simon who believed and was baptized here...
"Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done." Acts 8:13
He believed or as some would term it today, he was saved... but he needed another touch from God to move him closer to God, to improve his vision of God. Instead of seeking what was really needed he sought to obtain that which would satisfy his flesh. His vision was blurred and he did not seek to improve it or to have it improved, did he? He needed to move from through a glass darkly toward "face to face" but failed to do so.
"And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost." Acts 8:18-19
"But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God." Acts 8:20-21
"Where there is no vision, the people perish..." Prov 29:18
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." I Cor 13:12
Again back to the question of Jesus failing to do that which He wanted to do. Jesus never made a mistake and never failed to do anything He tried to do, but knowing the hearts of men He did not try to impose God's will on anyone whose heart remained closed to God. Jesus restored natural life to people more than once, but He did not attempt to bring all of the people out of their graves who died. He knew God's plan and worked within it and being the Word of God [John 1:14], He never went against God's Word.
Today all of us have seen men of God pray and fail or perhaps we, those of us on this forum, have prayed for some person's healing and failed. Jesus never did. This is because He knew what He was supposed to do and when. If we are led by the Holy Spirit always, so will we. That we try and fail means at times we are not led by the Holy Spirit. At times we are not asking and receiving. At times we are not listening to and hear His Voice. So then are we not His sheep?
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