The Blind Men; Matt 20

[hillsbororiver]

I don't know how many times I have read this before but going through this Gospel today a thought struck me about who were actually the blinder ones here, the two men without physical sight or the multitude who thought they really knew what they were seeing.

Mat 20:29  And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

Mat 20:30  And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.

Mat 20:31  And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.

Mat 20:32  And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?

Mat 20:33  They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.

Mat 20:34  So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

The multitude (of fickle followers) even the disciples at this point believed they knew what the mission and ministry of Jesus was, to establish an earthly Kingdom of Israel at that time, of course they were wrong, they were blind to the entire plan and purpose of His first coming.

Complacency or a lack of mercy and compassion has no part in His Kingdom.

Peace,

Joe

[Samson]

I don't know how many times I have read this before but going through this Gospel today a thought struck me about who were actually the blinder ones here, the two men without physical sight or the multitude who thought they really knew what they were seeing.

Mat 20:29  And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

Mat 20:30  And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.

Mat 20:31  And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.

Mat 20:32  And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?

Mat 20:33  They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.

Mat 20:34  So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

The multitude (of fickle followers) even the disciples at this point believed they knew what the mission and ministry of Jesus was, to establish an earthly Kingdom of Israel at that time, of course they were wrong, they were blind to the entire plan and purpose of His first coming.

Complacency or a lack of mercy and compassion has no part in His Kingdom.

Peace,

Joe

Thankyou for that passage regarding those physically and spiritually blind.

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is about that Man born blind that Jesus gave sight to, found at
John. 9:(1-41); especially verses 25-41, " He answered and said, Whether he is a sinner or not I do not know;
One thing I know; that though I was blind, now I see. Then they said to him again, What did he do to you? How
did He open your eyes? He answered them, I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it
again? Do you also want to become His disciples. Then they reviled him and said, You are His disciple, but we are Moses disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from. The Man answered and said to them, Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! Now we know that god does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshipper of God and does His Will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing. They said to him, You were completely born in sins, and you are teaching us and they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out, He said to him, Do you believe in the Son Of God ? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in Him? And Jesus said to him, you have both seen him and it is He is talking to you. Then he said, Lord I believe and he worshipped him. AND JESUS SAID, FOR JUDGEMENT I HAVE COME INTO THE WORLD, THAT THOSE WHO DO NOT SEE MAY SEE, AND THOSE WHO SEE MAY BE MADE BLIND, THEN SOME OF THE PHARISEE'S WHO WERE WITH HIM HEARD THESE WORDS, AND SAID TO HIM, ARE WE BLIND ALSO? JESUS SAID TO THEM, IF YOU WERE BLIND, YOU WOULD HAVE NO SIN; BUT NOW YOU SAY, WE SEE. THEREFORE YOUR SIN REMAINS. " ( Last three verses in Caps and Red for emphasis)


                                          Kind Regards, Samson.[/color]

[Kat]

Hi Joe,

Well I'm seeing that parable of the many and the few here.  You have "a great multitude followed Him," as the church does even to this day.  Then you have but "two blind men sitting by the way side," we are all blind at first, waiting for Him to come our way.  But God begins to draw us and we in return cry out to Him and as He begin to show us the state of the world we are in, "but they cried the more."  But what does the church say, "they should hold their peace."  But for a very few "Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him."

I love seeing this all through the Scriptures now.  Thanks for bringing this forward.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[aqrinc]

I don't know how many times I have read this before but going through this Gospel today a thought struck me about who were actually the blinder ones here, the two men without physical sight or the multitude who thought they really knew what they were seeing.

Mat 20:32  And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?

Mat 20:33  They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.

Mat 20:34  So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

The multitude (of fickle followers) even the disciples at this point believed they knew what the mission and ministry of Jesus was, to establish an earthly Kingdom of Israel at that time, of course they were wrong, they were blind to the entire plan and purpose of His first coming.

Complacency or a lack of mercy and compassion has no part in His Kingdom.

