of God, have lost their bodily sight, may, by the grace of God, have the eyes of their understanding
fully enlightened. And whatever our wants and burdens are, we need no more for supply and support,
than to share in the mercy of our Lord Jesus. In Christ is enough for all. They followed him crying
aloud. He would try their faith, and would teach us always to pray, and not to faint, though the
answer does not come at once. They followed Christ, and followed him crying; but the great question
is, Do ye believe? Nature may make us earnest, but it is only grace that can work faith. Christ
touched their eyes. He gives sight to blind souls by the power of his grace going with his word,
and he puts the cure upon their faith. Those who apply to Jesus Christ, shall be dealt with, not
according to their fancies, nor according to their profession, but according to their faith. Christ
sometimes concealed his miracles, because he would not indulge the conceit which prevailed among
the Jews, that their Messiah should be a temporal prince, and so give occasion to the people to
attempt tumults and seditions.
Verses 32–34
Of the two, better a dumb devil than a blaspheming one. Christ's cures strike at the root, and
remove the effect by taking away the cause; they open the lips, by breaking Satan's power in the
soul. Nothing can convince those who are under the power of pride. They will believe anything,
however false or absurd, rather than the Holy Scriptures; thus they show the enmity of their hearts
against a holy God.
Verses 35–38
Jesus visited not only the great and wealthy cities, but the poor, obscure villages; and there he
preached, there he healed. The souls of the meanest in the world are as precious to Christ, and
should be so to us, as the souls of those who make the greatest figure. There were priests, Levites,
and scribes, all over the land; but they were idol shepherds, Zec 11:17; therefore Christ had
compassion on the people as sheep scattered, as men perishing for lack of knowledge. To this day
vast multitudes are as sheep not having a shepherd, and we should have compassion and do all we
can to help them. The multitudes desirous of spiritual instruction formed a plenteous harvest,
needing many active labourers; but few deserved that character. Christ is the Lord of the harvest.
Let us pray that many may be raised up and sent forth, who will labour in bringing souls to Christ.
It is a sign that God is about to bestow some special mercy upon a people, when he stirs them up
to pray for it. And commissions given to labourers in answer to prayer, are most likely to be
successful.
Chapter 10
Chapter Outline
The apostles called. (1–4)
The apostles instructed and sent forth. (5–15)