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Commentary on Luke 18 verses 35–43
35 ¶ And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging:
36 And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.
37 And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.
38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
39 And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him,
41 Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.
42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.
43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.
Christ came not only to bring light to a dark world, and so to set before us the objects we are to have in view, but also to give sight to blind souls, and by healing the organ to enable them to view those objects. As a token of this, he cured many of their bodily blindness: we have now an account of one to whom he gave sight near Jericho. Mark gives us an account of one, and names him, whom he cured as he went out of Jericho, Mar 10:46. Matthew speaks of two whom he cured as they departed from Jericho, Mat 20:30. Luke says it was en tō engizein auton - when he was near to Jericho, which might be when he was going out of it as well as when he was coming into it. Observe,
I. This poor blind man sat by the wayside, begging, Luk 18:35. It seems, he was not only blind, but poor, had nothing to subsist on, nor any relations to maintain him; the fitter emblem of the world of mankind which Christ came to heal and save; they are therefore wretched and miserable, for they are both poor and blind, Rev 3:17. He sat begging, for he was blind, and could not work for his living. Note, Those ought to be relieved by charity whom the providence of God has any way disabled to get their own bread. Such objects of charity by the way-side ought not to be overlooked by us. Christ here cast a favourable eye upon a common beggar, and, though there are cheats among such, yet they must not therefore be all thought such.
II. Hearing the noise of a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant, Luk 18:36. This we had not before. It teaches us that it is good to be inquisitive, and that those who are so some time or other find the benefit of it. Those who want their sight should make so much the better use of their hearing, and, when they cannot see with their own eyes, should, by asking questions, make use of other people's eyes. So this blind man did, and by that means came to understand that Jesus of Nazareth passed by, Luk 18:37. It is good being in Christ's way; and, when we have an opportunity of applying ourselves to him, not to let it slip.
III. His prayer has in it a great deal both of faith and fervency: Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me, Luk 18:38. He owns Christ to be the Son of David, the Messiah promised; he believes him to be Jesus, a Saviour; he believes he is able to help and succour him, and earnestly begs his favour: "Have mercy on me, pardon my sin, pity my misery." Christ is a merciful king; those that apply themselves to him as the Son of David shall find him so, and ask enough for themselves when they pray, Have mercy on us; for Christ's mercy includes all.
IV. Those who are in good earnest for Christ's favours and blessings will not be put by from the pursuit of them, though they meet with opposition and rebuke. They who went along chid him as troublesome to the Master, noisy and impertinent, and bade him hold his peace; but he went on with his petition, nay, the check given him was but as a dam to a full stream, which makes it swell so much the more; he cried the louder, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. Those who would speed in prayer must be importunate in prayer. This history, in the close of the chapter, intimates the same thing with the parable in the beginning of the chapter, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.
V. Christ encourages poor beggars, whom men frown upon, and invites them to come to him, and is ready to entertain them, and bid them welcome: He commanded him to be brought to him. Note, Christ has more tenderness and compassion for distressed supplicants than any of his followers have. Though Christ was upon his journey, yet he stopped and stood, and commanded him to be brought to him. Those who had checked him must now lend him their hands to lead him to Christ.
VI. Though Christ knows all our wants, he will know them from us (Luk 18:41): What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? By spreading our case before God, with a particular representation of our wants and burdens, we teach ourselves to value the mercy we are in pursuit of; and it is necessary that we should, else we are not fit to receive it. This man poured out his soul before Christ, when he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. Thus particular should we be in prayer, upon particular occasions.
VII. The prayer of faith, guided by Christ's encouraging promises, and grounded on them, shall not be in vain; nay, it shall not only receive an answer of peace, but of honour (Luk 18:42); Christ said, Receive thy sight, thy faith hath saved thee. True faith will produce fervency in prayer, and both together will fetch in abundance of the fruits of Christ's favour; and they are then doubly comfortable when they come in that way, when we are saved by faith.
VIII. The grace of Christ ought to be thankfully acknowledged, to the glory of God, Luk 18:43. 1. The poor beggar himself, that had his sight restored, followed Christ, glorifying God. Christ made it his business to glorify his Father; and those whom he healed pleased him best when they praised God, as those shall please God best who praise Christ and do him honour; for, in confessing that he is Lord, we give glory to God the Father. It is for the glory of God if we follow Christ, as those will do whose eyes are opened. 2. The people that saw it could not forbear giving praise to God, who had given such power to the Son of Man, and by him had conferred such favours on the sons of men. Note, We must give praise to God for his mercies to others as well as for mercies to ourselves.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 35–43. Public domain.
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Ephrem the SyrianAD 373
COMMENTARY ON TATIAN’S DIATESSARON 15.22
While he was asking who it was, they said to him, “Jesus, the Nazarene.” He knew that they were not saying that to him with love. He left what pertained to enemies and grasped hold of what pertained to friends. “Son of David, have mercy on me.” They were trying to prevent him, fearing that his eyes may be opened, and the Pharisees might recognize him and be irritated.
