Matthew 12:22Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Oh, the malice of the enemy! He obstructed the two pathways through which this individual could obtain faith - vision and sound. Yet Christ has unsealed both.

The adversary has obstructed the path of faith: sight, hearing, and speech, yet Christ brings restoration. If you find that someone fails to recognize goodness and disregards the words of others, regard him as unable to see and speak, someone whom the Lord can restore by reaching into his heart.

They presented to Him a man afflicted by demons, unable to hear, speak, or see, reflecting the condition of the people as described by Isaiah: ‘the heart of this people is hardened, ... their ears have grown heavy and their eyes have closed, ... lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears’ (cf. Is. 6:10, Matt. 13:15). The statement that ‘He healed him and gave him the ability to hear, speak, and see’ represents the transformation of those who have faith in Him.

Three miraculous signs were manifested in the life of a single individual: the sightless man receives his vision, the mute person begins to speak, and the one who was tormented by an unclean spirit is liberated. While these events occurred physically at that time, they are continuously realized in the transformation of believers. As the unclean spirit is expelled, individuals first grasp the light of faith, and subsequently, their previously silent mouths are unsealed to glorify God.

The terms "then" and "at that time" may refer to both the sequence of events and the specific moment in which the upcoming discourse is set. In this context, the term κωφος (dumb) is understood to denote a man who cannot speak, rather than referring to someone who is deaf as indicated elsewhere.

The timely restoration of the man who was blind and mute, tormented by demons, follows. It is important to note that after declaring the complete healing of the multitude, the presence of this afflicted individual serves to ensure clarity in understanding. The Pharisees accused the apostles of harvesting, meaning they criticized them for gathering those of this world prematurely, claiming that mercy takes precedence over sacrifice and that a man with a shriveled hand was healed in the synagogue. This not only fails to aid in the conversion of Israel, but the Pharisees also plot against Him.

The entire Gentile world was in spiritual blindness, enveloped in shadows and the darkness of death (Isaiah 9:12, Matthew 4:16), unable to perceive Christ due to the hardened eyes of their hearts, as they lacked knowledge of the divine law and were unable to offer praise to God. He was under demonic influence, having been ensnared by an impure spirit due to his idolatrous worship and devotion to evil forces. A mute individual was brought to Him. It was undoubtedly the apostles who sought to present all Gentiles tormented by the evil one before God. In their sight, Jesus restored the man’s speech and sight, enabling him to recognize Christ as his heart’s vision was illuminated. He experienced healing by turning away from the lunacy of idolatry and its many falsehoods, committing himself to serve the Lord earnestly.

What, then, can we understand from this? When Jesus emerged from the synagogue—of which He held a quiet disdain—before Him stood the entirety of humanity represented in one individual. This person was both blind and mute, unable to see or speak. In other words, he did not recognize his Creator nor offer gratitude to Him. Thus, what was manifestly present in one was clearly absent in all. Truly, had God not abandoned the Jews, all Gentiles would have continued to be blind and silent under the dominion of the adversary.

The evangelist goes on to describe how they brought to Him those who were blind and mute. St. Chrysostom laments, “O the wickedness of the devil! He has obstructed both pathways through which this man could embrace faith—sight and hearing.” The afflicted individual serves as a tragic representation of those who are adversaries of the Lord, possessing eyes to witness His deeds yet failing to recognize the divine authority within them; having ears to hear His teachings but choosing not to be uplifted by them; and possessing a heart that has been surrendered to the enemy of God. In His compassion, the Lord healed him, enabling the blind and mute to both see and speak.

The extraordinary event of the healing of the blind man possessed by demons deeply impacted the onlookers, leading them to wonder, "Isn't the healer the Messiah?" This favorable sentiment could not be pleasing to the adversaries of Jesus, namely the scribes and Pharisees, yet it was evident to everyone that the miraculous healing was an act of divine intervention. In response to this, they sought to distort the miracle, claiming that Jesus was exercising the power of Beelzebub, the lord of demons. To counter such accusations, Christ presented two arguments: first, if He expelled demons by Beelzebub's authority, that would imply a division within Satan's kingdom, which is illogical, as a divided kingdom cannot stand.

While they were on their way, a man afflicted by a demon, who was both blind and unable to speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man, causing him to regain his sight and his ability to speak.

The afflicted by evil spirits: refer to the commentary on Matthew 4:24. - Unable to see or speak: ‘O the malice of the devil, he obstructed the two pathways through which this individual might obtain faith, vision, and hearing. Yet Christ has restored both’ (Chrys.).

Upon His return to Capernaum, the Lord's miracle of healing the man possessed by demons provided the Pharisees and scribes with an opportunity to engage in blasphemous accusations against Him, which they sought to disseminate among the community. This afflicted individual was both blind and mute, with the malevolent spirit hindering his access to faith through sight, hearing, and speech. Yet, in His infinite mercy, the Lord expunged the unclean spirit, restoring the man's ability to see, hear, and speak once more.