Matthew 20:29-34

²⁹ Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. ³⁰ And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” ³¹ Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” ³² So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” ³³ They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” ³⁴ So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

Commentary

Vs. 29 “Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him.”

The Lord Jesus continues His journey to the Cross. Now leaving Jericho, the ancient city with much history and the place near to where He was baptized in the Jordan river, then later tempted by the devil, before He began His ministry. And so, leaving Jericho, a great multitude of people follow Him as He journeys to Jerusalem and His destiny there.

Vs. 30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”

Now as Jesus with the multitude journeyed there were two blind men sitting by the road, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by they cried out saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” Now by calling Jesus both Lord and the Son of David they were acknowledge His Person as the Messiah something which the nation of Israel (and its leadership) had failed to do. And so, though these men were blind, they were not blinded to the Lord Jesus Christ and who His Person truly is, God’s Son our Lord and Savior and Israel’s King. Something which is not unique to them as God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which He promised to those who love Him (James 2:5).

Vs. 31 Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”

Now the multitude who was following Jesus being enamored with the Lord Jesus Christ and following Him along the road did not want these two men to interrupt Him with their crying out to Him. Nonetheless the blind men would not be silenced and they cried out all the more saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” Neither then should you let anyone silence you in your pursuits and desires to have the Lord meet with you.

Vs. 32 So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

Therefore, seeing that the blind men’s persistence, that they would not be turned away, and though the Lord Jesus was on His journey to the Cross He now stops and calls them and asks them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

Vs. 33-34 ³³ They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” ³⁴ So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

Now their request of the Lord is only that they want their eyes opened so that they might see. Therefore, Lord being moved with compassion for them touches their eyes and immediately they receive their sight, seeing for the first time they see God’s Son, the One who they believed could heal them. It must have been a captivating moment for them as they looked directly into the eyes of love, and so everything else for them from that moment forward would be a blessing beyond blessing, for having believed and then seen the Son of God face to face they could do nothing else but follow Him. The only question then is have you believed in and been captivated by the Lord Jesus Christ to follow Him, because only the Lord Jesus Christ can open your eyes to new and everlasting life and thus give you Spiritual sight into all that He is and all that God is doing and going to do for you and accomplish through you. Therefore, don’t delay be reconciled to God today!

Scripture Quotations:

The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.