Their cry (vs 27)
- Son of David was what Israel was supposed to know Christ as, but many strangers knew him as this first.
- Isaiah 42:5-7 – First of all the name Gentiles describes every nation that isn’t Israel. We are not Israelites, we are what God considers heathen, or Gentiles.
- Matthew 12:21-24
- Matthew 15:21-28
- Matthew 22:41-46
- John 4 the woman at the well was a stranger, but came to know him as the Christ as well as many Samaritans.
- This story is told a second time and put into context to contrast Israel’s rejection of Christ, but the stranger’s reception of him. See Matthew 20:30-34 then Jesus comes riding into Jerusalem on a donkey and those in Jerusalem ask, Who is this? 21:1-11
- Have mercy
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- They beg Jesus Christ for mercy. God is merciful to those who look for mercy.
- Self righteousness is blindness.
- Humility is sight.
- You sit in uncertainty at least as the world is concerned. In Jesus Christ there is certainty. There is removal of doubts. There is confidence. There is hope. There is joy.
- Blind hymn writer Fanny Crosby wrote Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior about this event.
Pass me not, O gentle Savior, Hear my humble cry; While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.
Let me at Thy throne of mercy Find a sweet relief; Kneeling there in deep contrition, Help my unbelief.
Trusting only in Thy merit, Would I seek Thy face; Heal my wounded, broken spirit, Save me by Thy grace.
Thou the spring of all my comfort, More than life to me; Whom have I on earth beside Thee? Whom in heaven but Thee?
CHORUS: Savior, Savior, Hear my humble cry; While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.
Their confession (vs 28)
Their conversion (vs 29)
- Faith pleases God – Without faith it is impossible to please God.
- Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Now, you know these blind men had heard the word of God somewhere because they were familiar enough with Christ being the Son of David.
- Faith is a response to God’s word. Faith is not just believing in an idea that you came up with. Faith is a response to God’s word.
- Galatians 3:2-5 Did these men receive sight because they didn’t commit adultery? Did these men receive sight because they never killed anyone?
- Faith highlighted in Matthew 8-9
- Stranger’s faith in 8:10
- Disciple’s little faith in 8:26
- Palsied man and their faith in 9:2
- Woman with issue of blood has faith in 9:22
- People’s faith would connect them to the power of God in Jesus Christ over Diseases, Devils, Death, Darkness
Their commission (vss 30-31)
- The instruction to not tell anyone seems odd, but the Lord had his reason.
- But that means what the Lord Jesus Christ did, He did for those two men personally.
