And when they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

“(Serm. 88, 13.) For bad or lukewarm Christians are an hindrance to good Christians, who seek to perform the commandments of God. Notwithstanding these cry and faint not; for every Christian at his first setting about to live well and to despise the world, has to endure at the first the censures of cold Christians; but if he persevere, they will soon comply, who but now withstood him.”

“In the preceding part the Lord rejected those intending to come to glory on account of the antiquity of time; here he rejects one who intends to come on account of fleshly origin. First, therefore, the occasion of the petition is set forth; second, the petition; third, the response. The occasion was the announcement of Christ's passion. And first he announces the place; second the passion; third the resurrection. He says, "And Jesus going up to Jerusalem," etc. Above, in chapter 19:1, it was said that having left Galilee he came into Judea, and did not immediately go up to Jerusalem, but afterward, with the passion drawing near; hence he says "going up," that is, when he was on the point of going up. Jerusalem was a place set high up. "He took the twelve disciples apart," etc. And why does it say "apart"? For two reasons. First, because he wished to show them great things, and so they were not to be shared with all; above, in chapter 13:11: "To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of heaven." Also, in order to avoid scandal, because the men who were not yet perfect would have been turned away from him if they had heard of his death; the women would have been provoked to tears. Also, it should be known that Judas had not yet conceived his evil intent, and so the Lord did not exclude him from the company. "And he said to them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem," etc. Here the firmness of his resolve is noted; hence "behold," that is, I am in the same resolve and in the same will, because I am not changed; Ecclesiasticus 27:12: "A fool is changed as the moon, but a wise man remains steadfast as the sun." Also, by his own will; Isaiah 53:7: "He was offered because it was his own will." He touches on the place, "to Jerusalem"; Luke 13:33: "It cannot be that a prophet perish outside of Jerusalem." And why? Because it was a place of the Law and of the priesthood, and both were fitting for Christ; because just as the true priest had to offer sacrifice for the people, so also Christ offered a victim for the world. Also, through his passion he acquired his kingdom. Also, Jerusalem is interpreted "vision of peace"; Colossians 1:20: "Making peace through the blood of his cross, both as to the things that are on earth, and the things that are in heaven." Next the passion is foretold. And he frequently called his passion to mind, so as to bring it back into memory. And he touches three things pertaining to the passion, for he suffered from a disciple's betrayal — "and the Son of Man shall be betrayed," namely by a disciple. Of this betrayal we have below in chapter 27:10, and in Psalm 40:10: "He that did eat my bread, hath greatly supplanted me." Also, from the chief priests and scribes, condemnation; hence "and they shall condemn him to death"; Job 34:17: "How dost thou condemn him that is just so severely?" Wisdom 2:20: "Let us condemn him to a most shameful death." "And shall deliver him to the Gentiles," because the Jews delivered him into the hands of the Gentiles; hence Pilate said: "Thy own nation, and thy chief priests, have delivered thee up to me." And he touches on three things that were done to him, against the three things that men most desire, namely honor, rest, and life. Against honor, he was mocked; hence he says "to mock"; Jeremiah 20:7: "I am become a laughingstock all the day"; and Psalm 37:12: "My friends and my neighbours have drawn near, and stood against me." Against rest, he was scourged; hence "to scourge"; Isaiah 50:6: "I have given my face to them that struck me, and my cheeks to them that plucked them." Also, against the third, killed; hence "and to crucify"; Philippians 2:8: "Christ became obedient for us unto death, even the death of the cross." Then he treats of the resurrection: "and the third day he shall rise again." Now this God the Father did; hence Acts 2:24: "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the sorrows of hell, according as it was impossible that he should be holden by it." "And the third day": according to Augustine, it is signified that his single day destroyed our double; Hosea 6:3: "He will revive us after two days: on the third day he will raise us up." "Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee." Here is set forth the occasioned petition. And first the petition is set forth in general; second it is explained, at "But he said to her," etc. He says therefore, "Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee." These sons were John and James, their mother was Salome — hence Salome is the woman's name. In Mark it is stated that the sons asked, here it is