Peace,

Joe

Joe,

You are so right on and timely. The Scriptures Say, not to dispute about words to no profit, Study earnestly and shun profane, vain babblings:

2Timothy 2: 14-16 (MKJV)
14  Put them in memory of these things, charging them before the Lord not to dispute about words to no profit, to the subverting of the hearers.
15  Study earnestly to present yourself approved to God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.
16  But shun profane, vain babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.

And these are what we should be developing by staying in The Word Daily:

Gal 5: 23-23 (KJV)
22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

george.

[hillsbororiver]

Great responses Samson, Kat & George,

I can see the relevant additions you all have made to this topic. Isn't it amazing how much can be packed into so few verses?

Thank you,

Joe

[aqrinc]

Joe,

For all this we must Thank GOD And Our Lord Jesus Christ; from GOD Through Jesus Christ came our teacher Ray. He (Ray) is Gifted with the verbal and written explanation of the Word that is GOD'S Mercy on us.

Because our eyes are now seeing and ears hearing; we can now begin to understand faintly; GOD'S Love, Grace, Mercy, Patience, Longsuffering (15+ billion years), Forgiveness, Sovreignity, Kindness, Power, Might, Goodness and Justice.

Now that is a lifetime of understanding and learning; to cram into 60 to 80 (physical) years, all in preparation for being Like GOD (Spiritual) and Immortal. From total blindness to Spiritual Life in an eye blink.

1Th 4: 13-18 (GW) GOD'S Word To The Nations
13  Brothers and sisters, we don't want you to be ignorant about those who have died. We don't want you to grieve like other people who have no hope.
14  We believe that Jesus died and came back to life. We also believe that, through Jesus, God will bring back those who have died. They will come back with Jesus.
15  We are telling you what the Lord taught. We who are still alive when the Lord comes will not go into his kingdom ahead of those who have already died.
16  The Lord will come from heaven with a command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the dead who believed in Christ will come back to life.
17  Then, together with them, we who are still alive will be taken in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. In this way we will always be with the Lord.
18  So then, comfort each other with these words! 

Mama Mio, I think i need a bigger brainbox.

george.

[hillsbororiver]

Hi George,

You hit on something that immediately brought home a point that I believe many of us can relate to.

For all this we must Thank GOD And Our Lord Jesus Christ; from GOD Through Jesus Christ came our teacher Ray. He (Ray) is Gifted with the verbal and written explanation of the Word that is GOD'S Mercy on us.

Our Lord does in fact use certain people at appointed times to open the eyes of His children, I can say without hesitation that our Lord began to clear the scales from my eyes through the teachings of Ray just as He used Ananias to give sight to Saul/Paul.

Act 9:17  And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Act 9:18  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

This healing was not done by the power of Ananias it was through Ananias that the Spirit of our Lord manifested His power!

Certainly we can and do (if it is His will) receive direct revelation from God but it is consistantly shown throughout the scriptures that He uses some men (and women) as vessels to promote His glorious plan for the salvation of all.

Peace,

Joe 

[Amrhrasach]

I don't know how many times I have read this before but going through this Gospel today a thought struck me about who were actually the blinder ones here, the two men without physical sight or the multitude who thought they really knew what they were seeing.

Mat 20:29  And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

Mat 20:30  And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.

Mat 20:31  And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.

Mat 20:32  And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?

Mat 20:33  They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.

Mat 20:34  So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

The multitude (of fickle followers) even the disciples at this point believed they knew what the mission and ministry of Jesus was, to establish an earthly Kingdom of Israel at that time, of course they were wrong, they were blind to the entire plan and purpose of His first coming.

Complacency or a lack of mercy and compassion has no part in His Kingdom.

Peace,

Joe

Many years I've read these passages and never understood Jesus was NOT only speaking of physical sight but more importantly of SPIRITUAL sight.   This week I've been reading "What is the gospel of the kingdom?" and came upon this part that seems to relate to your post also Joe.

