What is the meaning of Matthew 9:31? But they went out • “They” refers to the two blind men Jesus had just healed (Matthew 9:27-30), men whose eyes were opened both physically and spiritually. • Their immediate departure shows prompt obedience; when Jesus changes a life, movement follows. • This going-out reflects the pattern later commanded: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19); “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). • The verse records real history, yet also models every believer’s call to step outside comfort zones and carry the story of Christ. and spread the news • “Spread” pictures a continual, energetic sharing—good news is meant to travel. • Like the cleansed leper who “openly proclaimed his story, spreading the news” (Mark 1:45), these men could not stay silent. • Luke notes a similar ripple effect: “Yet the news about Jesus spread all the more” (Luke 5:15). • Believers today echo that pattern: “The word of the Lord sounded forth… your faith in God has gone out to every place” (1 Thessalonians 1:8). • Testimony is not a formal sermon; it is the overflow of gratitude for what Christ has done. about Him • The focus is singular—Jesus Himself, not the formerly blind men, takes center stage. • Salvation’s spotlight belongs to Christ alone: “Salvation exists in no one else” (Acts 4:12). • Paul captured this priority: “We proclaim Him” (Colossians 1:28) and “I resolved to know nothing… except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). • Genuine witness always points listeners to the Savior, not to the messenger. throughout the land • The news traveled far beyond the immediate town, hinting at the expansive reach of the gospel. • Earlier, “News about Him spread all over Syria” (Matthew 4:24); later, disciples would be “witnesses… to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). • God’s plan has always been global: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth” (Romans 10:18). • What began with two grateful men foreshadows the worldwide mission still in progress today. summary Matthew 9:31 records the instinctive, Spirit-driven response of healed men who could not keep quiet. They went out, they talked freely, their message centered on Jesus, and its impact stretched across their region. The verse reminds believers that when Christ transforms a life, the natural next step is outward movement, enthusiastic proclamation, Christ-focused content, and far-reaching influence. |