They told him,
“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
The crowd recognized Jesus of Nazareth, and for various reasons they followed him in such numbers and with such noise that the blind man noticed and wondered as to the cause of the commotion. Yet the description of the crowd for Jesus, "Jesus of Nazareth", while valid, was still only partially correct. It was a though this identification implied the knowledge of his origin as with those in the synagogue at Nazareth who asked, "Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?" (see Matthew 13:55). To be sure the crowds must have heard of some of the wonders he had done to follow him at all, but were perhaps still skeptical as was Nathanael, who asked "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (see John 1:46). The crowds were never a reliable source of truth about Jesus himself. They had a variety of answers as to who he was, some more correct than others, but still always with error mixed in.
And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” (see Luke 9:18:-19).
These crowds seemed like the ones who would be likely to solve the mystery of Jesus, for they were witnesses to what he said and did. They were not physically blind and their sight had been gifted with the vision of Jesus in his human nature. Yet for all of that their physical sight seemed only to amplify their spiritual blindness. By contrast, the obvious and literal blindness of the beggar seemed only to enhance his spiritual sight.
He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”
The blind man recognized in Jesus the promised Son of David, the Messiah who would restore the Davidic kingdom. But in this recognition he saw more than a merely human king, for a human king could not be asked for the mercy or pity that this beggar asked of Jesus. Even kings as great as David and Solomon could still not restore sight to the blind. Fortunately for him, the beggar's eyes were not sources of distraction as they were for others. Neither did he allow the voices of others that rebuked him to dissuade him. He recognized that in Jesus the Messiah the one whose life was the light of men had come into the world (see John 1:4). The beggar's blindness was no match for that light because it was the very light that shines in the darkness, and which the darkness can never overcome (see John 1:5).
With the crowds, and often with us, it is rather different than it was for the blind man. We are more often like the Pharisees whose sin remains because they believe that they can see and do not recognize their spiritual blindness.
Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains" (see John 9:41).
The voice of our own inner thoughts is often like the rebuke of the crowds, telling us to be silent, to not make a fuss, to not elevate our hopes unrealistically, to not trouble Jesus with our problems. The vision we behold with our eyes is often preoccupied with that which is only superficial. Don't trouble the healer, we tell ourselves. He is busy and our problem is in any case intractable. Even so, our own darkness cannot dim the light of Christ. The dawn from on high has truly visited his people (see Luke 1:78). If we will only allow ourselves to recognize our blindness we will be in a much better position to recognize, by faith, the true light. Already before the physical healing was granted a true miracle of restoration of spiritual vision was effected. The light of Jesus shined on the beggar whose natural blindness, humility, and persistence shaped his response of faith. The first miracle was the vision whereby he recognized Jesus as the Son of David. The second which followed naturally, but was less significant in the long run, was the restoration of his physical sight.
“What do you want me to do for you?”
He replied, “Lord, please let me see.”
Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.”
In what ways are we blind and in need of the light of the world to enlighten us? Let's not allow the so-called wisdom of the crowds to turn us aside. Let's not be so preoccupied with the distractions of "desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life" (see First John 2:16) that we miss Jesus when he passes. He is the Dayspring from on high and calls us to walk and to rejoice in his light.
He immediately received his sight
and followed him, giving glory to God.
The author of Revelation calls us to be on guard against a particular form of blindness. We can perform well and tick all of the boxes and believe ourselves to be fully living the Christian life, and yet it can be without that deeper motivation that love is meant to give, ours for him, and his love for us.
Yet I hold this against you:
you have lost the love you had at first.
Realize how far you have fallen.
Spiritual sight of Jesus is what we need so that our hearts can be moved to love him more, as the beggar was so moved when his own sight was restored. This love will then be the organizing principle for our works, our labor, and our endurance. Our various works will no longer feel so much like disjointed efforts on our part, but will more and more come to be simply be a part of our following Jesus, giving glory to God.
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