Matthew 20:31

Mat 20:31. Οἱ δε, κ.τ.λ., but they, etc.) We must not listen to those who inculcate perverted shame or noxious decorum.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat_20:31 f. Ἵνα σιωπής.] Aim of ἐπετίμησεν αὐτοῖς.

Euthymius Zigabenus says well: ἐπεστόμισεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τιμὴν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ὡς ἐνοχλοῦντας αὐτόν. Comp. Mat_19:13. They probably saw that He was just then in the act of conversing on some topic or other.

τί θέλετε ποιήσω ὑμῖν;] The question is intended to increase their confidence by means of the hope which it excites. Comp. note on Joh_5:6. There is no need to supply ἵνα, but comp. note on Mat_13:28.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 20:31 . ἐπετίμησεν : same word as in Mat 19:13 , and denoting similar action to that of the disciples in reference to the children, due to similar motives. Officious reverence has played a large part in the history of the Church and of theology. μεῖζον ἔκραζον , they cried out the more; of course, repression ever defeats itself; μεῖζον , adverb, here only in N.T.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 31. The multitude rebuked them] Whenever a soul begins to cry after Jesus for light and salvation, the world and the devil join together to drown its cries, or force it to be silent. But let all such remember, Jesus is now passing by; that their souls must perish everlastingly, if not saved by him, and they may never have so good an opportunity again. While there is a broken and a contrite heart, let it sigh its complaints to God, till he hear and answer.

They cried the more] When the world and the devil begin to rebuke, in this case, it is a proof that the salvation of God is nigh; therefore, let such cry out a great deal the more.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(31) The multitude rebuked them.—The silence of our Lord, the hushed reverence of the multitude, led men to look on the eager, clamorous supplication as intrusive. The entry of the Prophet about to claim His kingdom was not to be thus disturbed. But they were not to be silenced, and the litanies of Christendom for centuries have been modelled on the Kyrie Eleïson (“Lord, have mercy upon us”) which came from their lips.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

31. thou Son of David] An appeal which reflects the thought that especially signalizes this period of our Lord’s ministry, the Son of David entering upon His kingdom.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Jesus stood still,.... Made a full stop, when he was near, or right against where these blind men sat; which shows the strength of faith, the force of prayer, and the great regard Christ has to both:

and called them: himself, being near unto them, and within the reach of his voice; or he commanded them to be brought to him, as Mark says: he ordered others to call them, or let them know, that it was his will they should come to him; upon which they threw away their garments, their long upper garments, which were some hindrance to a quick motion, at least Bartimaeus did; that they might be the sooner with him: and when they were come to him, he said,

what will ye that I shall do unto you? is it alms you want? or would you have your sight restored? This question he put, not as being ignorant of their desires, but to show both his power and willingness to do anything for them they should ask; and that their faith in him might be made manifest, and the people have their expectations raised, and they prepared to attend the miracle now to be wrought.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.

Ver. 31. And the multitude rebuked them] In prayer, we must look to meet with many rubs and discouragements; but God’s Spirit is heroic, and gets over them all. The devil will interrupt us, as the Pythoness did Paul, Act 16:16; as the birds did Abraham, Gen 15:11; as those Samaritans did the Jews in building the temple, Neh 6:1-19 Hence we are bidden to strive in prayer, Col 4:2, and watch in prayer; for Satan will be at our right hand, as at Joshua’s, Zec 3:1, watching his time to cast in, if not a profane, yet an impertinent thought, thereby to bereave us of the benefit of our prayers; besides our own natural lack of devotion through hardness of heart, heaviness of body, multiplicity of worldly distractions and disturbances. All which we must break through, and cry the more earnestly, as Bartimeus here did, though checked by the multitude, "Have mercy on us, O Lord," &c. Daniel would not be kept from his God for any danger of death, Dan 6:10-11, nor the French Protestants restrain prayer, though King Henry III made a law to forbid them to pray with their families. The sun shall sooner stand still than the trade of godliness, and that continual intercourse that is between God and the Christian soul.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

