And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.
Jesus had just returned across the sea with His disciples to a great crowd waiting to receive Him with joy to hear His teaching and to witness His miracles. The multitude gathered in great numbers, including rich and poor, high and low, Pharisees, doctors, and lawyers, and pressed about Him and about the door of the house where He had gone faint and weary to eat. They brought the sick, the deformed, and the mentally afflicted for Him to heal, while He pitied their spiritual darkness and physical suffering and stopped to minister to their wants though nearly carried off His feet by the surging masses. Among the many sick and afflicted entreating His mercy were two blind men who followed Him crying out to Him as the Son of David and pleading for mercy on them.
By calling Him the Son of David they recognized Him as the promised royal Messiah. By asking for mercy they expressed dependence on His compassion and sought His healing. Their public use of that messianic title carried convincing power to the crowd. It made a painful impression on the priests and rabbis, who understood its significance.
They persisted after Him until He entered a house, where they affirmed their belief that He could heal them. He touched their eyes and restored them according to their faith, healing them after they affirmed that He could do so. His opening of the eyes of the blind displayed the power that He would offer in sacrifice for humanity.
Jesus had just returned across the sea with His disciples to a great crowd waiting to receive Him with joy to hear His teaching and to witness His miracles. The multitude gathered in great numbers, including rich and poor, high and low, Pharisees, doctors, and lawyers, and pressed about Him and about the door of the house where He had gone faint and weary to eat. They brought the sick, the deformed, and the mentally afflicted for Him to heal, while He pitied their spiritual darkness and physical suffering and stopped to minister to their wants though nearly carried off His feet by the surging masses. Among the many sick and afflicted entreating His mercy were two blind men who followed Him crying out to Him as the Son of David and pleading for mercy on them.
By calling Him the Son of David they recognized Him as the promised royal Messiah. By asking for mercy they expressed dependence on His compassion and sought His healing. Their public use of that messianic title carried convincing power to the crowd. It made a painful impression on the priests and rabbis, who understood its significance.
They persisted after Him until He entered a house, where they affirmed their belief that He could heal them. He touched their eyes and restored them according to their faith, healing them after they affirmed that He could do so. His opening of the eyes of the blind displayed the power that He would offer in sacrifice for humanity.