How does Matthew 15:31 connect to Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah? Reading Matthew 15:31 “the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing… and they glorified the God of Israel” Observing the Scene • Every category of brokenness—speech, mobility, sight—is instantly reversed. • The crowd links the miracle-worker with “the God of Israel,” acknowledging divine, covenant faithfulness. Echoes of Isaiah’s Vision • Isaiah 35:5-6: “the eyes of the blind will be opened… the lame will leap like a deer, and the mute tongue will shout for joy.” – Matthew’s wording mirrors Isaiah almost phrase-for-phrase. • Isaiah 29:18: “in that day the deaf will hear… the eyes of the blind will see.” • Isaiah 42:7: Messiah is sent “to open blind eyes, to bring prisoners out of the dungeon.” These prophecies paint the Messianic age as a time when physical impairments are lifted, signaling God’s salvation breaking in. Additional Prophetic Threads • Psalm 146:8: “The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; the LORD lifts those who are weighed down.” • Isaiah 61:1: “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me… He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted.” These passages ground the expectation that only Yahweh and His Anointed can perform such works. Why These Miracles Signify the Messiah • Fulfillment, not mere coincidence: Jesus does exactly what Isaiah said the Messiah would do. • Kingdom preview: The healings foreshadow the complete restoration promised in the prophets (Isaiah 11:6-9). • Identity confirmed: The crowd’s praise of “the God of Israel” shows they recognize the miracles as divine acts, affirming Jesus’ Messianic role. Takeaway Matthew 15:31 is a deliberate spotlight on Jesus as the promised Messiah whom the prophets foresaw. By literally opening blind eyes, loosening mute tongues, and strengthening crippled limbs, He fulfills centuries-old promises and invites us to trust every word of Scripture as reliable and true. |
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