Matthew 20:29-34

Among The Pilgrims On The Jericho Road Leading To Jerusalem Blind Men Declare Him To Be The Son Of David Preparatory To His Triumphal Entry (20:29-34).

As we have already seen, Matthew's Gospel opened with an emphasis on the fact that Jesus was the Son of David (Matthew 1:1; Matthew 1:17; Matthew 1:20), and He was depicted as coming as ‘the King of the Jews' (Matthew 2:2), and in the first two Chapter s the prophet on whom Matthew focused by name was Jeremiah (Matthew 2:17), (all other citations were anonymous), for it was from a background of gloom and judgment that He would come. But then from Matthew 3:2 onwards the focus turns on Isaiah, the prophet of deliverance. All named citations from this point to chapter 13 are from Isaiah (Matthew 3:3; Matthew 4:14; Matthew 8:17; Matthew 12:17; Matthew 13:14), and the coming King becomes also the Servant of Isaiah (Matthew 3:17; Matthew 8:17; Matthew 12:17). It is indeed mainly as the Servant that He now ministers among His people, although it is also made clear that He is the Son (consider Matthew 3:17; Matthew 11:27; Matthew 14:33; Matthew 16:16; Matthew 17:26 and all references to ‘My Father') and His kingship is never far out of sight. But from this point on the main focus is decidedly turned back on Him as the King, and the Son of David (repeated twice and see Matthew 21:9; Matthew 21:15), although it is as the King Who has to suffer, and there are continuing indications of the Servant (Matthew 26:28; Matthew 27:57; and see Isaiah 50:3; Isaiah 53). Once again, however, the only prophet emphasised by name will be Jeremiah (Matthew 27:9), note the similar distinctive wording to Matthew 2:17) the prophet of bad tidings prior to final hope. All that Jesus had come to do in the beginning is coming to fulfilment.

We note in this story that follows that two blind men have their eyes opened, in contrast with the fact that Israel's eyes are not opened (Matthew 13:15), and they thus see Jesus as the Son of David. It is a call to all to open their eyes in the light of what will follow (there is a further emphasis on the blind seeing in Matthew 21:14). Perhaps there was also a hint here that this opening of the eyes was also needed by the two ‘blind' disciples just described in Matthew 20:20. They too were still partly muddling along in the dark.

One further thought we would add here. Blind men were a regular feature of Palestine at this time, and they were to be found begging wherever men went. Furthermore the Jericho Road at Passover time would have its fair share of blind beggars, and we need not doubt that many of them, aware of the special activity when Jesus was passing, would enquire as to what was happening. And when they heard that it was the great healing prophet who was widely reputed to be connected with Solomon, the son of David, they would naturally cry to Him for healing as ‘the Son of David'. Thus there may well have been a number of blind men healed that day.

This connection of the title ‘Son of David' with Solomon (see introduction on the Titles of Jesus) may well explain why Jesus never tries to dampen down its use, as He does the title Messiah. It did not have the same overtones as ‘the Messiah' even though also used of him. It was a title regularly found on the lips of those who sought healing and deliverance, for Solomon's remedies were famous. Thus this scene may in fact have been repeated a number of times in the course of that day. It may be remarkable to us, but the disciples no doubt witnessed such scenes again and again, and the people who genuinely followed Jesus probably included among them their fair share of blind men who had been healed. Thus strictly speaking there is no reason why this should not have been a different healing from those mentioned in Mark and Luke, although performed around the same time. If Matthew was present at this healing Mark's words may well have brought this particular event into his mind whether or not it was the same as Mark's (as remembered by Peter). Indeed a hundred such healings which occurred over Jesus' ministry could probably have been described in the same or similar words (compare Matthew 9:27).

For this healing is not described here because it was a particularly remarkable healing, but because it illustrated a point that the evangelists wanted to bring out, that while the Jerusalem that awaited Jesus was blind, those who were open to Jesus' words, especially the humble and needy, would see. (Compare Matthew 21:14 and Mark's clear use of the story of a blind man to illustrate the gradual opening of the disciples' eyes in Mark 8:22).

Analysis.

a As they went out from Jericho, a great crowd followed Him (Matthew 20:29).

b And behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David” (Matthew 20:30).

c And the crowd rebuked them, that they should hold their peace (Matthew 20:31 a).

d But they cried out the more, saying, “Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David” (Matthew 20:31 b).

c And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, “What do you wish that I should do to you?” (Matthew 20:32).

b They say to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened” (Matthew 20:33).

a And Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes, and immediately they received their sight, and followed Him (Matthew 20:34).

Note that in ‘a' the great crowd followed Him, and in the parallel those who had had their eyes opened followed Him more fully. In ‘b' the blind men cry for mercy, and in the parallel declare that what they want is for their eyes to be opened. In ‘c' the crowd call on them to be quiet, and in the parallel Jesus calls on them to speak. Centrally in ‘d' their cry is that the Son of David will open their eyes.