Saint Matthew - Chapter 20
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| Ephraim > Jericho > Jerusalem |
And when they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
And as they departed from Jericho. Christ was going from the city of Ephrem, through Jericho which which lay between, to Jerusalem—to the death of the Cross.
Jericho was distant from Jerusalem one hundred and fifty stadia [1 stadium = 600 ft; 150 stda = 18 miles], and from Ephrem on the Jordan sixty stadia [c7 miles], according to Josephus. The journey to Jericho is easy and along a plain, but from Jericho to Jerusalem it is mountainous, steep and difficult.
Jericho in Hebrew is derived from ירח, the moon, because it is of the form of the moon, or from ריח, odour or scent, because the balsam, a plant of very sweet odour, grows there.
Symbolically. Rabanus says that Jericho, which is interpreted “the moon,” denotes the infirmity of our changefulness and mortality, and therefore these blind men were found there. Again S. Gregory (Hom. 12, in Evangel.) says, “Jericho is interpreted ‘the moon,’ and the moon in Scripture is put for the infirmity of the flesh. While therefore our Creator is drawing nigh to Jericho, the blind man is returning to the light; because while Divinity takes upon itself the infirmity of our flesh, the human race regained the light which it had lost.”
Mystically. Origen says, “By Jericho is understood the world into which Christ descended. Those 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 His disciples. This when they saw, great multitudes despised the world and all worldly things, that under the guidance of Christ they might go up to the Heavenly Jerusalem.”
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| The healing of two blind men at Jericho. J-J Tissot |
And behold two blind men sitting by the way side, heard that Jesus passed by, and they cried out, saying: O Lord, thou son of David, have mercy on us.
Behold two blind men, &c. This is the same history that S. Mark relates (chap. 10:46); he mentions only one blind man, Bartimæus. S. Augustine (lib. 2 de cons. Evang. ch. 65) says that there were two blind men, one of whom was very well known in that city; “for Bartimæus, the son of Timæus,” he says, “had sunk from great wealth, and was now sitting, not only as blind, but as a beggar. For this reason then Mark chose to mention him alone, because the restoration of his sight procured fame to this miracle in proportion to the notoriety of the fact of his blindness.”
Moreover, S. Augustine, Jansen, and others, are of opinion that this blind man was not the same as the one of whom S. Luke speaks, ch. 18:35, because S. Luke says that he was healed as they drew near to Jericho, while this one was healed as they came out. But since S. Luke’s narrative agrees in all points with that of S. Matthew and S. Mark, we must suppose that it was one and the same blind man whose prayer to Christ for the restoration of his sight was not heard on account of the crowd, and Christ made as though He heard him not, that he might quicken his faith and hope, and then on the following day he repeated his prayer as Christ went out and obtained it. So S. Ambrose, Maldonatus, and others explain it.
Allegorically. Origen and S. Ambrose say that the two blind men were Judah and Israel, who before the coming of Christ were blind because they saw not the true Word which was contained in the law and the prophets. But Rabanus, with S. Augustine, says that they were the Jews and the Gentiles, for they were both ignorant of the way of salvation. But S. Chrysostom understands them of the Gentiles only, who are descended partly from Ham and partly from Japhet.
Tropologically, by the two blind men we may understand the twofold blindness of the affections and of the understanding.
Have mercy on us, &c. That is, “O Messiah, of whom the prophets foretold that He should be born of David: it is a mark of the Messiah to have mercy on the miserable, and to give sight to the blind (Isaiah 35:5). We believe that Thou art the Messiah; therefore give us sight that all may know that Thou art the Messiah, and may believe and worship Thee.”
[31] Turba autem increpabat eos ut tacerent. At illi magis clamabant, dicentes : Domine, miserere nostri, fili David.
And the multitude rebuked them that they should hold their peace. But they cried out the more, saying: O Lord, thou son of David, have mercy on us.
The multitude rebuked, &c. That they being mean men should not disturb Christ, who perhaps was teaching; or delay Him on this journey. So Euthymius.
Mystically: S. Gregory (Hom. 2, in Evang.) understands by the multitude the crowds of carnal desires, which before Jesus comes to our heart, by their temptations dissipate our meditation, and drown the voice of the heart in prayer.
But they cried the more, &c. Because there was need of a louder cry that they might be heard by Christ above the noise of the crowd.
Morally. S. Augustine (de Verb. Dom. Ser. 18), explains it thus, “Every Christian who has begun to live well, and to despise the world, at the commencement of his new life has to endure the censures of cold Christians, but if he perseveres, those who at first hindered him will soon comply.” The fear of man then must be overcome by one who wishes to serve God. The first virtue of a Christian, as S. Jerome says, is to despise and to be despised.
S. Hilary says, “Faith, when it is called, is the more inflamed, and so in the midst of dangers it is secure, and in the midst of security, it is endangered.”
[32] Et stetit Jesus, et vocavit eos, et ait : Quid vultis ut faciam vobis?
And Jesus stood, and called them, and said: What will ye that I do to you?
And Jesus stood still, &c. S. Jerome says, “Jesus stood still because they being blind could not see their way: about Jericho there were many pits, crags, and steep places, therefore the Lord stands still that they might come to Him.”
S. Gregory (Hom. 2, in Evang.) interprets symbolically, “to pass by is the property of the human nature, to stand still of the Divine. The Lord as He passed by heard the cry of the blind man, but when He restored his sight He stood still.”
Anagogically, S. Augustine (lib. 1. quæst. Evang. c. 8), “Faith in His temporal Incarnation prepares us for the understanding of things eternal; for things temporal pass by, but things eternal stand still.”
And called them. S. Jerome says: “He commands that they be called, that the multitude may not hinder them; and He asks what they would, that by their answer their necessity may be made clear, and His power be known in their healing.”
What will ye? He was not ignorant of their desire, but though He knew it, He wills to hear their confession of it.
[33] Dicunt illi : Domine, ut aperiantur oculi nostri.
They say to him: Lord, that our eyes be opened.
They say unto Him, &c. Nothing is naturally so much desired by man as to see; so that to see seems like life, and not to see like death and continual sorrow.
S. Augustine, writing on these words, says: “The whole object of life is the healing of the eyes of the heart so that we may behold. To this end the sacred mysteries are celebrated, the Word of God is preached, the moral exhortations of the Church are made—that is, those which pertain to the correction of morals, and to the renunciation of this world; not in word only, but by a change of life. To this end the Divine Scriptures direct their aim, that our inward eye may be purged from that thing whatever it is which hinders us from beholding God.”
Let the man, then, who is blinded by sin and concupiscence say,
Grant me, O Lord, to see the baseness of sin, the vileness of concupiscence, the worthlessness of pleasure, the fierceness of hell-fire; the beauty of virtue, the blessedness of Paradise, the eternity of glory; so that I may despise all concupiscence, and aim at the practice of virtue.
[34] Misertus autem eorum Jesus, tetigit oculos eorum. Et confestim viderunt, et secuti sunt eum.
And Jesus having compassion on them, touched their eyes. And immediately they saw, and followed him.
So Jesus had compassion on them. S. Jerome says: “Jesus considering their ready will, rewards it by fully granting their desire. Whence He says in another place, Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
And they followed Him. “These blind men,” S. Chrysostom says, “as before this bounty they were persevering, so after receiving it they were not ungrateful:” for, when healed, they offered a good service to Christ in following Him. For this is what God requires of thee—“to walk circumspectly (Vulg., sollicitum) with thy God.”
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam
Ad Jesum per Mariam
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