stated that the mother did; but the truth is that the mother asked, induced by her sons. "Adoring," because she asked with humility, for she knew that a humble supplication is always pleasing to God; Psalm 101:18: "He hath had regard to the prayer of the humble." And Judith 9:1: "And prostrating herself before the Lord, she cried to the Lord." "And asking something," "to be given her by him," that is, I ask you to give what I want; and this petition is not to be granted, and whoever grants it grants foolishly. We read of Herod, that he granted such a thing to the daughter of Herodias, and did not revoke it. Solomon granted his mother's request; but because he was wise, he revoked the incautious promise. Therefore Christ, wiser than these, was unwilling to grant it unless it were expressed; above, chapter 12:42: "And behold, a greater than Solomon here." So there follows the explanation of the petition, "and she said: Say that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom." But there is a question: whence had this woman conceived this? She had heard of the passion and resurrection, and so had conceived something carnal, namely that immediately with glory he was to be in Jerusalem; therefore she wished to ask preeminence for her sons. Also, she had heard that the twelve were to judge; and so she wanted to place her own first, taking it thus according to the letter. And it should be known that James and John were more honored by Christ after Peter; therefore they wished to exclude Peter. Chrysostom says otherwise, that she asked for something spiritual, and in this she is to be praised, because mothers seek what is temporal more than what is spiritual; hence a mother, if she sees her son sinning, does not grieve as much as if she sees him sick. Hence by the right hand spiritual things are signified, earthly things by the left. Or we can understand by the right hand and the left the active life and the contemplative; so she asks that these be made perfect in each life; Song of Songs 2:6: "His left hand is under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me." "And Jesus answering said." Here the response is set forth; then the murmuring of the others, at "And the ten, hearing it, were indignant at the two brethren." And concerning the first he does three things. First he rebukes their folly; second he examines their readiness, at "Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink?" Third he refuses the petition, at "But to sit on my right or left hand is not mine to give to you." But what of this? They themselves were not asking, but the mother. The Lord knew that she was asking induced by them, and so he answers them, just as above, in chapter 16:23, the Lord had said to Peter, "Thou knowest not what thou sayest." "You know not what you ask"; as if to say: you ought not ask for temporal things, but spiritual excellence. Or, if they understood it spiritually, they were asking that they might have preeminence above every creature, because to sit at the right hand befits no creature, as we have in Hebrews 1:13: "To which of the angels said he at any time: Sit on my right hand?" Hence to sit at the right hand exceeds every creature. Or otherwise, according to Hilary: "You know not what you ask," because I have already granted you what you ask, since it was said above in chapter 19:28: "You shall sit upon twelve seats," etc. Or otherwise: "you know not," because I have called you to the right hand, and you ask that one be at the left? Or, the devil, just as through a woman he had drawn man to the left, wished to lead these men back to the left through a woman; but this he could not do, since salvation was wrought through a woman. Or, "you know not," because you contend about the reward without the merit going before. Therefore you ought to consider that one does not come to the reward except through merit; so I want first to examine you, whether you can suffer, etc. Hence he says, "Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink?" Here he examines them, and provokes them gently to the passion, since he calls the passion a chalice. Of this it is said in Psalm 115:13: "I will take the chalice of salvation"; and it continues: "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." And it is called a chalice because it inebriates. Also he says "that I shall drink"; 1 Peter 2:21: "Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps." "They say to him: We can." And why do they answer thus? For three reasons. First out of love for Christ, because they clung to Christ in such a way that death could not separate them from him, just as Peter said below, in chapter 26:35: "Yea, though I should die with thee, I will not deny thee." Also out of ignorance, because they did not consider their own strength, for to those to whom something once seemed easy before the deed, they fail in the very act. Also they said it out of desire to obtain what they had asked. Hence they believed they would immediately obtain what they were asking, and so they immediately grant "we can" out of this desire. Next he