Matthew 9:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He approached the paralyzed man similarly; before He renewed his physical strength, He first rejuvenated his afflicted spirit, proclaiming, 'Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven' (Matthew 9:2). Furthermore, after resurrecting the girl, He took her hand and instructed her to eat (Mark 5:41, 43; Luke 8:54, 56), thereby revealing to her the identity of her Benefactor. In like manner, He acknowledged the centurion’s faith, attributing the miracle to it (Matthew 8:13). Likewise, when calming the tempest for His disciples, He first addressed their doubts (Matthew 8:21).

In this instance, although He was already aware of their unspoken thoughts, He chose to reveal them to inspire the same fervor in others, utilizing their healing to disclose their profound belief. This serves as a lesson for us to shun the pursuit of human accolades. Since the dwelling was close by, He brought them there for a private healing; this is clear from His instruction that no one was to divulge the miracle.

The Prophet’s choice of words—to say He was sent to preach sight to the blind rather than to grant sight—indicates that the Lord's primary mission on earth was not merely to restore physical sight but to enlighten the minds of the spiritually blind through the proclamation of the Gospel; thus, the prophecy accurately states that the Lord preached sight to the blind. The Lord Himself encourages us to pursue spiritual treasures: ‘Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life’ (John 6:27); and He assures us that by seeking spiritual riches, we will also receive physical provisions: ‘Seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you’ (Luke 12:31); this applies also to the blind. When He lowered the heavens and came to earth in human form, He aimed to illuminate our souls through Gospel preaching and also bestowed healing upon the physically blind. Thus, there is a profound connection between physical and spiritual sight. Among those blinded physically, some received sight instantaneously, like the one who was told, ‘See’, and was immediately healed; others experienced gradual healing, as in the case of the one who was cured before gaining sight. Similarly, among those who were granted healing of their spiritual eyes through faith, some experienced instantaneous transformation, exemplified by the tax collector who swiftly became an evangelist; while others, like Nicodemus, progressed gradually, remaining a disciple in secret. Just as some physically blind individuals experienced healing through a mere word from Christ, such as Bartimaeus, others were healed through physical acts—for instance, the blind man from Bethsaida received healing through divine saliva, as his eyes appeared intact yet were devoid of moisture, which was restored through this miraculous act. The man born blind required the creation of eyes from the earth, which were formed by the Lord’s touch through a mixing process. Thus, it is evident that among those who experienced physical blindness and received healing, some were restored by Christ’s word alone and others through His actions; a similar pattern holds for those who underwent a transformation in belief, from doubt to faith—some required miracles to affirm their faith, as indicated by those sent by John the Baptist to inquire: Are you the One who is to come, or should we expect another? (Matthew 11:3); while others believed simply by hearing a word, such as the centurion, of whom the Lord declared he had greater faith than any in Israel. Likewise, those mentioned by Matthew, who are our source today, received physical sight from Christ and exhibited faith prior to their healing, for while they were blind, they could only believe through hearing. It is recorded that ‘When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, Have mercy on us, O Son of David’ (Matthew 9:27). How could they have followed and called out, distressingly pleading for the sight of their blind eyes, if they had not possessed faith?

However, He does not force His entry, despite His all-powerful nature; rather, He approaches as though summoned, respecting the autonomy He has granted to humanity over themselves. Those who open their hearts through faith become filled by God, while those who close themselves off through disbelief deny Him entry, even when He is close by. Lord, grant us faith, for it is also a gift from You. Yet, each of us must recognize our own state, declaring, ‘I am poor and miserable’ (Psalm 69:6)."

The divinely inspired Psalmist prophesied this, saying, ‘The right hand of the Lord has done valiantly’ (Psalm 117:15-16), referring to the creation of man from the dust; ‘The right hand of the Lord has exalted me,’ signifying the elevation of fallen humanity from paradise to the heavens; ‘The right hand of the Lord has done valiantly,’ expressing His healing of numerous afflictions. The repetition of ‘the right hand of the Lord’ thrice illustrates the three persons of the Trinity, while affirming the oneness of power and essence within the Godhead, revealing that as the singular triune God, He is the Creator, Redeemer, and Healer of mankind. Just as the Light-bringer declared, ‘Let there be light, and there was light,’ so when He proclaimed, ‘Let there be light for you through your faith,’ the blind were granted the illumination of their sight.

No sooner had the healed men departed from the Savior's presence, than they brought a man possessed by a demon to Him, who was rendered mute by the malign influence of the spirit. The Lord healed this afflicted man as well, casting out the demon, and the formerly mute individual began to speak. Thus concluded one of the many challenging days in the life of the Lord, which had started with His journey to the eastern shore of the sea into the region of the Gadarenes.