Two Blind Men Healed

Matthew 9:27-31 - And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. 28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. 29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. 30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. 31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. 

I.    Jesus breathed life into man in Genesis 2, and he is the one who opens the eyes of the blind, both spiritual and natural blindness. 

A.     Only God has this kind of power. 

B.     There is no where else, and no other person to go to for physical and spiritual healing. 

II.    The men were persistent. 

A.     There were two of them, therefore it was probably a little easier for them to stay up with Christ, as they would help each other. 

1.       Ecclesiastes 4:11 states, Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 

2.       It is good to travel this earthly pilgrimage with a friend. 

B.     They followed, even though they were blind. 

1.       The context indicates they followed Christ for some distance, all the way to the house where he was going. 

a.       They cried, or was very vocal, about wanting Christ to stop and heal them. 

b.       It seems they continually repeated the words, thou Son of David, have mercy on us. 

2.       Their incessant crying would proclaim in the streets that Jesus is the true Messiah, a thing the leaders of the temple would not do, because they did not believe it. 

a.       Romans 10:17 states, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.   

1.)    It is not just physical hearing that brings faith, but spiritual hearing. 

2.)    Read Romans 10:17 carefully to see this truth. 

3.)    Faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God. 

b.       It is interesting to note that though these two men were physically blind, their spiritual eyes were opened to understand that Jesus is the Messiah for which all Israel is waiting. 

1.)    Here are some “nobodies” that see this invaluable truth, while the elite religionists of the day do not understand. 

2.)    I Corinthians 1:26-29 states, For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. 

c.       They cried, “have mercy on us”, not “have mercy on me”. 

1.)    It seems they had made an agreement with each other to jointly call on Christ for healing. 

2.)    People who are afflicted with like afflictions are more able to pray for each other, because their afflictions are understood. 

3.       They had nothing to offer Christ in return for his help. 

a.       They had no home to offer him, as some of the Pharisees had. 

b.       They apparently had no money to offer him, but Christ would not have accepted it anyway. 

c.       They had no “pull”, or political pressure to exert on Christ, but that would not have done anything anyway. 

d.       They had no earthly influence, no doctor’s notes about their desperate situation to present to Christ. 

4.       They evidently believed Jesus Christ is the true Messiah, the son of David. 

a.       The words “son of David” refer to the Messiah of Israel. 

b.       Whether they truly believed Jesus is the Messiah is not known, but they knew the proper words to say to receive healing. 

c.       Perhaps they knew the verses concerning how the true Messiah would be able to open the eyes of the blind. 

1.)    Isaiah 35:5 declares, Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 

2.)    Isaiah 42:7 states, To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. 

3.)    These passages refer to opening the blind spiritual eyes, not necessarily blind physical eyes. 

4.)    It is not wrong always wrong to ask for physical healing because that represents spiritual healing. 

C.     It seems Christ did not stop for them.  [1]

1.       This may seem odd to us, but there were probably many people around Christ at all times, loudly crying to him to heal them, or help them, or something like that. 

2.       I wonder how many of those people did not receive anything from Christ because they did not continue to follow him, continue to ask him, and continue to plead with him for whatever they desired. 

a.       Matthew 7:7 details, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 

b.       James 4 gives some other details about proper asked and receiving. 

c.       II Corinthians 12:8 – Paul asked God three times to remove his physical infirmity, but was informed that God’s grace was sufficient. 

1.)    It is not repetitious praying to ask for the same thing more than one time. 

2.)    Repetitious praying is repeating the same thing over and over for the sake of ritual. 

3.)    When God gives the answer, there is no need of saying anything else. 

d.       I wonder how many sick, maimed, hurting people followed Christ from Jairus’ house and wanted Christ to heal them. 

1.)    The Bible doesn’t say there were any, but there are scriptures that state there were often times many sick people crowded around Christ, desiring healing. 

2.)    I wonder if there were any sick people who came to the door of the house in Capernaum, but failed to enter. 

3.)    It is a little scary living by faith, going into the door, because that is entering unknown, and private territory. 

3.       Their faith was not diminished because Christ did not immediately heal them. 

a.       Their constant crying made their faith grow stronger. 

b.       They continued to follow Christ, even into the house! 

c.       When Christ does not immediately answer our prayers, it is not that he doesn’t hear, but he understands our crying to him will increase our faith and make us stronger. 

4.       Christ went into the house – probably in Capernaum because that is where he was living at the time. 

a.       The distance is not far, the maximum probably five miles, more likely only a couple of miles. 

b.       Houses have doors. 

1.)    Doors are shut to keep intruders out. 

2.)    I don’t know if this door was open or shut, or whether the blind men knocked on the door, but it appears the door was open and they walked right in. 

3.)    If Christ opens the door, do not think you are presumptuous or overly bold to go through it. 

4.)    Christ opened the door for you! 

c.       Christ did not heal them until they came into the house. 

1.)    Christ could have healed them without even turning around, but he did not. 

2.)    Christ could have healed them by simply speaking, but he did not. 