31. Multitude rebuked them — At this time the multitude are respectful to Jesus. It is plain until after his triumphant entrance into Jerusalem, the Lord has the hearts of the people with him. Because they should hold their peace — That is, in the opinion of the multitude, not of the evangelist, they ought to keep silence. But they cried the more — With the blind men it is too serious a matter for nice decorums. The multitude can afford to stand upon etiquette, but with them it is a matter as important to them as their own eyes. Jesus the healer is now passing by, and now or never is their chance. So should the sinner improve the gracious hour of mercy and revival, when Jesus, in pardoning power, is revealed as near. Son of David — Again do they proclaim our Jesus as the son of the royal line of Israel kings. The same appellation was applied by other petitioners for relief; the blind in Mat_9:27, and the Syrophenician woman in Mat_15:22.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Rebuked them, because (ina , in order that) they should hold their peace. The motive of the crowd, in thus silencing the blind men, has been explained in two ways either they grudged that Christ should be addressed by the high title of "Son of David;" or they desired to spare him unseemly importunity and unreasonable interruption in his journey. As the multitude show no signs of hostility at this time, the latter suggestion seems most probable. They cried the more. The attempted check only made them more earnest in their entreaty. The opportunity now offered might never present itself again. The officious interference of unsympathizing bystanders was at once brushed aside. They could attract Christ"s attention only by their passionate cry, and this they continued to utter with renewed energy. Faith resists opposition and triumphs over all impediments.

Importunity revealing character.

Eastern beggars are very clamorous and persistent. But there seems to have been something unusual in the energy and determination of these blind men. They had their opportunity, and they made the best possible use of it. There are many cases which indicate that our Lord was a keen and skilful observer of character. The actions, movements, expressions, and words of men and women revealed to him the measure of their receptivity for that double blessing temporal and spiritual which he was prepared to bestow. One of the most striking instances is the response he made to those four friends who carried the paralyzed man, and broke up the house roof in order to get him into the presence of Jesus. Reading character in their act, "seeing their faith," Jesus gave the sufferer a higher blessing than they sought, but included with it what they asked.

I IMPORTUNITY REVEALS WILL. Many of the gravest troubles of life have their real cause in "weakness of will." Men cannot decide. If they decide, they cannot do anything with their decisions. No doubt many sufferers lost Christ"s healing because they were too weak of will to seek him or cry to him. The man who can keep on is the man who has made a firm resolve; who means something; who has an end before him. This "weakness of will power" may be a natural infirmity; but it is largely remediable by skilful educational influences; and yet to this precise work, "strengthening the will power," how few parents, and how few teachers, bend careful attention! The world yields its treasures to those who show they have wills, by keeping on, fixing firm hold; and refusing to let go. Illustrate Jacob, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

II IMPORTUNITY REVEALS FAITH. This leads in the more familiar way of treating such incidents as this of the text. What Jesus noticed in such cases was "faith." If these men had not believed that he could heal them, and if their faith had not blended with hope that he would heal them, they would have been repressed by the rebukers, and would have ceased to cry. The man in earnest is the man of faith, who is open to receive. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The multitude charged them to hold their peace - And so they will all who begin to cry after the Son of David. But let those who feel their need of him cry the more; otherwise they will come short of a cure.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

31. Have mercy on us, thou Son of David. This was virtually acknowledging Jesus as the Christ, who was to be the Son of David.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

31.] The multitude appear to have silenced them, lest they should be wearisome and annoying to our Lord; not because they called Him the Son of David,—for the multitudes could have no reason for repressing this cry, seeing that they themselves (being probably for the most part the same persons who entered Jerusalem with Jesus) raised it very soon after: see ch. 21:9. I have before noticed (on ch. 9:27) the singular occurrence of these words, ‘Son of David,’ in the three narratives of healing the blind in this Gospel.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

31. And the multitude rebuked them, that they should be silent. But they cried the more, saying, Lord, have pity on us, Thou Son of David.] Mk. has: “And many were rebuking him, that he should be silent; but he was crying much the more, Thou Son of David, have pity on me.”—ἐπετίμησεν and ἔκραξαν] aors. for Mk.’s impfs., as often.

(M)

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.