LIX.
HEALING BLIND MEN AND A DUMB DEMONIAC.
(Probably Capernaum.)
^aMATT. IX. 27-34.

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      ^a27 And as Jesus passed by from thence [If construed strictly, this phrase means, as he departed from Jairus' house. But the phrase is indefinite], two blind men followed him, crying out, and saying, Have mercy on us, thou son of David. [This, among the Jews, was a common and thoroughly recognized name for the expected Messiah.]   28 And when he was come into the house [possibly Peter's. But the place is not important. The house is mentioned to show that the blind men persistently followed Jesus until he stopped], 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. [In the earlier stages of his ministry Jesus had worked his miracles with little or no solicitation; but now, as the evidences of his power were multiplied, Jesus demanded a fuller expression of faith; for faith was the fruitage for which the miracles were wrought.]   29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.   30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus strictly [sternly] charged them, saying, See that no man know it.   31 But they went forth, and spread abroad his fame in all that land. [Jesus might well speak severely when charging his beneficiaries to be silent, for apparently no one of them ever obeyed him.]   32 And as they went forth, behold, there was brought to him a dumb man possessed with a demon.   33 And when the demon was cast out, the dumb man spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. [Some regard this demoniac as being the victim of combined physical and spiritual maladies, but it is more likely that the dumbness was [357] caused by the demon, since in some instances they deprived men of reason (Mark v. 15), and in others they threw men into convulsions or distortions--Mark ix. 18; Luke xiii. 11, 16.]   34 But the Pharisees said, By the prince of the demons casteth he out demons. [If we are correct in our chronology, Jesus had already fully answered this charge. See pages 300-302. If he repeated any part of this answer at this time, Matthew is silent as to it.]