Matthew 15:29-31 29And after departing from there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee, and after going up on the mountain, he sat down there. 30And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they laid them at his feet, and he healed them, 31so that the crowd wondered when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.
These verses provide another summary point in the narrative of the Gospel account. Matthew emphasizes the large number of people who sought out healing from Jesus. These people serve as an example of the type of faith disciples out to have. Jesus left the Gentile region of Tyre and Sidon and returned returned to Galilee where he spent most of his time. There is no specific place mentioned along the lake shore where Jesus walked. He was returning to a place where he had done many miracles. Many important things happen on mountains in the Bible and, in particular, Jesus’ ministry. Sitting was the normal posture for teachers.
There were many people suffering during that time. They were desperate for help and found it in Jesus. Each of the ailments listed were impossible to cure from a human perspective. These people saw something greater in Jesus than in their hopeless situations. Many of those who were healed needed the help of others who put these disabled people at the feet of Jesus. Many people are so disabled that they need someone else to be an advocate for them. It took great effort to carry or guide these people up the hillside to the feet of Jesus. Not only did the disabled have faith to convince their friends to take them to Jesus, the friends also too the effort to help them all the way to Jesus.
Verse 31 starts with a summarizing pause in the form of a result clause. They grew in deep “respect” (thaumasai) for Jesus as the wondered at his healing powers. The four disabilities all found a healing answer and were totally reversed in Jesus. The end result is how all who encounter Jesus should respond: by glorifying the God of Israel. This formal way of referring to God contrasts with the faith of the Canaanite woman in the earlier passage. This crowd was part of God’s chosen people and should have recognized the power of God in Jesus. Both Gentiles and Jews had access to the saving power of the Messiah.
For older posts, click here.