Matthew 9:27-38

27 After Jesus left the girl’s home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

28 They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them,“Do you believe I can make you see?”

“Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.”

29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.”30 Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! Jesus sternly warned them, “Don’t tell anyone about this.” 31 But instead, they went out and spread his fame all over the region.

32 When they left, a demon-possessed man who couldn’t speak was brought to Jesus. 33 So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. “Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!” they exclaimed.

34 But the Pharisees said, “He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons.”

35 Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

Comments

Chapter 9 concludes with more social castoffs receiving healing from Jesus. Notice that the blind men and the demon-possessed man were brought into the house where Jesus was staying. They probably had a bite to eat and hung out with Jesus for a while too. Then Jesus got out and went around to the towns and villages around Judea. From what Matthew gives us, it seems safe to assume Jesus kept on hanging out with the riff raff, kept on accepting all the unacceptable people, kept on touching the untouchables with his love, his power, his compassion. Those who held political and/or religious power saw nothing of worth in such people, there was nothing to exploit, nothing to add to their power. Jesus saw a great harvest, a vast sea of hurting people, a place to expend the power he had. Funny how two people can look at the same thing and see something completely different. May we have eyes to see people as Jesus does, as opportunities to serve, not be served.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.