refuses the petition. And first he foretells the future passion; second he answers the petition. He says therefore, "My chalice indeed you shall drink." But what of this? It is true that James drank it; hence in Acts 12:2: "And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword." But John died without the chalice of the passion. But it must be said that he did not drink unto death, yet he was scourged, placed in oil, and exiled. Also he suffered many punishments, and so he was not exempt from the drinking of the chalice. "But to sit at my right hand": here he answers concerning the petition for glory. If the Lord had said, "I will give it to you," the others would have been saddened; if he had denied it, they themselves would have been made sad; therefore he said, "But to sit on my right hand or left is not mine to give to you; but to them for whom it is prepared by my Father." From this passage the Arians argued that the dignity of the Father and the Son is not equal. Jerome and others explain that he himself gives it together with the Father. Hence he means to say, "it is not mine to give to you," as if to say: the preeminence of dignity is not given to a person, but to merit, and this according to divine predestination. 1 Corinthians 2:9: "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him." John 14:3: "If I shall go, and prepare a place for you," etc. Hence from what the Father prepares, he himself prepares too. Or, "it is not mine to give to you," without merits, but to persons acquiring it by merit; but "mine" from the predestination which is mine from my Father. And Augustine puts it thus: Salome was the sister of the mother of Christ, and because they believed they would obtain it through a person more closely joined to him, they believed he ought to give it to them, since they were joined to him according to the flesh. But in him, in one person, there were two natures; hence he says "it is not mine," namely according to the power which I have from the Father, and so I will give according to what my Father has disposed. "And the ten, hearing it, were indignant at the two brethren." Above the Lord had suppressed the ill-considered petition of the disciples; here he sets forth the indignation of the others. And first the indignation is set forth; second it is suppressed by word; third by deed. The second is at "But Jesus called them to him, and said"; the third at "Even as the Son of Man is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister." It should be considered that just as out of a certain elation the two brothers wished to be superior, so out of a certain elation these others were indignant. Proverbs 1:10: "Among the proud there are always quarrels." But why "at the two brethren"? Because it was not they themselves who had asked, but the mother; but the disciples understood from the Lord's words that the mother had asked at their instigation. But why were they not indignant sooner? Chrysostom says that they revered the Master, and so were awaiting the Lord's judgment; but when they heard the Master rebuking, then they were indignant. Then he rebukes them. And first he puts before them the example of the Gentiles; second he teaches that the example is not to be followed, at "You know that the princes of the Gentiles lord it over them"; third he sets forth what is to be imitated, at "It shall not be so among you." He says therefore, "But Jesus called them to him," giving an example of humility. Above, in chapter 11:29: "Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart." And he says: "You know that the princes of the Gentiles lord it over them." Among the Jews the Gentiles were held in abomination, as we have above in chapter 18:17: "Let him be to thee as the heathen and publican." Hence "the princes of the Gentiles lord it over them" strikes horror, so that it may be noted that this example is not to be imitated. But it should be noted that there is a twofold preeminence, namely of dignity and of power, and he touches on both when he says "the princes of the Gentiles lord it over them," etc. Those are princes who preside by office. But what of this? Is it evil to rule? "To lord it" is sometimes said in place of "to preside," and so it is not taken here; sometimes it is understood correlatively to "servant," and so it means the same as to subject a servant to oneself in servile fashion, and it is taken in this way here. For princes are instituted so that they may procure good for their subjects; but if they wish to reduce them to servitude, then they abuse their office, because they use as slaves those who are free, for the free man is he who is his own cause, the slave he who is the cause of another. And because this is customary among the Gentiles, and still is among some, he says, "the princes of the Gentiles lord it over them," that is, they reduce their subjects to servitude. Ezekiel 22:27: "Her princes in the midst of her, are like wolves ravening the prey." Also, some have preeminence not in dignity, but in power, as some nobles do. And it is customary that those