Thomas Aquinas Commentary Matthew 9:27-34

"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. And as they went forth, behold, there was brought to him a dumb man possessed with a demon. And when the demon was cast out, the dumb man spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. But the Pharisees said, By the prince of the demons casteth he out demons." — Matthew 9:27-34 (ASV)

Above, it was shown how He restored life; here it is mentioned how He gave vital functions. And, firstly, it is mentioned how He restored sight; and secondly, how He restored speech, where it is said, And when they were gone out, etc. And the Evangelist does four things here:

1. The petition of the blind men is related.
2. The examination of these believers is related, where it is said, And Jesus says to them, etc.
3. The granting of their request is related, where it is said, Then he touched their eyes.
4. The instruction to the men given sight is related, where it is said, And He strictly charged them.

Regarding the petition of these men, we can observe five things that make their petition worthy of being heard. Firstly, their petition was worthy of being heard because they chose a suitable time for asking, for they asked as He passed; and in this is signified the time of the Incarnation, which is a time to have mercy.

Hence, in Psalm 101:12, it is said: For it is time to have mercy on it. And for that reason they were more readily heard, as is stated in Hebrews 5:7: He was heard for his reverence. Likewise, their petition was worthy of being heard because, to obtain their request, they followed him: for those who do not follow God by obeying do not obtain their request.

Two blind men. These two blind men represent two peoples, namely, the Jews and the Gentiles, for they are blind who do not have faith. Concerning such persons it is said: We have groped like blind men for the wall (Isaiah 49:10). Likewise, their petition was worthy of being heard because fervor of devotion is required, and their fervor is shown when it is said, Crying out, as it is stated in Psalm 119:1: In my trouble I cried to the Lord: and he heard me. Again, humility of the petitioners is required, and their humility is shown when it is said, Saying, Have mercy on us, O Son of David, as it is stated, O our God, hear the supplication of your servant (Daniel 9:17). Similarly, their faith is mentioned, because they call Him the Son of David, and this is necessary, as it is stated: Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (James 1:6).

Then He examines the men asking. Firstly, He examines them by an action, by deferring to grant their petition, for then faith is shown to be firm when one’s request is not immediately obtained: If it make any delay, wait for it: for it shall surely come (Habakkuk 2:3). Hence, He led them to the house: And when he was come to the house, etc. By this house, the Church is understood, because this is the house of God; or heaven may be understood by this house: The heaven of heaven is the Lord’s (Psalms 113:16).

Likewise, He examined them by word: Do you believe, that I can do this unto you? And He asks this not as though He were not knowing, but in order that their merit might be increased: With the heart, we believe unto justice: but, with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:10). Moreover, He asks in order that their faith might be shown to others, so that others might know that He gave sight to them justly. Likewise, He asks in order to prod them forward to greater things, for they had confessed something great, that He is the Son of David. But this was not sufficient; therefore, He asks more from them: Do you believe, that I can do this unto you? Namely, by His own power, which belongs to God alone. They say to him, Yea, Lord. Hence, now they call Him Lord, which is proper to God alone.

The granting of their petition follows. And, firstly, the act of healing is related; then secondly, the effect of the act of healing is related, where it is said, And their eyes were opened. The act of healing is related when it is said, he touched their eyes, saying; hence, He touched and He spoke. Either was sufficient; nevertheless, He did both, so that it might be signified that blindness is illuminated through the incarnate Word: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we saw his glory (John 1:14). Hence, He says, According to your faith, be it done unto you, because by the merit of faith men are given sight, who without faith are blind.

The effect follows: And their eyes were opened. Firstly, therefore, He gives light; and thus is fulfilled the passage: And the life was the light of men (John 1:4). He himself will come and will save us (Isaiah 35:4). The instruction follows; hence, the Evangelist says, and Jesus strictly charged.

And why was this? For elsewhere it is said: Go to your own and preach the kingdom of God (Luke 9:60). Chrysostom says: “In our goods we ought to reckon that we possess two things: what is God’s and what is ours. What is ours, we ought to hide; what is God’s we ought to make known, as Paul said: Not seeking the things that are their own, but the things that are Jesus Christ’s (Philippians 2:21). That they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).” Hence, He says, See that no man know this, in order to teach that vainglory ought to be avoided. But they going out, not being unmindful of the benefits received, spread his fame abroad, as it is stated: I will remember the tender mercies of the Lord (Isaiah 63:7).

But did not these men sin, because they acted contrary to the Lord’s command? I say that they did not, because they acted in good faith, and they acted thus in order that they might make manifest how much holiness the Lord displayed.

When they were gone out, behold they brought him a dumb man. Above, the Lord restored sight to the blind; now He restores speech to the mute. And these are adequately joined together, because speech is a sign of one’s interior vision: He himself will come and will save you. Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped (Isaiah 35:4–5). And in this the Evangelist does three things:

1. The sick man is described.
2. The healing is touched upon, where it is said, And after the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke.
3. The effect of the healing is touched upon, where it is said, and the multitudes wondered.

He says, therefore, And when they were gone out, etc. From this man faith is not sought, as from the preceding men, because this man was obsessed by the devil; for that reason, he was not sane, and therefore, He did not inquire about his faith. And this man signifies the Gentile world, which was mute as regards praise: Pour out your wrath upon the nations that have not known you (Psalms 78:6). Likewise, they have a devil, because they sacrifice to demons: All the gods of the Gentiles are devils (Psalms 95:5).

Firstly, therefore, as a good doctor, He cured the cause; secondly, He cured the malady, because He firstly cast out the devil, and so after the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke. So when the Gentile world was freed from the slavery of idols, the dumb man spoke, namely, the praise of God; the Gentile world was freed that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:11).

The effect follows: And the multitudes wondered. Hence, they were wondering about these things which they were seeing. And because they were wondering, therefore they were saying, Never was the like seen in Israel. It is true that Moses performed miracles, and others also; but there had never been such a one, that is to say, who did so many. Likewise, there never had been such a one who cured only by touching. Furthermore, there never had been such a one who cured immediately, such that the following is applicable to Him: Who is like to you, among the strong, O Lord? who is like to you? as it is stated in Exodus 15:11; and, The works that I do give testimony of me (John 10:25).

Moreover, He cures through faith, which the Law had not been able to do, as is stated in Romans 8:2: For the law of the spirit of life, in Christ Jesus, has delivered me from the law of sin and of death, which the law could not do.

But the Pharisees said. Pharisees, that is, the separated, spoke against Christ, because they were interpreting perversely, as it is written: They turneth good into evil . Hence, they were saying, By the prince of devils he casteth out devils.

Here Augustine says that it should be observed that Christ performed the same miracle twice. And this is evident, because the Evangelists speak in a different manner. Hence, since we find, as it were, contrary things, we can refer to one or the other miracle, by saying it is a different miracle.