BIBLE STUDY LESSON 09

SERIES R --- THE GOOD SHEPHERD

THE EYES OF FAITH

NEWS TOO GOOD TO KEEP

From Matthew 9:27-31

When Yeshua left Jairus’ home, two blind men followed, begging Him for help. [Take pity on us, O Son of David,] they shouted. The blind men followed Yeshua into the house where He was going. Then Yeshua talked with them about their need. [Do you believe that I can help you see?] He asked, [Yes, we certainly do, Adonai,] they answered. Then Yeshua touched their eyes. [You will now see as much as you believe,] He told them. Immediately the men were well again. [You must not tell anyone about this,] Yeshua told them sternly. But the news was too good to keep, so the men went all over that part of the country, telling people about Yeshua.

POWER OVER DEMONS

From Matthew 9:32-34

The two men were leaving when some people brought another man in need to Yeshua. This man could not talk because a demon lived in him. As soon as Yeshua drove the demon from the man, he started talking again. The people were greatly amazed to see that. [We’ve never seen anything like this in Israel before,] they said. The Pharisees, however, gave their jealous answer. [Yeshua gets His power over demons from the chief of demons,] they said to the people.

BACK HOME IN NAZARETH

From Mark 6:1-6

With His disciples, Yeshua left this part of the country and went home to Nazareth. When the Shabbat day came, He went to the synagogue to teach. The people who heard Him were surprised that a local boy had grown up with such wisdom and power. [Where did He get all this wisdom?] they wondered. [How does He do these miracles? Isn’t He merely the carpenter Who lived here with His mother Mary and His brothers -- James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? And aren’t His sisters living here among us?] The people refused to accept Him, but Yeshua told them, [Wherever a prophet goes, he receives honour, except in his home town among his relatives and family.] Because the people of Nazareth would not believe, Yeshua did very few miracles among them. A few people were healed when He placed His hands on them, but Yeshua wondered at the unbelief of the others.

COMMENTARY

THE SUFFERING OF THE BLIND

In Yeshua’ time a blind person suffered much more than he would today. There was almost no opportunity for a blind person to earn a living, so he was forced to beg or steal. Frequently the blind sat on street corners or at the entrance to a synagogue or the temple, depending on the more fortunate to have mercy. Blind people often depended on others to lead them from place to place. There was little medical help available for the blind, and what was available could do nothing of consequence. Surgery for the eyes was hundreds of years in the future. There was a social stigma for the blind also. Blindness was often considered a curse from YHVH. It was a punishment for the blind person’s sins or the sins of the parents. Blindness was common in ancient times. Much of it came from improper medical care and unsanitary conditions. One of the most common forms of blindness was the infection of children’s eyes, brought about by swarms of flies which moved from one infected eye to another. Some cultures thought it was unlucky to remove deposits which flies left on and around the eyes, so the victim had no hope. And often the victim was an infant. Widespread disease caused many to be born blind or to go blind in later life. So common was this form of blindness that an ancient manuscript listed more than a hundred prescriptions to cure it. With the hopeless plight of the blind, one can only imagine the excitement Yeshua caused when He healed the blind, something no doctor of His day could do.