As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. “Lord,” they answered, “we want to see.” Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. (Matthew 20:29-34)
As Jesus departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. Amid this bustling scene, two blind men sat by the roadside. Upon hearing that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” They understood that a miracle of healing was a simple matter of mercy. Even a miracle that restored sight to the blind was not considered an outlandish request. It was not some carnal and covetous demand. Were they correct? Faithless religious people would disagree with them. Many of them would even claim that the blindness was a form of divine mercy. The Faithless are some of the most satanic people in the history of humanity.
The blind men were not asking for proof. They were not asking for a manifesting of spiritual gifts. The things that faithless people associate with miracles were not mentioned. They were asking for mercy. Has God’s mercy ceased? If it has, then no one can even be saved and enter heaven. But if God’s mercy endures forever, then we can be saved and healed now.
What happened next reminds us of the true nature of faithless religious people. The crowd that followed Jesus, a crowd presumably fascinated by his teachings and miracles, turned against the blind men. They rebuked them, telling them to be silent. It is ironic that these individuals, who physically followed Jesus, showed no understanding of the heart of the one they followed. They were eager to see what Jesus was all about, but they were not eager to see his mercy extended to those in need. For many of them, it was a religion of curiosity, not a religion of faith and mercy.
This is the exact situation today. How many people identify themselves as followers of Christ, yet are indifferent, or even hostile, when others cry out for God’s mercy to work miracles of healing? There are those who crowd around Jesus out of fascination, out of curiosity, or out of self-righteousness, but they oppose his compassion. They are quick to identify as Christians, quick to attend gatherings, quick to study theology and debate those who disagree with their church traditions and creeds, and quick to voice the political implications of their religious opinions. But when someone reaches out in faith for the mercy and power of Jesus Christ, they become obstacles rather than facilitators.
When you submit to faithless people, you are the one getting cheated. If you do what they say, and if you believe what they tell you, would they heal you? No! Faithless people do not care about you, and they do not have power from God. They are not going to help you. They have their own agenda, and they do not want you to get in the way. Then do not let them get in your way to receive your healing. The blind men could either obey the faithless people and preserve what little dignity they had, or they could lose even what little dignity they had and press on in faith to take their healing. Faith refuses to be silenced. Faith refuses to obey human doctrines, traditions, and the threats of faithless people.
The blind men defied the crowd and cried out even louder. Jesus did not ignore them. He stopped and called them, asking, “What do you want me to do for you?” He did not lecture them about the will of God. He did not tell them to submit to the circumstances. He did not suggest that the blindness might be a blessing in disguise. Instead, he asked them what they wanted. When it came to miracles of healing, Jesus emphasized the will of men. They replied, “Lord, we want to see.” It would take a miracle, but they still asked for it. Then Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately, they received their sight and followed him. They asked for mercy, and they received mercy. The result was that they followed Jesus. Physical healing, not sickness, is what enhances spiritual enthusiasm and dedication.
Jesus did not heal them to prove something to the crowd. He did not perform the miracle as a spectacle or to gain popularity. He healed them because he had compassion. Compassion moved him to action. At the demand of faith, God’s mercy became tangible. Divine mercy does not merely acknowledge suffering but works miracles to alleviate it.
James wrote, “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” The mercy of God is not like the empty platitudes of faithless religious people. Unlike faithless people who call themselves Christians, Jesus did not tell the blind men, “Go, and be comforted in your blindness.” He did not offer them comforting words without granting their desire. He healed them. He gave them a material, physical benefit. God saves the whole person.
Faith ignored the faithless people and cried even louder. Jesus also ignored the faithless people and responded to the cry of faith. So the faithless people took it upon themselves to call for order and to silence the blind men, but in the end both the men and Jesus ignored them. They were the ones out of touch with God. They were the ones out of order. And they were the ones ignored by God.
After they were healed, the blind men followed Jesus. Their healing led to discipleship, and we are still reading about their example today. Physical healing is not a spiritual distraction. It is in perfect harmony with spiritual growth and greatly enhances it. The miracle led to worship, and the blessing led to obedience. His mercy moves us to follow him, to glorify him, and to testify of his goodness.