And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
Right after he had driven the buyers, sellers and moneychangers with their merchandise out of the temple courts for turning God's house into dishonest trade and robbery, the blind and the lame came to him there and he healed them. Those who came were not the great seeking favor but the poor, sick and afflicted drawn by love and hope in him as their only hope, and his healing left none unrelieved, giving sight to the blind, strength to the lame, health to dying infants and children, and restoration of body and soul. In this he let terrible majesty give place to tenderest sympathy that revealed the Father's heart, and worked cures more wonderful than before that gave visible, unmistakable evidence of his Messiahship, divine mission and authority. The restoration turned weeping into rejoicing and praise, even from children crying Hosanna, while the chief priests, scribes and elders who saw the undeniable proof were sore displeased because they feared his humble works of love and wanted a king of pomp who would exalt them. The cleansing had to come first before the healing could be done, making this true medical missionary work and restoration after the order of Isaiah 58, showing that temple courts and institutions must be cleansed of every dishonest transaction before they can be put to their true merciful use.
Cleansing and Healing Setting
Immediately after driving buyers, sellers, and moneychangers with their merchandise out of the temple courts for making God's house a place of dishonest trade, robbery, and extortion, the blind and the lame came to him in the temple and he healed them. These healings were the wonderful deeds in God's house, joined with the children crying Hosanna to the Son of David, which the chief priests and scribes witnessed. The healings brought rejoicing and praise and served as evidence of Messiahship and authority.
The verse belongs to his final visit to Jerusalem and the temple before his death, when he acted as Israel's king, took a position of authority his opponents could not intimidate, and gave evidence of his divine mission. Together with the triumphal entry and the judgment on the barren fig tree, these events pointed to Jerusalem's coming doom. The surrounding account of that final royal visit does not describe the healing of the blind and the lame.
Those who came were not the great and powerful seeking to impress him, but the poor, sick, and afflicted who remained because they were held by the attraction of his presence and drawn with love and hope. Though warned to turn back, they pressed on with sick and dying loved ones, trusting him as the great Healer and their only hope, believing they would perish without his pity. They found in his face love and tender compassion rather than severity.
His healing was complete and universal: the blind received sight, the lame leaped for joy, the dumb praised God with loosened tongues, and demons were cast out from those they had long tormented. Disease and even approaching death were driven away by his touch and laying on of hands, and no suppliant seeking help was sent away unrelieved. Pale anxious mothers brought dying infants whom he folded tenderly to his bosom and returned well and strong, sick children were restored, and infant and decrepit and those with loathsome diseases were cared for, body and soul restored.
The court newly cleared of noisy trade became calm, a place of mercy and teaching worthy of the temple, where sufferers heard him teach. Hundreds who had come to the Passover feeble and desponding returned home sound in body and enlightened in mind.
Mercy, Authority and Response
The terrible majesty seen in driving out the traders gave place to tenderest sympathy as He looked after the fleeing crowd with sorrow and compassion. As Restorer He revealed the Father's heart of tender compassion, bending over suffering little ones with pity exceeding that of a tender mother, so that sufferers found in His face love and tender compassion rather than severity. The needy who remained were met with tenderness and mercy: the blind received sight, the lame were restored and leaped for joy, the sick were relieved, the dumb praised God with loosened tongues, demons were cast out from those they had long tormented, disease was driven away, and no suppliant seeking help was sent away unrelieved. Pale anxious mothers brought dying infants whom He folded tenderly to His bosom and returned to their arms well and strong, and sick children were restored to health, turning their mothers' weeping into thanksgiving.
The cures were wonderful, extraordinary, and more wonderful than any accomplished before, displaying divine power lifted above humanity. His healing extended even to the sick and dying, and together with the purging of the temple revealed divine authority that should have brought the people to worship Him at His feet. These wonderful deeds, joined with the children crying Hosanna to the Son of David, gave visible, unmistakable, undeniable evidence of His Messiahship, divine mission, and authority. They were witnessed by the chief priests and scribes as wonderful things done in God's house.
The restoration broke out in joy, rejoicing, glad praise, and thanksgiving, with the dumb opening their lips in praise and the blind beholding the face of their Restorer. Mothers' weeping was turned into thanksgiving, and children restored to health joined the praise. Children cried Hosanna to the Son of David, while children and youth, fathers and mothers, friends and spectators proclaimed His matchless love everywhere, and those seeking mercy and relief heard Him teach in the court newly made calm from noisy trade.
