Monday, January 20, 2014

Matthew 9:27-38

And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” But they went away and spread his fame through all that district. As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.” And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”


Son of David - "A title that linked Jesus to the messianic line (cf. Matt 1:1)." (Ryrie)

"Son of David is His title as He stands in relation to His earthly people, and in this passage we have Him called by this name for the first time in the Gospel.  The cry these two men utter is specifically Jewish, and surely no Gentile will cry to Him as Son of David.  Later in the Gospel a Gentile woman cried after Him, 'Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is miserably possessed by a demon.  But He did not answer her a word' (Matt 15:23).  When she called again, she said, 'Lord, help me,' and after she had taken her place with the dogs the Lord acknowledged her faith." (Gaebelein)

"Since 'Son of David' was a messianic title, these men were revealing that they had heard Christ's presentation of Himself as Messiah and were appealing to Him for a messianic miracle.  Although Christ, in ministering to the needs of people, sometime performed miracles when faith apparently was absent (cf. Luke 22:51), in responding to a request for a messianic miracle, He demanded faith.  Thus Christ asked them, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?' (v 28), and they confessed, 'Yes Lord.'  Again they addressed Him with the messianic title of 'Lord' (cf. Ps 110:1).  In response to their faith, the petition was granted and Christ removed their blindness." (Pentecost)

And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” - "Even though He is the Messiah and can reveal the Father to the nation, there will be no benefits from His coming until the nation, as did these blind men, turns in faith to Him.  The leaders of the nation had already indicated their determination to reject Christ; and so He commanded these blind men, 'See that no none knows about this' (Matt 9:30).  Christ had previously said that He had no further evidence to give this nation apart from the sign of Jonah (Matt 12:39 [chronologically, Matt 12:39 comes before Matt 9:30]).  Thus Christ did not intend that these men become witnesses to the nation." (Pentecost)

they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd - "But what scenes met His eye as He passed thus ministering among the crowds of people?  He beheld them as worn out, harassed and cast away as sheep not having a shepherd.  In this loving sympathy He reveals Himself as the Shepherd of Israel.  Long before His Spirit in the prophets had spoken of the scene we behold here.  'Son of Man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say unto them, Thus aid the Lord God unto the shepherds: Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do not feed themselves!  Should not the shepherds feed the flock? ... And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd; and they became meat to all the beast of the field, where they were scattered.  My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill; yea, My flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth and none did search and seek after them' (Ezek 34).  In the same chapter we read what Jehovah the Shepherd of Israel says: 'I will both search My sheep and find them out ... I will seek out My sheep ... I will bring them out from the people and gather them from the countries ... I will feed them in a good pasture ... I will feed My flock and I will cause them to lie down ... I will seek that which was lost ... I will make with them a covenant of peace,' ... etc.  He came thus to His own as the Shepherd, but they did not want Him." (Gaebelein)

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