If you follow the attitudes and actions of Jesus’ disciples throughout the Gospel records, you will discover how often Jesus needed to correct them. If we read the Gospels prayerfully, we can count on our attitudes and actions being corrected, too.
Matthew included the healing of two blind men in his account of Jesus’ actions. In today’s YouTube video, I explain how I think Matthew wanted us to know about the blind men, but also about how Jesus healed His spiritually blind followers.
Here’s what happened before Jesus arrived in Jerusalem:
“As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. There were two blind men sitting by the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, ‘Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!’
The crowd sternly ordered them to be quiet, but they shouted even more loudly, ‘Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!’
Jesus stood still and called them, saying, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, let our eyes be opened.’
Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they regained their sight and followed him” (Matthew 20:29-34).
The Jesus Prayer
Bruce Kirby, as a member of the Orthodox Church, often prays what they call “The Jesus Prayer.” The prayer comes from passages like this where people appeal to God for mercy.
When I use the Jesus Prayer, I pray a form of the blind men’s appeal with my breath:
Inhale: Lord Jesus Christ,
Exhale: Son of God,
Inhale: Have mercy on me,
Exhale: A sinner.
If you haven’t read the Orthodox classic, The Way of a Pilgrim, I encourage you to do so. It is an account of a man who discovered how to pray continually by using the Jesus Prayer.
The crowd resisted the men who cried out to Jesus. If you try to include more prayer in your life, whether you use the Jesus Prayer or not, you will encounter resistance. The three opponents of the Lord—the world, the flesh, and the devil—will do all they can to keep you from praying.
Lord, Open Our Eyes
The two men were not to be denied. When Jesus asked them what He could do for them, they said, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.”
The only time the disciples asked Jesus for guidance was when they asked Him to teach them to pray (see Luke 11:1). Without a doubt, that is an excellent request to bring before the Lord.
What if we asked the Lord to open our spiritual eyes? What would happen if we prayed this before reading the Bible? “Lord Jesus, please be my teacher and reveal to me what you want me to see and do as I read your Word.”
What if we asked this of the Holy Spirit prior to prayer? “Holy Spirit, I don’t know how to pray as I should, but I know you do. Please open my eyes to the way you want me to approach the Trinity in prayer. Please give me the words and attitude of prayer that are most acceptable to you.”
From Jericho to Jerusalem and Beyond
After Jesus healed the blind men, we read that they followed Him. To “follow Jesus” is the term the Gospels use the most for a disciple. I can’t prove it, but I believe these two blind men joined the crowd from Galilee and traveled with them to Jerusalem.
If I am right, one of the first things they saw was Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, followed by the cleansing of the temple, the crucifixion, and the resurrection. It is possible that they were present on the Day of Pentecost and were part of the early church.
Whether I am right about these men or wrong, one thing is true: Jesus has been giving spiritual sight to blind people for centuries. He opens our eyes and shows us the path that leads to following Him to the best life possible.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed Matthew 20:29-34 on YouTube today.
Real Voices 