Father MacEvilly’s Commentary on Matthew 9:27-31

Mat 9:27  And as Jesus passed from thence, there followed him two blind men crying out and saying, Have mercy on us, O Son of David.

On His way home, after leaving the house of Jairus, “two blind men,” who heard of the many miraculous cures He performed, “followed Him,” (loudly) “crying out,” &c., “Son of David.” This was one of the titles ascribed by the Jews to the promised Messiah, and in this sense, the words are used on this, as on another occasion, by two other blind men (Matt. 20:30; Mark 10:47; Luke 18:38)—“have mercy on us,” and restore our sight. It implies their belief in His power, as the promised Messiah, who was expected about this time, by the Jews (John 1:25). They only invoke the exercise of His mercy.

Mat 9:28  And when he was come to the house, the blind men came to him. And Jesus saith to them, Do you believe, that I can do this unto you? They say to him, Yea, Lord.

Our Lord deferred complying with their earnest prayer, for the purpose of testing and confirming their faith, and of showing the necessity of persevering prayer. So, when they came “to His house” at Capharnaum, He asked, did they believe in His power, “that I can do this?” not merely by obtaining it for you through prayer, but, by My own power, not merely as legate, but as God; and on their replying in the affirmative, He cured them.

Mat 9:29  Then he touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith, be it done unto you.

“Do you believe that I can do this?” Hence, the primary conception of the theological virtue of faith—this virtue so essential for justification—is not faith in the remission of our sins, through the merits of Christ, as some Protestants imagine it; but an act of assent, on the part of the intellect, accompanied by the pious motion of the will, enlightened and aided by God’s grace, to receive all that God has taught. No doubt, to this faith was joined, on the part of those whom our Redeemer cured, on several occasions, an act of firm confidence in His mercy and goodness. Indeed, any one who will take the trouble of reading the eleventh chapter to the Hebrews, will see that faith consists in a belief in God’s attributes, especially His veracity.

The blind men could come to a knowledge of our Saviour’s miracles, merely through hearing. He required of them a profession of faith, and, according to that faith, that is, to the belief in His power, accompanied with confidence in His merciful goodness, was the miracle performed.

Mat 9:30  And their eyes were opened, and Jesus strictly charged them, saying, See that no man know this.

“Their eyes were opened” (i.e.), they began to see. Thus, in common conversation, we say of a man, who sees something, he did not see before, “his eyes are opened.” In the same way, we say of men who received the faculty of hearing, “his ears were opened.”

“He strictly charged them,” for the reasons already explained (v. 25), “see that no man know this.”

Mat 9:31  But they going out, spread his fame abroad in all that country.

“But they, going out, spread His fame,” &c. Some Protestant writers maintain that they sinned, in thus openly violating our Lord’s positive injunction. However, it is more generally held, that they did not sin; for, many of the Holy Fathers hold, with St. Chrysostom, Theophylact, St. Jerome, Venerable Bede, St. Gregory (Moral, lxiv. c. 18), that our Lord did not moan to enjoin this on them absolutely; but that He meant to repress their first emotions of gratitude, so that the knowledge of the miracle would only gradually reach the people. No doubt, He acted from feelings of humility, and with a view to teach us to avoid all ostentation and vain glory. Hence, they, looking to our Redeemer’s motive and intention, rather than to the strict meaning of His words, published it in good faith, from feelings of gratitude, believing it would redound so much to the glory of their Benefactor, when the people were made aware of His goodness and power in these miracles. Our Lord acted from motives of prudence also. The more stupendous the miracle, the greater the hostility of the Pharisees, with whom He did not wish, at the time, to come into open collision, nor would it suit His designs, to be now delivered up by them. His prohibition regarding publicity, only extended to raising the dead, or restoring sight to the blind, as these works, being beyond the reach of natural agency, would expose Him to greater odium and peril.

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