Matthew 20:30
in Matthew 20And there were two blind men sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, Lord, have mercy on us, thou son of David.
KJV
And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
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This verse in Matthew 20
Commentary
20 notes on this verseBut there were also two blind men by the road. He calls blind those who could not yet speak: In your light we will see light (Ps. XXXV, 10). Along the road, because they seemed to have knowledge of the Law: but they were ignorant of the way, which is Christ: whom most understand as the Pharisees and Sadducees, and others as both the people, the old Testament and the New: because one, following the written Law, was blind without Christ.
This site's exposition
departed from Jericho
on Matthew 20:29-31
As they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him sets the scene for the last healing before Jerusalem, and the bench notes an apparent tension with Luke 18:35, which places the healing as Jesus draws near to Jericho rather than departing from it, most naturally resolved by the presence of both an old Jericho and a new Herodian Jericho nearby, so that leaving one city meant approaching the other. Two blind men, one named by Mark as Bartimaeus, cry Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David, using the messianic title the crowd itself does not yet grant him, and the multitude's rebuke only makes them cry the more, their persistence outlasting the crowd's attempt to silence them.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
Figuratively, Jericho is taken to be the world, into which Christ came down. They who are in Jericho, know not how to escape from the wisdom of the world, unless they see not Jesus only coming out of Jericho, but also His disciples. This when they saw, great multitudes followed Him, despising the world and all worldly things, that under His guidance they may go up to the heavenly Jerusalem. The two blind men we may call Judah and Israel, who before the coming of Christ were blind, not seeing the true word which was in the Law and the Prophets, yet sitting by the wayside of the Law and the Prophets, and understanding Him only as after the flesh, they cried to Him who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh. We also now sitting by the wayside of the Scriptures, and understanding wherein we are blind, if we ask with desire, He will touch the eyes of our souls, and the gloom of ignorance shall depart from our minds, that in the light of knowledge we may follow Him, who gave us power to see to no other end than that we should follow Him.
In good season these blind men come before Christ, that having their eyes opened, they may go up with Him to Jerusalem as witnesses to His power. They heard the sound of the passers by, but saw not their persons, and having nothing free about them but their voice, because they could not follow Him with their feet, they pursued Him with their voice; When they heard that Jesus passed by, they cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
Some interpret that the two blind men are the Gentiles; one sprung from Cham, the other from Japhet; they sat by the way-side, that is, they walked hard by the truth, but they could not find it out; or they were placed in reason, not having yet received knowledge of the Word.
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 66 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
But let us keep to the things set before us, and let us listen to these blind men, who were better than many that see. For neither having a guide, nor being able to see Him when come near to them, nevertheless they strove to come unto Him, and began to cry with a loud voice, and when rebuked for speaking, they cried the more. For such is the nature of an enduring soul, by the very things that hinder, it is borne up. But Christ suffered them to be rebuked, that their earnestness might the more appear, and that thou mightest learn that worthily they enjoy the benefits of their cure. Therefore He doth not so much as ask, "Do ye believe?" as He doth with many; for their cry, and their coming unto Him, sufficed to make their faith manifest. Hence learn, O beloved, that though we be very vile and outcast, but yet approach God with earnestness, even by ourselves we shall be able to effect whatsoever we ask. See, for instance, these men, how, having none of the apostles to plead with them, but rather many to stop their mouths, they were able to pass over the hindrances, and to come unto Jesus Himself. And yet the evangelist bears witness to no confidence of life in them, but earnestness sufficed them instead of all. These then let us also emulate. Though God defer the gift, though there be many withdrawing us, let us not desist from asking. For in this way most of all shall we win God to us. See at least even here, how not poverty, not blindness, not their being unheard, not their being rebuked by the multitude, not anything else, impeded their exceeding earnestness. Such is the nature of a fervent and toiling soul.
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 66 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
Wherefore doth He ask them? Lest any one should think that when they wish to receive one thing, He giveth them another thing. For indeed it is usual with Him on every occasion, first to make manifest and discover to all the virtue of those He is healing, and then to apply the cure, for one reason, that He might lead on the others likewise to emulation; and for another, that He might show that they were enjoying the gift worthily. This, for instance, He did with respect to the Canaanitish woman also, this too in the case of the centurion, this again as to her that had the issue of blood, or rather that marvellous woman even anticipated the Lord's inquiry; but not so did He pass her by, but even after the cure makes her manifest. Such earnest care had He on every occasion to proclaim the good deeds of them that come to Him, and to show them to be much greater than they are, which He doth here also. Then, when they said what they wished, He had compassion on them, and touched them. For this alone is the cause of their cure, for which also He came into the world. But nevertheless, although it be mercy and grace, it seeks for the worthy. But that they were worthy is manifest, both from what they cried out, and from the fact that, when they had received, they did not hasten away, as many do, being ungrateful after the benefits. Nay, they were not like this, but were both persevering before the gift, and after the gift grateful, for "they followed Him."
