Matthew 20:29-34 · Bible study
Matthew 20:29-34 Commentary: Jesus Stops for the Desperate at Jericho
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Historical and theological significance of Jericho as setting for Jesus' healing of blind men. From curse to blessing, faith, and compassion explored.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus, the compassionate Son of David, stops on his way to the cross to heal two blind beggars, turning a cursed city into a place of blessing.
- Key words: splagchnizomai (visceral compassion), eleēson (have mercy, aorist imperative, a cry for immediate help), huios Dauid (Son of David, Messianic title).
- Main debate: Why Matthew mentions two blind men while Mark and Luke mention one. Resolved as a difference of focus (Bartimaeus being the prominent figure).
- Theological theme: The intersection of divine curse and redemptive blessing; persistent faith; Jesus’ kingship expressed in servant compassion.
- Best use: Sermon on prayer persistence; study on Christ’s compassion; lesson on the reversal of curses through Messiah.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
29As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him.
30And 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!”
31The crowd admonished them to be silent, but they cried out all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
32Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want Me to do for you?” He asked.
33“Lord,” they answered, “let our eyes be opened.”
34Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and at once they received their sight and followed Him.
WEB World English Bible 2000
29As they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
30Behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David!”
31The multitude rebuked them, telling them that they should be quiet, but they cried out even more, “Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David!”
32Jesus stood still and called them, and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”
33They told him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.”
34Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and immediately their eyes received their sight, and they followed him.
KJV King James Version 1769
29And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
30And, 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.
31And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
32And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?
33They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
34So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
29And as they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
30And 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.
31And the multitude rebuked them, that they should hold their peace: but they cried out the more, saying, Lord, have mercy on us, thou son of David.
32And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I should do unto you?
33They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
34And Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and straightway they received their sight, and followed him.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
29And they going forth from Jericho, there followed him a great multitude,
30and lo, two blind men sitting by the way, having heard that Jesus doth pass by, cried, saying, `Deal kindly with us, sir--Son of David.'
31And the multitude charged them that they might be silent, and they cried out the more, saying, `Deal kindly with us sir--Son of David.'
32And having stood, Jesus called them, and said, `What will ye that I may do to you?'
33they say to him, `Sir, that our eyes may be opened;'
34and having been moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
29And as they went out from Jericho a great crowd followed him.
30And lo, two blind men, sitting by the wayside, having heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out saying, Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David.
31But the crowd rebuked them, that they might be silent. But they cried out the more, saying, Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David.
32And Jesus, having stopped, called them and said, What will ye that I shall do to you?
33They say to him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
34And Jesus, moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and immediately their eyes had sight restored to them, and they followed him.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
29And when they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
30And 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.
31And 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.
32And Jesus stood and called them and said: What will ye that I do to you?
33They say to him: Lord, that our eyes be opened.
34And Jesus having compassion on them, touched their eyes. And immediately they saw and followed him.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 20:29