The chief priests, scribes, and elders saw these wonderful deeds but were sore displeased. Though they had seen unmistakable, undeniable evidence of His authority and power, they wanted grounds to oppose Him rather than proof. Those returning looked on the cures with amazement as the people slowly drifted back with faces showing irresolution and timidity, yet the leaders determined to disbelieve. They feared this humble Galilean teacher of humility and love would take their power over the people by His greater works and superhuman authority, while their haughty spirits wanted a king coming with pomp to subdue nations and raise them higher.
Those healed came to know Him as Saviour who had given health of body and light to their souls. Left alone with the poor who looked to Him with love and sympathy and with tears in His eyes, He promised deliverance that would glorify Him, heard every urgent cry for blessing, and restored soul and body, filling hearts with hope and gladness and bringing peace to minds. At the crucifixion they did not join the cry Crucify Him, crucify Him but sympathized with Jesus, and afterward they listened to the preaching of the apostles, gained understanding, and became agents of God's mercy and instruments of His salvation.
Pattern for Healing Work
The healing of the blind and the lame in the temple after driving out the buyers and sellers and overthrowing the tables of the moneychangers is true medical missionary work. It is an act of restoration in which, as Restorer, He revealed the Father's heart of tender compassion after rebuking the Pharisees and doctors of the law for dishonest practices, robbery and extortion in the temple courts. This healing is the method Sabbathkeepers are to follow in their work, plainly specified in Isaiah 58.
The cleansing had to come first before this healing work could be done, when all the sick were brought to Him and He laid His hands upon them and healed them all. So the temple courts in institutions must likewise be cleansed before that same work can be done. Done in this order, the healing reveals true godliness and true righteousness, and shows the temple put to true practical use for a purpose that brings no defilement.
Following this pattern requires cleansing and purifying of marketplaces, merchandise stores, courts of justice, lawyers' offices, and the medical fraternity from every dishonest transaction. God will not be a party to dishonesty, and the soul who keeps the Sabbath is stamped with the sign of God's government and must not dishonor it.
Right after he had driven the buyers, sellers and moneychangers with their merchandise out of the temple courts for turning God's house into dishonest trade and robbery, the blind and the lame came to him there and he healed them. Those who came were not the great seeking favor but the poor, sick and afflicted drawn by love and hope in him as their only hope, and his healing left none unrelieved, giving sight to the blind, strength to the lame, health to dying infants and children, and restoration of body and soul. In this he let terrible majesty give place to tenderest sympathy that revealed the Father's heart, and worked cures more wonderful than before that gave visible, unmistakable evidence of his Messiahship, divine mission and authority. The restoration turned weeping into rejoicing and praise, even from children crying Hosanna, while the chief priests, scribes and elders who saw the undeniable proof were sore displeased because they feared his humble works of love and wanted a king of pomp who would exalt them. The cleansing had to come first before the healing could be done, making this true medical missionary work and restoration after the order of Isaiah 58, showing that temple courts and institutions must be cleansed of every dishonest transaction before they can be put to their true merciful use.
Cleansing and Healing Setting
Immediately after driving buyers, sellers, and moneychangers with their merchandise out of the temple courts for making God's house a place of dishonest trade, robbery, and extortion, the blind and the lame came to him in the temple and he healed them. These healings were the wonderful deeds in God's house, joined with the children crying Hosanna to the Son of David, which the chief priests and scribes witnessed. The healings brought rejoicing and praise and served as evidence of Messiahship and authority.
The verse belongs to his final visit to Jerusalem and the temple before his death, when he acted as Israel's king, took a position of authority his opponents could not intimidate, and gave evidence of his divine mission. Together with the triumphal entry and the judgment on the barren fig tree, these events pointed to Jerusalem's coming doom. The surrounding account of that final royal visit does not describe the healing of the blind and the lame.
Those who came were not the great and powerful seeking to impress him, but the poor, sick, and afflicted who remained because they were held by the attraction of his presence and drawn with love and hope. Though warned to turn back, they pressed on with sick and dying loved ones, trusting him as the great Healer and their only hope, believing they would perish without his pity. They found in his face love and tender compassion rather than severity.