13 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers3 voices
By the two blind men are generally understood the Pharisees and Sadducees.
The Lord acted according to their faith. He restored their eyes. He has been healing sickness within, deafness within and deadness within. Now he is healing blindness within. The eyes of the heart are closed. Jesus is passing by so that we might shout to him.What does it mean that Jesus was passing by? He is coming to us in time. Only for a short time is Jesus passing by us. What does it mean that Jesus is passing by? He is acting in a moment that comes to pass. Note how many things he has now done which have already passed by. He was born of the Virgin Mary in time. Is he being born always? As an infant he was nursed. Is he still being nursed? No, he matured through the successive ages of life until he came to adulthood. Is he always growing physically? After infancy came boyhood, after boyhood came youth; after youth he came to full human stature in several developing stages of growth. Even the very miracles that he did have "passed by." Now we read about them and believe. They were written about so that they might be read later. But when they were occurring they were passing by like all temporal events. Finally, not to dwell long on this, he was crucified. Is he still hanging on the cross? In a similar temporal flow, he was buried, he rose again, he ascended into heaven. Now "he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him." Now his divinity abides forever; yes, even the immortality of his body now shall never pass away. But nevertheless all those things that were done by him in time have passed by, and having passed by they were written down in order to be read and preached to be believed. In all these things then "Jesus was passing by."
(de Cons. Ev. ii. 65.) Mark relates this miracle, but speaks of only one blind man. This difficulty is thus explained; of the two blind men whom Matthew has introduced, one was well known in that city, as appears by Mark's mentioning both his name, and that of his father. (Mark 10:46.) Bartimæus the son of Timæus was well known as having sunk from great affluence, and now sitting not only blind, but a beggar. For this reason then it is that Mark chose to mention him alone, because the restoration of his sight procured fame to the miracle, in proportion to the notoriety of the fact of his blindness. Though what Luke relates was done after the same manner, yet his account is to be taken of another though similar miracle. (Luke 18:35.) That which he gives was done as they drew near to Jericho; this in the other two as they came out of Jericho.
The Medieval Church4 voices
This blind man is rightly described as sitting beside the road and being a beggar; for the Truth himself says: "I am the way." Therefore whoever does not know the brightness of eternal light is blind; but if he already believes in the Redeemer, he sits beside the way; if, however, he already believes but neglects to ask that he might receive eternal light, and ceases from prayers, the blind man indeed sits beside the way but does not beg at all. But if he has both believed and recognized the blindness of his heart, and asks that he might receive the light of truth, the blind man sits beside the way and begs. Therefore whoever recognizes the darkness of his own blindness, whoever understands that the light of eternity is what he lacks, let him cry out from the depths of his heart, let him cry out with the voices of his mind, saying: "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me."
There follows the devotion of the blind men: and behold two blind men, etc. And first, the devotion is set forth; secondly, the constancy, at and the multitude rebuked them that they should hold their peace. But here there is a question, because in Luke …
But recognizing the rumour of Christ, they desired to be made partakers of Him. Many spake against them; first the Jews, as we read in the Acts; then the Gentiles harassed them by persecution; but yet they might not deprive those who were preordained to life of salvation.
And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, Thou son of David. And the multitude rebuked …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And behold, two blind men,.... Mark and Luke make mention but of one; which is no contradiction to Matthew; for they neither of them say that there was but one.
The Labourers in the Vineyard. 1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:100%@v1-3
Behold two blind men cried out - St. Mark and St. Luke mention only one of them, blind Bartimeus. He was far the more eminent of the two, and, as it seems, spoke for both.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Two blind men - Mar 10:46, and Luk 18:35, mention only one blind man, Bartimeus. Probably he was mentioned by the other evangelists, as being a person well known before and after his cure. Blindness of heart is a disorder of which, men seldom complain, or from which they desire to be delivered; and it is one property of this blindness, to keep the person from perceiving it, and to persuade him that his sight is good.