Ambrose of Milan (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 397
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
In the blind man we have a type of the Gentile people, who have received by the Sacrament of our Lord the brightness of the light which they had lost. And it matters not whether the cure is conveyed in the case of one or two blind men, inasmuch as deriving their origin from Ham and Japhet, the sons of Noah, in the two blind men they put forward two authors of their race.
Or, He asked the blind man to the end that we might believe, that without confession no man can be saved.
Pseudo-Chrysostom (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 500
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(Hom. de cæco et Zacchæo) There was a great multitude gathered round Christ, and the blind man indeed knew Him not, but felt a drawing towards Him, and grasped with his heart what his sight embraced not. As it follows, And when he heard the multitude passing by, he asked what it was. And those that saw spoke indeed according to their own opinion. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. But the blind man cried out. He is told one thing, he proclaims another; for it follows, And he cried out, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. Who taught thee this, O man? Hast thou that art deprived of sight read books? Whence then knowest thou the Light of the world? Verily the Lord giveth sight to the blind. (Ps. 146:8.)
(Chrys. ut sup.) Or because the Jews perverting the truth might say, as in the case of him who was born blind, This is not he, but one like unto to him, (John 9:8.) He wished the blind first to make manifest the infirmity of his nature, that then he might fully acknowledge the greatness of the grace bestowed upon him. And as soon as the blind man explained the nature of his request, with words of the highest authority He commanded him to see. As it follows, And Jesus said to him, Receive thy sight. This served only still more to increase the guilt of unbelief in the Jews. For what prophet ever spoke in this way? Observe moreover what the physician claims from him whom he has restored to health. Thy faith hath saved thee. For faith then mercies are sold. Where faith is willing to accept, there grace abounds. And as from the same fountain some in small vessels draw little water, while others in large draw much, the fountain knowing no difference in measure; and as according to the windows which are opened, the sun sheds more or less of its brightness within; so according to the measure of a man's motives does he draw down supplies of grace. The voice of Christ is changed into the light of the afflicted. For He was the Word of true light. And thus it follows, And immediately he said. But the blind man as before his restoration he showed an earnest faith, so afterwards did he give plain tokens of his gratitude; And he followed him, glorifying God.
(Chrys. ubi sup.) We may here well inquire, why Christ forbids the healed demoniac who wished to follow Him, but permits the blind man who had received his sight. There seems to be a good reason for both the one case and the other. He sends away the former as a kind of herald, to proclaim aloud by the evidence of his own state his benefactor, for it was indeed a notable miracle to see a raving madman brought to a sound mind. But the blind man He allows to follow Him, since He was going up to Jerusalem about to accomplish the high mystery of the Cross, that men having a recent report of a miracle might not suppose that He suffered so much from helplessness as from compassion.
Gregory the Dialogist (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 604
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(Hom. 2. in Ev.) Because the disciples being yet carnal were unable to receive the words of mystery, they are brought to a miracle. Before their eyes a blind man receives his sight, that by a divine work their faith might be strengthened.
(Hom. 2. in Ev.) Or, blindness is a symbol of the human race, which in our first parent knowing not the brightness of heavenly light, now suffers the darkness of his condemnation. Jericho is interpreted 'the moon,' whose monthly wanings represent the feebleness of our mortality. While then our Creator is drawing nigh to Jericho, the blind is restored to sight, because when God took upon Him the weakness of our flesh, the human race received back the light which it had lost. He then who is ignorant of this brightness of the everlasting light, is blind. But if he does no more than believe in the Redeemer who said, I am the way, the truth, and the life; (John 13:6.) he sits by the way side. If he both believes and prays that he may receive the everlasting light, he sits by the way side and begs. Those that went before Jesus, as He was coming, represent the multitude of carnal desires, and the busy crowd of vices which before that Jesus comes to our heart, scatter our thoughts, and disturb us even in our prayers. But the blind man cried out the more; for the more violently we are assailed by our restless thoughts, the more fervently ought we to give ourselves to prayer. As long as we still suffer our manifold fancies to trouble us in our prayers, we feel in some measure Jesus passing by. But when we are very stedfast in prayer, God is fixed in our heart, and the lost light is restored. Or to pass by is of man, to stand is of God. The Lord then passing by heard the blind man crying, standing still restored him to sight, for by His humanity in compassion to our blindness He has pity upon our cries, by the power of His divinity He pours upon us the light of His grace.
Now for this reason He asks what the blind man wished, that He might stir up his heart to prayer, for He wishes that to be sought in prayer, which He knows beforehand both that we seek and He grants.
(ubi sup.) The blind man seeks from the Lord not gold, but light. Let us then seek not for false riches, but for that light which together with the Angels alone we may see, the way whereunto is faith. Well then was it said to the blind, Receive thy sight; thy faith hath saved thee. He who sees, also follows, because the good which he understands he practises.