His healing was complete and universal: the blind received sight, the lame leaped for joy, the dumb praised God with loosened tongues, and demons were cast out from those they had long tormented. Disease and even approaching death were driven away by his touch and laying on of hands, and no suppliant seeking help was sent away unrelieved. Pale anxious mothers brought dying infants whom he folded tenderly to his bosom and returned well and strong, sick children were restored, and infant and decrepit and those with loathsome diseases were cared for, body and soul restored.
The court newly cleared of noisy trade became calm, a place of mercy and teaching worthy of the temple, where sufferers heard him teach. Hundreds who had come to the Passover feeble and desponding returned home sound in body and enlightened in mind.
Mercy, Authority and Response
The terrible majesty seen in driving out the traders gave place to tenderest sympathy as He looked after the fleeing crowd with sorrow and compassion. As Restorer He revealed the Father's heart of tender compassion, bending over suffering little ones with pity exceeding that of a tender mother, so that sufferers found in His face love and tender compassion rather than severity. The needy who remained were met with tenderness and mercy: the blind received sight, the lame were restored and leaped for joy, the sick were relieved, the dumb praised God with loosened tongues, demons were cast out from those they had long tormented, disease was driven away, and no suppliant seeking help was sent away unrelieved. Pale anxious mothers brought dying infants whom He folded tenderly to His bosom and returned to their arms well and strong, and sick children were restored to health, turning their mothers' weeping into thanksgiving.
The cures were wonderful, extraordinary, and more wonderful than any accomplished before, displaying divine power lifted above humanity. His healing extended even to the sick and dying, and together with the purging of the temple revealed divine authority that should have brought the people to worship Him at His feet. These wonderful deeds, joined with the children crying Hosanna to the Son of David, gave visible, unmistakable, undeniable evidence of His Messiahship, divine mission, and authority. They were witnessed by the chief priests and scribes as wonderful things done in God's house.
The restoration broke out in joy, rejoicing, glad praise, and thanksgiving, with the dumb opening their lips in praise and the blind beholding the face of their Restorer. Mothers' weeping was turned into thanksgiving, and children restored to health joined the praise. Children cried Hosanna to the Son of David, while children and youth, fathers and mothers, friends and spectators proclaimed His matchless love everywhere, and those seeking mercy and relief heard Him teach in the court newly made calm from noisy trade.
The chief priests, scribes, and elders saw these wonderful deeds but were sore displeased. Though they had seen unmistakable, undeniable evidence of His authority and power, they wanted grounds to oppose Him rather than proof. Those returning looked on the cures with amazement as the people slowly drifted back with faces showing irresolution and timidity, yet the leaders determined to disbelieve. They feared this humble Galilean teacher of humility and love would take their power over the people by His greater works and superhuman authority, while their haughty spirits wanted a king coming with pomp to subdue nations and raise them higher.
Those healed came to know Him as Saviour who had given health of body and light to their souls. Left alone with the poor who looked to Him with love and sympathy and with tears in His eyes, He promised deliverance that would glorify Him, heard every urgent cry for blessing, and restored soul and body, filling hearts with hope and gladness and bringing peace to minds. At the crucifixion they did not join the cry Crucify Him, crucify Him but sympathized with Jesus, and afterward they listened to the preaching of the apostles, gained understanding, and became agents of God's mercy and instruments of His salvation.
Pattern for Healing Work
The healing of the blind and the lame in the temple after driving out the buyers and sellers and overthrowing the tables of the moneychangers is true medical missionary work. It is an act of restoration in which, as Restorer, He revealed the Father's heart of tender compassion after rebuking the Pharisees and doctors of the law for dishonest practices, robbery and extortion in the temple courts. This healing is the method Sabbathkeepers are to follow in their work, plainly specified in Isaiah 58.
The cleansing had to come first before this healing work could be done, when all the sick were brought to Him and He laid His hands upon them and healed them all. So the temple courts in institutions must likewise be cleansed before that same work can be done. Done in this order, the healing reveals true godliness and true righteousness, and shows the temple put to true practical use for a purpose that brings no defilement.
Following this pattern requires cleansing and purifying of marketplaces, merchandise stores, courts of justice, lawyers' offices, and the medical fraternity from every dishonest transaction. God will not be a party to dishonesty, and the soul who keeps the Sabbath is stamped with the sign of God's government and must not dishonor it.