The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
In Capernaum and Nazareth
- Chapter 130 -
Occasion with the blind beggars. The Lord disregards their flattery. The two blind healed. 'Work only out of love!'
There were however at Capernaum two blind-born, who had never seen daylight nor the glitter of the stars. These two also had heard of Me and My deed. As I was on My way back from Capernaum to Nazareth, accompanied by the chief and his wife and all his children and many of his friends, we unhurriedly passed a spot where several roads crossed. Here the two blind usually sat, begging. When these two found out from passers-by that a large crowd was approaching, including the foremost lords of Galilee and amidst them the Saviour Jesus of Nazareth, about whom as well as His father the legend had it that they were direct descendants of David, the said two quickly got up from the ground, running after Me as fast as they could, crying and saying; 'Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on us!' (Matt. 9:27) They gave Me that title thinking to flatter Me, that I should be even more mercifully disposed towards them.
2
On account of this however I let them follow Me all the way to Nazareth, to show them that I laid no store by such worldly titles and vain flattery.
3
Two hours later, on hearing that I was arriving home, the two asked those they perceived closest to them to take them to Me. And My disciples immediately brought them to Me inside the house.
4
When the two felt themselves in My vicinity, they came over and wanted to ask Me to make them seeing. Knowing full well what they wanted, I beat them to it, saying, 'Do you of a truth believe that I can do so?' They spoke with brevity, 'Yes, Lord!' (Matt. 9:28). I touched their eyes with My fingers, saying, 'Let it be with you in accordance with your faith!' (Matt. 9:29)
5
And their eyes were opened, (Matt. 9:30) so that they could see like all those with sound eyes. As they now felt the blessedness of sight, viewing the Creation with wonder, they also in their hearts remembered their endless thanks to Me, intending to give Me all they acquired through begging, for they would in future not be begging, but earn their living with the strength of their sound hands.
6
But I said to them, 'It verily is right and good that you want to serve your brethren and earn your living through the strength of your hands. Because he who has sight and can work should not go around with idle hands and be a burden to his brethren, but serve them and be of help to them one way or another, so that love among men would grow.
7
This your resolution therefore is fully right and good; but whilst it is commendable that you want to present Me with your savings, out of gratitude, neither I nor My proper disciples have need of it and so you may as well keep them.
8
But what I ask of you for opening your eyes to light, is that you firstly keep God's Commandments, loving God above all and your neighbour as yourselves, serving them in everything as best you can and gladly help them. And secondly and on My own account, I command you to tell no one, ensuring that this spreads no further.'
9
But they said, 'Lord, this shall be rather difficult, because everyone in the surroundings knows that we were blind. If therefore we are asked how we, who had been blind, became seeing, what kind of answer shall we give them?' Say I, 'One that is grounded in silence!' - They indeed promised to heed it, yet did not keep their promise and soon went to all adjacent areas and spread My renown. (Matt. 9:31)