Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 9:27-31

"And as Jesus passed by from thence, two blind men followed him, crying out, and saying, Have mercy on us, thou son of David. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it done unto you. And their eyes were opened. And Jesus strictly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. But they went forth, and spread abroad his fame in all that land." — Matthew 9:27-31 (ASV)

St. Jerome: The miracles that had gone before—of the ruler's daughter and the woman with the issue of blood—are now followed by that of two blind men, so that what death and disease had witnessed, blindness might now witness. "And as Jesus passed from there," that is, from the ruler's house, "two blind men followed him, crying out and saying, Have mercy on us, you Son of David."

St. John Chrysostom: This is no small charge against the Jews, that while these men, having lost their sight, believe by means of their hearing only, those who had sight would not believe the miracles that were done. Observe their eagerness; they do not simply come to Him, but do so with crying, asking for nothing but mercy. They call Him Son of David because that seemed to be a title of honor.¹

Remigius of Auxerre: They rightly call Him Son of David, because the Virgin Mary was from the line of David.

St. Jerome: Let Marcion and Manichaeus, and the other heretics who mutilate the Old Testament, hear this and learn that the Savior is called the Son of David. For if He was not born in the flesh, how is He the Son of David?

St. John Chrysostom: Observe that the Lord often desired to be asked to heal, so that no one would think that He was eager to seize an opportunity for display.

St. Jerome: Yet they were not healed on the roadside or in passing, as they had expected. Instead, when He had entered the house, they came to Him. First their faith is tested, so that they might receive the light of the true faith. "And when he had come into the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, Believe you that I am able to do this?"

St. John Chrysostom: Here again He teaches us to avoid the desire for fame; because there was a house nearby, He takes them there to heal them in private.

Remigius of Auxerre: He who was able to give sight to the blind was not ignorant of whether they believed. He asked them so that the faith which they bore in their hearts, by being confessed with their mouth, might be made worthy of a higher reward, according to the Apostle's words: "By the mouth confession is made to salvation" (Romans 10:10).

St. John Chrysostom: And not for this reason only, but also to show that they were worthy of healing, so that no one could object that if mercy alone saved, then everyone ought to be saved. He therefore requires faith from them, so that He might raise their thoughts higher. They had called Him the Son of David, so He instructs them to think higher things of Him. Thus, He does not ask them, Do you believe that I can ask the Father? but rather, "Believe you that I am able to do this?" They say to him, "Yes, Lord." They no longer call Him Son of David, but exalt Him higher and confess His dominion. Then He lays His hand on them, as it follows: "Then he touched their eyes, saying, 'According to your faith be it done to you.'" He says this to confirm their faith and to testify that what they had said was not flattery.

Then the cure follows: "And their eyes were opened." After this, He commands them to tell no one. This was not a simple command but was given with great earnestness: "And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, 'See that no one knows it.' But they went out and spread his fame throughout all that country."

St. Jerome: The Lord, out of humility, shunned the fame of His glorious works and gave them this command. They, however, out of gratitude, could not be silent about so great a benefit.

St. John Chrysostom: That He said to another man, "Go and proclaim the glory of God" (Luke 8:39), is not contrary to this. For what He wishes to teach is that we should stop those who would praise us for our own sake. But when the Lord's glory is to be praised, we ought not to forbid it, but should promote it ourselves.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: Or, He commanded the blind men to be silent because preaching was the Apostles' office.

St. Gregory the Great: We must inquire how it is that the Almighty, whose will and power are coextensive, willed here that His excellent works should be hidden in silence, and yet was proclaimed against His will, as it were, by these men who had received their sight.

The reason is that in this He has left an example for His servants who follow Him: they should desire their own good deeds to be hidden, and yet, these deeds should be made known against their will so that others may profit by their example. They should be hidden by design and revealed by necessity. Their concealment comes from our own watchfulness; their disclosure is for the profit of others.²

Remigius of Auxerre: Allegorically, these two blind men represent the two peoples of the Jews and Gentiles, or the two nations of the Jewish race, for in the time of Rehoboam his kingdom was split into two parts. Christ gave sight to those from both nations who believed in Him in the house, which is understood to be the Church, for without the unity of the Church no one can be saved. And those of the Jews who had believed in the Lord's coming spread the knowledge of it throughout the whole earth.

Rabanus Maurus: The ruler's house is the Synagogue, which was ruled by Moses; the house of Jesus is the heavenly Jerusalem. As the Lord passed through this world and was returning to His own house, two blind men followed Him. This means that when the Gospel was preached by the Apostles, many of the Jews and Gentiles began to follow Him. But when He ascended into Heaven, He then entered His house—that is, into the confession of one faith which is in the Catholic Church—and there they were enlightened.

1. Hom., xxxii
2. Mor., xix, 23