Topical Bible: Converts: Zealous: The Blind Men

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In the New Testament, the accounts of Jesus healing the blind men serve as powerful testimonies of faith and transformation. These narratives not only highlight the miraculous power of Jesus but also underscore the zealous response of those who were healed, becoming fervent converts and witnesses to His divine authority.

The Healing of the Blind Men in Matthew 9:27-31

In the Gospel of Matthew, two blind men follow Jesus, crying out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" (Matthew 9:27). Their plea acknowledges Jesus as the Messiah, a title rich with messianic expectation. Despite their physical blindness, they possess spiritual insight into Jesus' true identity. Jesus, moved by their faith, touches their eyes and says, "According to your faith will it be done to you" (Matthew 9:29). Their sight is restored, and although Jesus instructs them to keep the miracle private, their zeal cannot be contained. They spread the news of His healing power throughout the region, demonstrating the fervor typical of new converts who have experienced a profound encounter with Christ.

The Healing of Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52

The Gospel of Mark provides another account of a blind man named Bartimaeus, who sits by the roadside in Jericho. Upon hearing that Jesus is passing by, he begins to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Mark 10:47). Despite being rebuked by the crowd, Bartimaeus persists, illustrating the determination and zeal that often accompany genuine faith. Jesus calls him over and asks, "What do you want Me to do for you?" Bartimaeus replies, "Rabboni, I want to see" (Mark 10:51). Jesus responds, "Go, your faith has healed you," and immediately Bartimaeus receives his sight and follows Jesus along the road (Mark 10:52). His immediate decision to follow Jesus is a testament to his transformation and newfound zeal as a convert.

The Healing of the Man Born Blind in John 9

In the Gospel of John, Jesus encounters a man blind from birth. The disciples question whether the man's blindness is due to sin, but Jesus clarifies that it is an opportunity for the works of God to be displayed (John 9:3). Jesus heals the man by making mud with His saliva, applying it to the man's eyes, and instructing him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The man's sight is restored, and he becomes a bold witness for Jesus, even in the face of interrogation by the Pharisees. His zealous testimony, "One thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see!" (John 9:25), encapsulates the transformative power of Christ's intervention. Despite being cast out by the religious leaders, the man remains steadfast in his faith, ultimately worshiping Jesus when he later encounters Him (John 9:38).

These accounts collectively illustrate the pattern of zealous conversion among those who have experienced the miraculous touch of Jesus. The blind men, once marginalized and dependent, become vocal and active witnesses to the Messiah's power and grace. Their accounts serve as enduring examples of how an encounter with Christ can lead to a life of fervent devotion and testimony.

Nave's Topical Index

Matthew 9:31
But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.
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John 9:8-38
The neighbors therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
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Library

At the Foot of the Bamboos
... They are like men who were born blind, and had never mourned over their ... now seems
to be the time for the Church to send her men and occupy ... ZEALOUS CONVERTS. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/fagg/forty years in south china/v at the foot of.htm

Moody's Anecdotes And Illustrations
... Never to See its Mother. A Little Child Converts an Infidel. The Dying Child. ... Sad
Lack of Zeal. A Zealous Young Lady. ... Peter's Confession. The Blind Beggar. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/moodys anecdotes and illustrations/

The Great Schism
... dead dogs that cannot bark, blind men, dead men ... the Great Awakening, from unrestrained
converts, from rash ... as far as possible, all zealous Calvinistic preachers ...
/.../chapter x the great schism.htm

Thessalonica and Berea
... The prominence of women among the converts, as soon as the gospel ... A Jew zealous for
Caeesar is an anomaly, which might excite ... Christ asks for no blind adhesion ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/thessalonica and berea.htm

Be not Deceived; God is not Mocked.
... warning was given by Paul to Christian men"converts in the ... with his lips." Peter
was the most zealous and defiant ... to be safe, she kept her blind eye toward ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/moody/sowing and reaping/chapter ii be not deceived.htm

Paul a Prisoner
... of the former council concerning the Gentile converts and the ... of the law of the fathers,
and was zealous toward God ... up to the control of blind, unreasoning anger ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 38 paul a prisoner.htm

Absolution.
... we have ceased to front the living fact"we are as zealous as Scribes ... and private,
is to the same effect"that the recent converts have found ... O blind Pharisee ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/robertson/sermons preached at brighton/v absolution.htm

Acts ix. 10, 12
... to come than the rest made him more zealous: for "to ... fact as good as saying, Let
him remain blind, it is ... RV...The reference is to the band of converts whom he ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xx acts ix 10.htm

An Earnest Warning About Lukewarmness
... The gospel converts a sincerely superstitious Luther, but Erasmus, with ... not think
I am the least zealous among you ... and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked ...
/.../spurgeons sermons volume 20 1874/an earnest warning about lukewarmness.htm

Boniface, Apostle of the Germans.
... light of evangelical truth to the blind, who know ... education and training of the new
converts, is beautifully ... endeavour, that after his death a zealous and able ...
/.../neander/light in the dark places/boniface apostle of the germans.htm