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this passage reveals Jesus as the merciful Messiah who responds to persistent faith. The setting at Jericho, the city Joshua cursed, later rebuilt under that curse, is not incidental. Matthew Henry notes that Christ took leave of that devoted place with a blessing, reversing the curse through an act of compassion. Clarke emphasizes the blind men's refusal to be silenced by the crowd, calling their cry a model for the soul seeking salvation. The title “Son of David” is unpacked by Calvin as a public recognition of Jesus as the promised Messiah, the one with authority to heal and restore. Commentators also observe that Matthew alone records two blind men (Mark and Luke name only Bartimaeus), but see no contradiction; as Gill and Wesley explain, mentioning the more prominent figure is standard practice. The verb splagchnizomai (moved with compassion) signals a gut-level mercy that stops a journey to Jerusalem, where Jesus will give his life. The result: they see and follow him, gratitude and discipleship folded into one.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Jesus healed at least one blind man (Bartimaeus) as he left Jericho, granting sight in response to a cry for mercy using the Messianic title “Son of David,” and the man followed him.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Number of blind men | Both accounts are historically consistent; Matthew includes two, Mark and Luke focus on the more prominent one (Bartimaeus). | Some argue these are different healings (one entering, one leaving Jericho). Most commentators (Calvin, Gill) see one event with two recipients; the diversity in gospel accounts enriches rather than contradicts. |
| Theological significance of Jericho | Jericho’s Old Testament curse (Joshua 6:26) is well-known. Jesus’ presence brings blessing and healing, reversing the curse’s effect. | How directly Matthew intended this connection is debated. Some (Matthew Henry) emphasize the irony of blessing at a cursed place; others focus more on the city’s role as a prosperous travel hub. Both readings are compatible. |
| The crowd’s rebuke, malice or overprotectiveness? | The crowd tried to silence the blind men, and the men persisted. | Gill suggests the rebuke could come from either friends (wanting to avoid troubling Jesus) or enemies (angry at the Messianic title). The text does not specify motives, so Christians interpret the crowd’s role variously. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jericho was an ancient city with a complex biblical history. Joshua pronounced a curse on anyone who rebuilt its foundations (Joshua 6:26), a curse fulfilled when Hiel rebuilt it in Ahab's reign (1 Kings 16:34). Yet by Jesus' day, Jericho had become a flourishing city, second only to Jerusalem. Its palm groves, balsam plantations, and royal winter palaces made it an opulent stop on the pilgrim road from Galilee to Jerusalem for Passover. The road from Jericho to Jerusalem ran through the treacherous “wilderness of Jericho,” a dangerous defile where robbers lurked (the setting of the Good Samaritan parable). A “great multitude” traveling with Jesus likely included Passover pilgrims, offering protection in numbers.
The blind men sat beside the road, at the city gate or along the main route, begging. When they heard the crowd shouting “Jesus is passing by” (Vincent notes hoti Iēsous paragei functions like quotation marks), they recognized their opportunity. Their cry “Son of David” was a loaded title, a claim that Jesus was the Davidic Messiah, the one who would open blind eyes (Isaiah 29:18; 35:5). Jericho itself was a place where God had reversed the curse through Elisha, healing the bitter waters (2 Kings 2:21). Now Jesus, the greater prophet and king, brings sight to the blind, transforming a cursed city into a stage for Messianic blessing. The crowd's rebuke reflects the common attitude that the poor and disabled were unworthy of attention; yet Jesus, bound for his own suffering, stopped for two beggars.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Matthew 20:29-34. Some manuscripts vary in v.30 between kurie and kyrie Iēsou (Vaticanus adds the vocative “Jesus”), but the meaning is unchanged. The reading “Lord, Son of David” is stable across the major traditions.
Reception History
Early church readings of this passage emphasized Christ’s fulfillment of Messianic prophecy and his compassion as a model for ministry. By the Middle Ages, the blind men were allegorized as the Gentiles receiving sight through faith. In the Reformation, Calvin highlighted the men’s prayer as arising from the Holy Spirit, noting that we ought not simply ask for any bodily good but must be guided by God’s will (he used this as a caution against unqualified petition). Wesley and later Methodist expositors saw in the persistent cry a pattern for the praying sinner. African American spirituals and gospel hymns have drawn on “Son of David, have mercy” as a refrain of desperate trust. Across traditions, the story has comforted those who feel pushed away by religious crowds, assuring them that Jesus hears and stops.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Setting of Curse Turns to Blessing, Jericho, under Joshua’s curse, becomes the site of Jesus’ healing. Christ’s touch reverses the downward trajectory; where there was a curse, there is now sight. This signals that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan.
- Faith That Won’t Be Silenced, The blind men persist against the crowd’s rebuke. Their cry “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us” is both a plea and a confession. They embody the kind of desperate, dependent faith that Jesus always honors.
- Compassion Stopping on the Way to the Cross, Jesus is heading to Jerusalem to die, yet he stops for two needy individuals. The verb splagchnizomai (moved with compassion) shows a visceral, interrupting love. No mission is so urgent that compassion can be postponed.
Five-point outline
- The road out of Jericho, a city rebuilt under a curse, now the place of blessing.
- The blind men, sitting, hearing, crying out. Their handicap becomes the occasion for faith.
- The crowd, a barrier that tries to silence prayer. Many voices still tell desperate people to be quiet.
- Jesus stops, he calls them and asks a question. The question invites them to articulate their need.
- The touch and the following, compassion leads to healing; healing leads to discipleship.
