Arcana Coelestia #6990
6990. 'Or the seeing, or the blind' means faith through cognitions, or the absence of faith through a lack of them. This is clear from the meaning of 'seeing' as understanding and being in possession of faith, dealt with in 897, 2325, 2807, 3863, 3869, 4403-4411, thus faith as a result of cognitions (for in the original language it is a word that means one who is open - whose eyes are, to be exact - and so means one who sees as a result of cognitions, for these serve to open); and from the meaning of 'the blind' as the absence of faith as a result of a lack of cognitions, since a blind person is not one of 'the seeing'. In the Word those who are 'blind' also mean gentiles who have no knowledge of the truth of faith because they live outside the Church, yet when they have been taught accept faith, see 2387. Those same people are also meant by the blind whom the Lord healed, spoken of in Matthew 9:27-31; 12:22; Matthew 20:29-end; 21:14; Mark 8:22-26; 10:46-end; Luke 18:35-end; John 9:1-end.
Mark 8:22-26
22
He came to Bethsaida. They brought a blind man to him, and begged him to touch him.
23
He took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village. When he had spit on his eyes, and laid his hands on him, he asked him if he saw anything.
24
He looked up, and said, "I see men; for I see them like trees walking."
25
Then again he laid his hands on his eyes. He looked intently, and was restored, and saw everyone clearly.
26
He sent him away to his house, saying, "Don't enter into the village, nor tell anyone in the village."
