Matthew 20:33 - Printer Friendly

ESV: They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.”

NIV: Lord,' they answered, 'we want our sight.'

NASB: They *said to Him, 'Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.'

CSB: "Lord," they said to him, "open our eyes."

NLT: Lord,' they said, 'we want to see!'

KJV: They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.

NKJV: They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.”

This is a simple request, but for an impossible outcome. Two blind men, roadside beggars, are asking the Messiah, the Son of David, to let their eyes be opened (Matthew 20:29–32). Scholars suggest blind people might have come to Jericho because the region was plentiful in balsam, something thought to be helpful for defects of the eye. If that's why these two men were there, it had clearly not worked for them. They needed help beyond what their culture's healing techniques could provide.

When they realized they were so near to the healer Jesus, the Messiah, they refused to be quiet. They called out to Him over and over, to the annoyance of the crowd, until Jesus finally answered their call. Now they have asked for something they know only He can do for them. It's a good thing they did—Jesus is on His way to crucifixion (Matthew 20:17–19), making this the last chance they would ever have to meet Him.

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 5/6/2024 9:20:44 PM