Illustration hooks
- The last few miles on a long road trip when a child needs to stop. The destination is important, but the need in front of you is urgent. Jesus stopped for interruptions that mattered.
- Courtroom scenes where a spectator cries out for justice and is told to be silent, but keeps shouting. Persistence can break through formality.
- A doctor pausing a busy clinic to really listen to a patient’s story. That moment of attention changes everything.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does Matthew mention two blind men while Mark and Luke mention only one? Does that matter?
- What does it mean for me when I feel the crowd is telling me to stop praying?
- Is it okay to ask Jesus for physical healing, or should I only ask for spiritual things?
Leading a Discussion
This passage sits at a hinge in Matthew’s gospel. Jesus just taught that he came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom (20:28). Immediately after, he embodies that teaching by stopping on the road to serve two blind beggars. The location is significant: Jericho, the city destroyed under Joshua’s curse, now becomes a place of miraculous sight. The blind men’s title “Son of David” connects Jesus to Messianic prophecy. As you discuss, consider how this story reframes power: the King of Israel pauses for the powerless.
Discussion questions
- Read verse 30. What did the blind men already know about Jesus? Why do they use the title “Son of David”?
- The crowd told them to be quiet. Have you ever experienced circumstances or people telling you to stop praying or hoping? How did you respond?
- In verse 32, Jesus asks, “What do you want me to do for you?” Why do you think he asks when their need is obvious?
- The men answer, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” Describe a deep longing in your life that you would bring to Jesus in those same words.
- Verse 34 says Jesus was “moved with compassion.” The Greek word splagchnizomai refers to a physical, gut-level feeling. How does knowing that Jesus feels compassion this deeply affect your view of his willingness to help?
- The healed men immediately followed Jesus. What do you think “following him” might cost them? What does it cost you?
- Jericho was a city under a curse (Joshua 6:26), yet Jesus blesses people there. How does this show that Jesus is greater than any curse?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 9:27 | As Jesus passed by from there, two blind men followed him, calling out and saying, “Have mercy on us, son of David!” |
| Matthew 9:31 | But they went out and spread abroad his fame in all that land. |
| Mark 10:46 | They came to Jericho. As he went out from Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude, the son of Timaeus, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road. |
| Mark 10:52 | Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your faith has made you well.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the way. |
| Luke 18:35 | As he came near Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the road, begging. |
| Luke 18:43 | Immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God. All the people, when they saw it, praised God. |
| Psalms 146:8 | Yahweh opens the eyes of the blind. Yahweh raises up those who are bowed down. Yahweh loves the righteous. |
| Isaiah 29:18 | In that day, the deaf will hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind will see out of obscurity and out of darkness. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that Matthew mentions two blind men while Mark and Luke mention only one, but this is no contradiction. Mark and Luke focus on Bartimaeus because he was well known, never claiming there was only one. Such variations between the Gospels actually confirm the writers' honesty and independence.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists the Gospel accounts describe one event, not four separate healings, and that the apparent contradictions are normal variations between writers. His main point is the blind men's persevering faith: they cried out despite the crowd's rebuke, showing that believers must press through obstacles in prayer.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill harmonizes the Gospel accounts by suggesting three blind men were healed: one when Jesus approached Jericho (Luke's account) and two as He left, including the Bartimaeus Mark names. He emphasizes that calling Jesus "Son of David" was the blind men's confession of Him as the promised Messiah, a title well known among the Jews.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees this healing as a crucial turning point: Jesus for the first time allows Himself to be publicly hailed as the Messiah, accepting the title Son of David from the blind men. The crowd tries to silence them, treating their cry as an interruption to a royal procession, but Jesus stops and makes their need the focus of His journey of redemption.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Christ's departure from Jericho—a place rebuilt under a curse—shows he gives blessings even to the rebellious. The crowd following Jesus had mixed motives, but the two blind men exemplify how joint prayer from fellow sufferers is especially pleasing to him.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent draws attention to the Greek word "oti" in the original text. He explains that it functions like quotation marks, showing that the crowd's cry is being directly reported: "Jesus is passing!"
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley observes that the crowd told the blind men to be quiet, just as people today try to silence those who cry out to Jesus. But anyone who truly feels their need of him should cry out all the more, or they will miss out on being healed.