Bede (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 735
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Not only for the gift of light obtained, but for the merit of the faith which obtained it.
Theophylact of Ohrid (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 1107
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
And to show that our Lord did not even walk without doing good, He performed a miracle on the way, giving His disciples this example, that we should be profitable in all things, and that nothing in us should be in vain.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Luke 18:37 captures a pivotal moment in the narrative of the blind man near Jericho, where the surrounding crowd informs the persistent beggar of Jesus' immediate proximity. This simple yet profound declaration, "Jesus of Nazareth passeth by," serves as the catalyst for the blind man's fervent cry for mercy, setting the stage for a miraculous encounter and highlighting the critical role of awareness and opportunity in divine intervention.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Luke 18:37 employs several literary devices to enhance its impact. The most prominent is Catalyst, as the crowd's simple statement acts as the direct trigger for the blind man's desperate and persistent cry for healing. Without this information, his subsequent actions would not occur. There is also an element of Dramatic Irony: the crowd, with their physical sight, merely states a fact about Jesus' presence, perhaps not fully grasping the divine significance of the moment, while the physically blind man immediately "sees" the profound opportunity for spiritual and physical restoration. The verse also utilizes Descriptive Detail through its concise phrasing, painting a vivid picture of the scene—the commotion, the blind man's inquiry, and the crowd's informative response—all contributing to the narrative's tension and anticipation.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse underscores the theological truth that God often works through human agency to bring about His purposes. The crowd's simple declaration, "Jesus of Nazareth passeth by," is an act of unwitting evangelism, a casual statement that carries profound spiritual weight for the one who hears it. It highlights the divine initiative in making Himself known and accessible, even as it calls for a human response of faith. The fleeting nature of Jesus "passing by" also subtly teaches the importance of recognizing and seizing moments of divine opportunity, for such moments may not recur. This encounter foreshadows the broader truth that Jesus is continually "passing by" in various ways, offering opportunities for encounter, transformation, and salvation to those who are attentive and willing to cry out to Him.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Luke 18:37 serves as a powerful reminder of the ever-present opportunities for encountering God in our daily lives. Just as the blind man's ears were open to the commotion and his heart to the hope of Jesus' presence, we are called to cultivate spiritual attentiveness. Are we aware of the "passing by" moments when God is moving, speaking, or presenting opportunities for growth, healing, or intervention? This verse challenges us to seize those moments with the same urgency and focused intent as the blind man. Furthermore, it highlights our potential role as unintentional messengers. Our simple words about Jesus, our testimony, or even our very lives can serve as the "telling" that points others to Christ, enabling them to seek Him for themselves. We may not always realize the profound impact our casual remarks or faithful living can have on someone else's spiritual journey, but this passage affirms that such acts can be the catalyst for divine encounters.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is "Jesus of Nazareth" used instead of just "Jesus"?
Answer: The use of "Jesus of Nazareth" (or "Jesus the Nazarene") was a common and necessary identifier in the 1st century. "Jesus" was a relatively common name, so adding "of Nazareth" distinguished Him from others. It served as a geographical descriptor, indicating His hometown. While sometimes used derisively (as seen in John 1:46, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?"), in this context, it functions as a straightforward, widely recognized public title. It grounds His identity in a specific place and time, emphasizing His historical reality and how He was known among the people.
What is the significance of Jesus "passing by"?
Answer: The phrase "passeth by" (Greek: parérchomai) is highly significant because it conveys a sense of immediacy and a fleeting opportunity. Jesus was on a journey, not stationary. For the blind man, this meant a limited window of time during which he could access Jesus. It underscores the urgency of recognizing and responding to divine presence. It highlights that God's opportunities are often presented in specific moments and require a prompt, faith-filled response, rather than passive waiting. It also emphasizes Jesus' active movement in His ministry, bringing salvation and healing to those He encountered along His path.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Luke 18:37, with its simple declaration that "Jesus of Nazareth passeth by," profoundly foreshadows the broader Christ-centered reality of God's redemptive plan. The physical "passing by" of Jesus in Jericho, offering a singular opportunity for healing, points to His ultimate "passing by" through human history in the Incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection. This historical event in Jericho, where the physically blind man is given sight, serves as a powerful emblem of Jesus as the true Light of the World, who comes to open the eyes of those spiritually blind (John 9:5). His journey to Jerusalem, which this passage precedes, culminates in the ultimate "passing by"—His sacrifice on the cross—which provides the means for all humanity to move from spiritual darkness to light (Ephesians 5:8; 2 Corinthians 4:6). Thus, the crowd's simple statement is a microcosm of the gospel: Jesus, the Son of God, has passed by in our world, offering salvation and inviting all who hear His name to cry out in faith and receive spiritual sight.