5.       Christ performed many miracles in private. 

a.       John 2:1-11 – the water turned to wine was private, but made public. 

b.       John 4:46-54 – The nobleman’s son was healed and Christ was not present. 

c.       Matthew 8:14-15 – Peter’s mother in law healed in a private home. 

d.       Luke 5:1-11 – The draught of fishes was caught before the disciples only. 

e.       John 5:1-9 – The impotent man by the sheep market was healed privately. 

f.        Matthew 8:5-13 – The centurion’s servant was healed and Christ was not present. 

g.       Matthew 8:24-27 – the great tempest was stilled with only the disciples present. 

h.       Matthew 9:23-26 – Jairus’ daughter was raised privately, just 6 people present. 

i.         When Jesus healed publicly, it was to reveal to all that he was the Messiah. 

j.         When Jesus healed privately, it was to show those individuals he is their only hope. 

6.       The healing in private of the two blind men. 

a.       It appears Christ did not even recognize they were behind him. 

1.)    Maybe Christ was hurrying home to avoid the many people who continually thronged around him. 

2.)    Perhaps Christ was testing their faith to see if they really wanted healing or not. 

b.       Christ asked them if they believed he could heal them. 

1.)    This seems like an unnecessary question, given the fact they had followed Christ all this distance, crying unto them the whole time. 

2.)    It seems they had faith, because they had already followed him, proclaiming him to the be son of David the whole way. 

3.)    It is good, however, to publicly proclaim our faith in Christ by an open testimony. 

a.)    It is not enough to publicly proclaim our faith in Christ, when we are not face to face with the Saviour. 

b.)    It is different to public worship and to publicly proclaim, face to face with the Saviour, that we are worshipping. 

4.)    There are those in the house that did not know that the blind men had followed Christ from Jairus’ house to this house. 

a.)    Those people need to hear their confession of faith in Christ to heal. 

b.)    There are always those people around us who do not know our travels with Christ, nor how God has blessed us that need to hear the new story we will tell of our old travels and how God has blessed us. 

5.)    The blind men publicly confessed they believed Christ was able to heal them. 

7.       Some things are not good enough.

a.       It is not enough for the blind men to follow Christ, showing to all that he is the true Messiah. 

b.       It is not enough for the blind men to go into the house were Jesus was staying. 

c.       It is not enough for the blind men to speak to Jesus. 

d.       All they have done is vain and leaves them still blind, if Jesus does not touch them and heal them. 

e.       These blind men are completely, totally dependent on Christ to heal them. 

f.        All sinners do is vain unless Jesus touches them. 

g.       Compare to sinners to want to be saved. 

1.)    It is not enough that sinners know Jesus can save them. 

2.)    It is not enough for sinners to pray and call out to Jesus to save them. 

3.)    It is not enough for sinners to follow Jesus around, shouting to everybody that Jesus is the true Saviour. 

4.)    It is not enough for sinners to be in the assembled church during worship services – even though Jesus is present. 

5.)    It is not enough for sinners to talk to Jesus in prayer. 

6.)    Sinners are completely, totally dependent on Christ to save them. 

7.)    Sinners can only be saved when Jesus touches them. 

8.       At that point Christ touched their eyes and healed them. 

a.       Christ did not have to touch them to heal them.

b.       Christ healed another blind man by spitting on the ground, making spittle, and applying that to his eyes, instructing that man to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. 

c.       Christ could have done any number of things, but the power to heal is revealed in the touch of Christ. 

d.       The phrase (touched their eyes) means we have been “moved upon” by God. 

1.)    They are healed according to their faith. 

a.)    They believed, therefore they were healed. 

b.)    If they had not believed, and shown the outward fruit (following Christ, continually crying out to him, and then going into the house) of their inward believing, they would not have been healed. 

2.)    Apparently they had full faith, for they apparently received full sight. 

3.)    How much faith do you have? 

4.)    We all receive according to our faith? 

III.    Jesus charged them to tell no man. 

A.     Christ had warned others before to tell no man, but his warning was not heeded, and his fame spread abroad very much. 

B.     It likely Christ does not want people following him, just for the sake of being healed. 

1.       Healing is a sign that Jesus is the Christ, and is not a means to the end. 

2.       It is better that people know Jesus is the Messiah than that he is some sort of miracle worker. 

3.       Jesus does not want popularity, or earthly praise. 

4.       He desires people see God the Father and the eternal, spiritual issues of life, health, death and the resurrection. 

C.     Christ also understands the future, that the Jews will soon seek to kill him because they reject who he is, the only begotten son of God. 

1.       Jesus knows his disciples will be scattered and be fearful. 

2.       Jesus understands the Jews will soon seek to kill Lazarus, after Jesus raises him from the dead. 

D.     Their disobedience.

1.       It would be natural to spread the word about healing. 

2.       It would be spiritual to obey the clear commands of Christ. 

3.       There is never an excuse for disobedience. 

4.       Whatever Christ tells us to do, we should do.  [2]