An Atheistic Bible Study Of The Gospels The Blind And The Mute

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Matthew (9:27-34) alone of the four Gospels tells of this double miracle event. As Jesus is leaving after addressing a large crowd he is called after by two blind men, seeking his mercy. They address him as the son of Daniel, clearly seeing him as at least a powerful prophet. They appear to be shouting to him from a house, which Jesus enters to talk to them. He asks them if they have faith in his ability to heal them. When they assure him that they believe in him, he touches their eyes and tells them they are healed according to their faith. Would he bother helping them if they did not believe? Would he leave them blind if they chose not to follow him? It seems so. When their sight returns, Jesus tells them to keep being healed by him a secret, but they immediately start telling everyone they meet. They return to Jesus with a mute man they have found who is also possessed by a demon. Jesus casts out the demon, allowing the mute man to speak and though not warned against doing so by Jesus, he too tells everyone his story. The multitudes marvel that this is the greatest miracle ever in all of Israel (rather relegating hundred of Old Testament miracles in status). Inevitably, word of the miracle of casting out the demon reaches the Pharisees who make note of the news (hinting that this contributes to their motives for wanting Jesus dead). Jesus again fails to keep his discreet miracle performing a secret, as if expecting someone who was blind suddenly being able to see again could explain the healing without revealing how it happened. That Jesus does not criticize or punish the former blind men even when they return to him with the demon-possessed mute who they have obviously told about Jesus, indicates that he was happy for rumours of his powers to spread throughout the land. The secrecy Jesus has about his healing powers is a bit like the two rules about not telling anyone about Fight Club – word gets round anyway, and that was probably the intention all along. Arthur Chappell