What Is The Gospel of the Kingdom?

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6142.0.html

"John 14:12  Truly, truly, I say to you, He who believes on Me, the works that I do he shall do also, and greater works than these he shall do, because I go to My Father.

He healed the sick, gave vision to the blind, caused the lime to walk, caused the dead to live...  you're going to do greater things than that.  Oh really?  And what might that be Lord? 

I've had people ask me numerous times, 'Ray can you walk on water, have you raised the dead, have you...?'  As a matter of fact I have.  Which is greater, to raise somebody back to physical life, so that they can physically die again or to raise someone who is spiritually dead to spiritual life?  God is doing greater things through the called, chosen, Elect few of His church, than He did in His own ministry, when He fed 5000, walked on the water, calmed the storm, healed the sick and raised the dead.  He said we would do... "greater things," they are greater.  They are not greater if you've got a carnal mind, they are not greater then, it sounds like foolishness.  That's what it will sound like to you, unless you have the spiritual mind to see it.

So when Jesus read this many among them had already heard it, maybe the day before He had came into this synagogue in this village.  If you read the Scripture it says every town, every city, every village, every hamlet and everywhere there was a synagogue He was there.  He taught this Scripture and they saw that He did these things.  But what do we read in John...

John 6:63  It is the Spirit that quickens, the flesh profits nothing...

But He healed the sick... the flesh profits nothing, but He caused the blind to see... the flesh profits nothing. 

V. 63 ...The words that I speak to you are SPIRIT and are life.

'You mean these words that He quoted to every village and town and hamlet and city in Jerusalem and Judea and all around Galilee, you mean all these words are Spirit?'  That's what He said, I believe Him.  These are words of Spirit.  He's not talking about giving sight to the blind, who can't see the sunset.  He talking about giving spiritual sight to those that are spiritually blind!  The words of Christ are Spirit, there fulfillment are Spirit.  

Christ has a kingdom made up of heavens - people who in their heavens, have God dwelling.  This is Spirit!  Spirit is more real than physical, because physical is temporary, Paul tells us.  This kingdom will last, Daniel says.  This kingdom is not going to be over turned in so many years by some more powerful nation."

Gary

[Deborah-Leigh]

Luke 8 :21...My mother and My Brothers are these, the one's hearing the word of God, and doing it.

This connects to the parable of the mud placed on the eyes of the bind man (unconverted heart) that accepts,  comprehends and discerns the truth that when carnal is paired to spirtual, enmity is revealed three against two and two against three, father divided against son etc of carnal earthly alegiences exposed by the Sword of the Spirt judgement in trials and tribulations on the House of God now or the living water freely given by the Spirit and the Bride who say "Come" to those who are sent.

The few blind are chosen, sent and healed.

It is fulfilled "quickly" in each and every person who "READS AND UNDERSTANDS" this prophecy, through all generations, even though there is an eventual culmination at the lake of fire and final white throne judgment.http://bible-truths.com/lake7.html

Arc

[Beloved]

Joe you posted .

Hi George,

You hit on something that immediately brought home a point that I believe many of us can relate to

Quote from: aqr on March 17, 2009, 03:10:10 PM

For all this we must Thank GOD And Our Lord Jesus Christ; from GOD Through Jesus Christ came our teacher Ray. He (Ray) is Gifted with the verbal and written explanation of the Word that is GOD'S Mercy on us.  


Our Lord does in fact use certain people at appointed times to open the eyes of His children, I can say without hesitation that our Lord began to clear the scales from my eyes through the teachings of Ray just as He used Ananias to give sight to Saul/Paul

It just occurred to me...Ray his name is so apropriate  Ray as a light beam another vessel that he uses

Act 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me

Joh 12:46  I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkenss

2Co 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Col 1:29  Whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Ananias   means the cloud or covering of the Lord

Paul was blinded and need scales/covering his eyes to be removed

(Act 9:18)  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

God always uses the right tool for every job

beloved