Matthew 20:31 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”

NIV: The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, 'Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!'

NASB: But the crowd sternly warned them to be quiet; yet they cried out all the more, 'Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!'

CSB: The crowd demanded that they keep quiet, but they cried out all the more, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David! "

NLT: Be quiet!' the crowd yelled at them. But they only shouted louder, 'Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!'

KJV: And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.

NKJV: Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”

Two blind men sitting on the side of the road realize that the large crowd passing by them includes Jesus. They see an opportunity. It's not just that they know Jesus as a powerful healer. They recognize Him as the "Son of David," another name for the long-promised Messiah.

When the pair cry out, the crowd apparently sees only two beggars asking for money. Beggars likely often shouted out "have mercy on us" to passers-by, asking for donations. The crowd tells the men to be quiet. With nothing to lose, the two blind men continue to call out to Jesus, the Son of David, to have mercy on them.

This persistence turns out to be worthwhile. This is the last time Jesus will pass this way. Within a week, He will be crucified. If the blind men had tried to wait, or been easily quieted, they would never have another opportunity. This is a fact frequently noted in Christian sermons.

Matthew 20:29–34 finds Jesus and a large crowd passing by two blind roadside beggars. Realizing it is Jesus, the blind men call out asking for His mercy. They call Him the Son of David, showing they know Him to be the Messiah. Refusing to be quieted by the crowd, they finally get a response from Jesus. He asks what they want, and they ask for their eyes to be opened. Jesus, having pity for them, heals the men. They begin to follow Him.

Jesus illustrates His earlier comments about how some of the "first will be last, and the last first" (Matthew 19:30) with a parable about hired workers. He then clearly tells His disciples about His impending death and resurrection. The mother of James and John asks Jesus to make her sons number two and three in His kingdom. Jesus tells the disciples that true greatness won't come by flaunting authority as the Gentile leaders do. Instead, they will become great by serving each other, even as a slave does, as Jesus Himself has done. He then heals two blind men immediately before entering Jerusalem.

Matthew 20 begins with a parable that illustrates Jesus' statement at the end of Matthew 19: In His kingdom, some of the first will be last and the last first. Still on their way to Jerusalem, Jesus tells the disciples for the third time that He will be killed and then raised on the third day. When asked, Jesus explains that it is not up to Him to grant the seats on His right and left hand in the kingdom and that His disciples will not become great in the way of Gentiles. Instead, they will find greatness by serving each other. A healing of two blind men leads into the triumphal entry, the first event in the last earthly week of Jesus' ministry.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.

Accessed 4/29/2024 5:29:26 AM