In these verses we have a touching picture of an event in our Lord’s history. He heals two blind men sitting by the wayside, near Jericho. The circumstances of the event contain several deeply interesting lessons, which all professing Christians would do well to remember. For one thing, let us mark what strong faith may sometimes be found where it might least have been expected. Blind as these two men were, they believed that Jesus was able to help them. They never saw any of our Lord’s miracles; they knew him only by hearsay, and not face to face.
In these verses we have a touching picture of an event in our Lord’s history. He heals two blind men sitting by the wayside, near Jericho. The circumstances of the event contain several deeply interesting lessons, which all professing Christians would do well to remember. For one thing, let us mark what strong faith may sometimes be found where it might least have been expected. Blind as these two men were, they believed that Jesus was able to help them. They never saw any of our Lord’s miracles; they knew him only by hearsay, and not face to face. Yet, as soon as they heard that he was passing by, they “cried out saying, ‘Have mercy on us O Lord thou Son of David!’ Such faith may well put us to shame. With all our books of evidence, lives of saints and libraries of divinity, how few know anything of simple, child-like confidence in Christ’s mercy and Christ’s power. Even among those who are believers, the degree of faith is often strangely disproportionate to the privileges enjoyed. Many an unlearned man who can only read his New Testament with difficulty possesses the spirit of unhesitating trust in Christ’s advocacy, while deeply-read divines are harassed by questionings and doubts. They who, humanly speaking, ought to be first, are often last, and the last first. For another thing let us mark what wisdom there is in using every opportunity for getting good for our souls. These blind men “sat by the wayside,” had they not done so, they might never have been healed. Jesus never returned to Jericho, and they might never have met with him again. Let us see, in this simple fact, the importance of diligence in the use of means of grace. Let us never neglect the house of God, never forsake the assembling of ourselves with God’s people, never omit the reading of our Bibles, never let drop the practice of private prayer.
The words behind it
19 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἰδοὺ | idou | behold | G2400 → | 200 times |
| δύο | duo | two | G1417 → | 133 times |
| τυφλοὶ | tuphloi | blind [men] | G5185 → | 50 times |
| καθήμενοι | kathemenoi | sitting | G2521 → | 91 times |
| παρὰ | para | beside | G3844 → | 192 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὁδόν, | hodon | road, | G3598 → | 101 times |
| ἀκούσαντες | akousantes | having heard | G191 → | 425 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| Ἰησοῦς | iesous | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| παράγει, | paragei | is passing by, | G3855 → | 10 times |
| ἔκραξαν | ekraxan | cried out | G2896 → | 55 times |
| λέγοντες· | legontes | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ἐλέησον | eleeson | do have mercy on | G1653 → | 32 times |
| ἡμᾶς | hemas | us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| κύριε | kurie | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| υἱὸς | huios | Son | G5207 → | 377 times |
| Δαυίδ.¶ | dauid | of David. | G1138 → | 59 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἰδοὺbehold
idouG2400 →200 times
δύοtwo
duoG1417 →133 times
τυφλοὶblind [men]
tuphloiG5185 →50 times
καθήμενοιsitting
kathemenoiG2521 →91 times
παρὰbeside
paraG3844 →192 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
ὁδόν,road,
hodonG3598 →101 times
ἀκούσαντεςhaving heard
akousantesG191 →425 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ἸησοῦςJesus
iesousG2424 →908 times
παράγει,is passing by,
parageiG3855 →10 times
ἔκραξανcried out
ekraxanG2896 →55 times
λέγοντες·saying;
legontesG3004 →1325 times
ἐλέησονdo have mercy on
eleesonG1653 →32 times
ἡμᾶςus
hemasG3165 →1936 times
κύριεLord
kurieG2962 →711 times
υἱὸςSon
huiosG5207 →377 times
Δαυίδ.¶of David.
dauidG1138 →59 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 42:16I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light before them and rough places into level ground. These…
it leads to
- Isaiah 30:21
And whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.”
- Luke 3:5
Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth.
- Isaiah 35:8
And there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it—only those who walk in the Way—and fools will not stray onto it.
- Isaiah 60:19–20
No longer will the sun be your light by day, nor the brightness of the moon shine on your night; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your…
- Luke 1:78–79
because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high,
- Isaiah 30:21
Through
Mark 10:46Next, they came to Jericho. And as Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho with a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road.
it leads to
- Luke 18:35
As Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road, begging.
- Matthew 20:29–34
As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him.
- John 9:8
At this, his neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging began to ask, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?”
- Luke 18:35
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
About Matthew
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 17 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 88.9; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Gregory the Dialogist, Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 2; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 66; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Pseudo-Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Rabanus Maurus, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.