In an encounter with Jesus, some are healed and others are not. Some notice Him, others ignore Him. Some come near, others pass by. And among those who come near, some come for the Kingdom and for life, while others...
In an encounter with Jesus, some are healed and others are not. Some notice Him, others ignore Him. Some come near, others pass by. And among those who come near, some come for the Kingdom and for life, while others come to argue or catch Him in His words. To each his own.
The blind man by the road wants healing - he wants to receive his sight, to see, and above all to see the One who can give him back his sight, the very ability to see. Is this possible? Yes, of course. In the Kingdom everything is possible, and this blind man is striving with all his strength toward the very One who brought the Kingdom into the world.
It is possible, but only on one condition: the encounter becomes the chief and only important goal, for whose sake, if necessary, any conventions, prohibitions, and limits can be pushed aside. This is, of course, not about God's commandments, but precisely about limits and rules invented by people, about human opinions. The blind man calls Jesus the Son of David, and therefore the Messiah. They try to make him be silent, since no one had officially recognized Jesus as the Messiah, and even unofficially opinions differed sharply.
At that moment Jesus was, in public opinion, a scandalous figure, or at least an ambiguous one in every respect. To press toward Him like that, one had to trust Him completely - not even against social conventions, but above them, simply ignoring them and seeing only the Person Himself. Relationships with Christ like that are truly saving. Not because He is God and Man at the same time, but because those relationships are real; if they were not real, even His divinity would not help.
In the end, everything is determined precisely by relationships, by their depth and authenticity, whether they are relationships with God or with another person. Real relationships are always unconditional: they cannot be conditioned by any external factors - social, religious, or any others. Only then do relationships become effective, changing those who enter into them. Then in relationship with Christ everything is possible - miracles, healings, participation in the Kingdom. Otherwise everything is useless, even if one meets Him face to face.
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10:32 They were in the way to Jerusalem, and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed - At his courage and intrepidity, considering the treatment which he had himself told them he should meet with there: and as they followed, they were afraid - Both for him and themselves: nevertheless he judged it best toprepare them, by telling them more particularly what was to ensue. Mat 20:17; Luk 18:31.
10:35 Saying - By their mother. It was she, not they that uttered the words. Mat 20:20.
10:38 Ye know not what ye ask - Ye know not that ye ask for sufferings, which must needs pave the way to glory.The cup - Of inward; the baptism - Of outward sufferings.Our Lord was filled with sufferings within, and covered with them without.
10:40 Save to them for whom it is prepared - Them who by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality. For these only eternal life is prepared. To these, only he will give it in that day; and to every man his own reward, according to his own labour.
10:45 A ransom for many - Even for as many souls as needed such a ransom, Co2 5:15.
10:46 Mat 20:29; Luk 18:35.
10:50 Casting away his garment - Through joy and eagerness.