What Jesus did #17: he made the blind to see and the deaf to hear
Today, as part of this week of looking at the healings Jesus performed, we focus on those times that he made the blind to see and the deaf to hear.
In Matthew 9, the conversation with two blind men goes like this.
“Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
“Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
“Yes, Lord.”
“According to your faith let it be done to you.”
He urges them not to tell anyone and as is so often the case in these accounts, they cannot keep the news to themselves.
There’s a very similar account in Matthew 20. Here two blind men also call out to Jesus for mercy.
The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
“Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”
Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. Matthew 20:31-34
They aren’t going to let this opportunity pass them by just because the crowd tell them to be quiet. They may never get the chance to meet Jesus face to face again. They don’t care what anyone would think of them.
In Mark 7, people bring to Jesus a man who is deaf and can hardly talk, and they beg Jesus to place his hand on him.
After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. Mark 7:33-35
Everyone’s amazed. Of course, they are. The account goes on to say that the more Jesus tells people not to talk about it to anyone, the more they do. Of course, they do. You can imagine the Facebook feeds now, can’t you?
And this is what they say.
“He has done everything well,”
Jesus has done everything well. I’d like to see a few more Facebook statuses that say this every day, wouldn’t you?
In the next chapter, Mark 8, some people bring a blind man and beg Jesus to touch him. Just his touch is enough. His healing touch.
This particular story really captured my imagination as a child. My brother used to make me giggle, retelling it over and over again. It was the people like trees walking around that got me. And the spitting.
Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”
He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”
Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.” Mark 8:23-26
A couple of chapters further on, we encounter a blind man named Bartimaeus.
“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. Mark 10:47-52 9 (and Luke 18)
There’s something simply joyous about that exchange, isn’t there? And something deeply challenging in that question – ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ What if Jesus were to ask you and me that question today? What would be our considered answer? What is our deepest desire right now?
And then there’s John 9. A whole chapter devoted to one story about blindness. I encourage you to read the whole chapter if you get the chance. There’s a lot of misconceptions going on here. Firstly, that either the man or his parents must have sinned for this man to be born blind.
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. John 9:3-7
Now that he can see, the people don’t believe he was ever that blind man. The Pharisees don’t believe Jesus can be from God, because he breaks the rules by healing on the Sabbath. The man’s parents confirm that this is their son bit refuse to comment on the healing out of fear.
And after all this, the only thing the man can say from sure is thing.
One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see! John 9:25
Jesus seeks the man out and he now experiences healing from spiritual blindness. He now sees Jesus for who he really is. He now worships Jesus for who he really is. He now follows Jesus because of who he really is.
Because as we’ve seen over the last few days, the physical healing is only part of the equation. Important as it is, the physical healing that takes place always points to a much greater spiritual healing. As the light of the world, Jesus is able to open the eyes of all who ask to clearly see the truth of who he is and why he came.
Jesus says ‘I am the light of the world.’ He’s the light that shines in the darkness. The light that lights the way ahead. The light that shines on our lives with truth and clarity, exposing all that needs dealing with. The light that reveals the truth of who God is and how we can share in his work here on earth.
And so maybe when Jesus asks today ‘What do you want me to do for you?’, our answer could be ‘Open my eyes so that I can see.’
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Open the eyes of my heart.
I want to see you. I want to see you.
One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see! John 9:25
