What can we learn about faith from the blind and lame in Matthew 21:14? A Freshly-Cleansed Temple: The Stage Is Set “ ‘The blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.’ ” (Matthew 21:14) Jesus has just driven out money-changers (vv. 12-13). The building is now what it was meant to be—a house of prayer—and immediately those who were once pushed to the margins move in. The scene shouts: when Jesus clears away the clutter, hurting people can finally reach Him. Who Were the Blind and the Lame? • Men and women literally unable to see or walk. • Under Old-Covenant regulations (Leviticus 21:17-23) they were barred from priestly service and often kept away from sacred space. • Socially invisible, economically limited, spiritually underestimated—yet they choose to come. Faith Steps Forward, Even When Sight and Strength Are Gone • They refuse to let physical limitations write the last line of their story. • They act on Isaiah 35:5-6—prophecy that “the eyes of the blind will be opened and the lame will leap like a deer.” • They do not wait for an invitation; they move toward Jesus the moment access is possible. Faith Crosses Man-Made Barriers • Religious leaders saw the temple as their turf; Jesus sees it as God’s living room. • In their day, disabilities were often linked to sin (John 9:1-2). Choosing to enter the temple anyway is a declaration: “His mercy outweighs our stigma.” • Their approach exposes the emptiness of ritual without compassion. Faith Receives—Immediately and Completely • “He healed them.” Three words, total transformation. No partial recoveries, no probationary period. • The verb is aorist in Greek—punctiliar action. At a moment in time, eyesight floods back, legs strengthen. Literal, historical fact. • Hebrews 11:6: “He rewards those who seek Him.” They seek; He rewards. Faith Turns into Living Testimony • Their restored bodies become visual proof inside the temple courts that Messiah has come (Matthew 11:4-5). • The children’s ensuing praises (v. 15) echo Psalm 8:2; the healed believers spark worship in others. • Opposition rises from chief priests and scribes, showing that miracles don’t convince hardened hearts—but they do embolden childlike ones. What We Can Take Home • Clear the clutter: when we remove distractions, both in church life and personal life, people can encounter Jesus. • Come as you are: limitations, labels, and long histories of exclusion are no match for a Savior who welcomes. • Act on what you know: at whatever “distance” you feel, step toward Him in prayer, Scripture, and gathering with His people. • Expect completeness: Jesus still fulfills His promises. Healing may be physical, emotional, or spiritual, but His grace remains sufficient and powerful. • Be a signpost: lives changed by Christ point others to Him more loudly than arguments ever could. The blind saw, the lame walked, and faith proved true—inside a temple finally ringing with the right kind of praise. |
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