who have power do not use it for benefit, but exercise power over them, namely to oppress, not to do justice. But the Lord does not wish that custom in his Church; therefore he says, "It shall not be so among you," that is, no one among you ought to be, as it were, a lord over others; 1 Peter 5:3: "Neither as lording it over the clergy." "But whosoever": against these two things he does two things, "but whosoever will be the greater among you," and this refers to the second saying, namely "and they that are the greater exercise power upon them"; that is, let whoever desires to have presidency in the Church of the Holy Spirit so desire it that he be as a minister; 1 Peter 4:10: "As every man hath received grace, ministering the same one to another, as good stewards," so that the more you have, the more you spend on what is useful. Therefore, "he that will be the greater among you," that is, in the Church, let him become as a minister, that is, let him minister to the need of others. But as to what is said, "the princes of the Gentiles lord it over them," he says: "and he that will be first among you shall be your servant," that is, if anyone desires to have primacy in the Church, let him know that this is not to have lordship, but servitude. For it belongs to a servant to devote his whole self to the service of his lord; thus the prelates of the Church owe to their subjects all that they have and all that they are; 1 Corinthians 9:19: "Whereas I was free as to all, I made myself the servant of all"; 2 Corinthians 4:5: "But ourselves your servants through Jesus." Hence, according to Chrysostom, it is a wretched thing. So then it has been said that one is not to act according to the custom of the Gentiles. But since they might say, then what shall we follow? He says, follow me, and shows himself a minister, saying, "Even as the Son of Man is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister." But against this: do we not have above, in chapter 4:11, that the angels came and ministered to him? Hence John 12:2 says that Martha ministered. I say that although he was ministered unto, he did not come for this. But for what then? That he himself might minister, that is, bestow abundance of glory upon others. The Apostle, Romans 15:8: "Now I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision." And in Luke 22:27: "I am in the midst of you, as he that serveth." But you will say: is he a servant, seeing he is a prince? Yes. For he is called a servant who is taken as a price; and he himself made himself the price, and gave himself as a redemption for many; hence he came to minister, "and to give his life," that is, his bodily life, "a redemption for many." He does not say "for all," because as to sufficiency, it is for all; but as to efficacy, it is for many, namely for the elect. Hence John 15:13: "Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Jeremiah 12:7: "I have given my dear soul into the hand of her enemies." "And when they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him." The disciples' indignation was suppressed by word; here he suppresses it by deed, exercising ministry toward certain persons. And first is set forth the devotion of others; second Christ's compassion, at "And Jesus stood, and called them." Concerning the first, first is set forth the devotion of the multitude; second, of the blind men, at "And behold two blind men," etc. He says therefore, "and when they went out from Jericho," great multitudes followed him, because many were following, so the Lord was solicitous, just as a great harvest is a solicitude to the gatherer. But according to the mystical sense, Jericho is said to mean "defect," and signifies the defect of the world. Hence, unless the Lord had come to these defects, men would not have come to him. Hence the multitudes followed him as his sheep; John 10:27: "My sheep hear my voice, and follow me." There follows the devotion of the blind men, "and behold two blind men," etc. And first their devotion is set forth; second their constancy, at "And the multitude rebuked them that they should hold their peace." But here there is a question, because in Luke 18:35 we read that there was only one blind man who met him, and here it says there were two who met him as the Lord was going out of Jericho, at his departure. But Mark agrees with Luke, that there was only one, and so Matthew disagrees with both. Augustine says that this blind man of whom Luke writes was a different one from these, because he met him before he entered Jericho. But Mark and Matthew say that it happened as he was going out of Jericho; but as to why Mark did not say two, as Matthew did, the reason is that one was better known and more famous, and because of his fame the miracle was more famous. And this is clear because he names him, "who is called Bartimaeus," and in Scripture only men who were very well known are named. By these blind men are signified two peoples, namely the people of the Jews and the people of the Gentiles, who were sitting beside the way, which is Christ. Isaiah 30:21: "This is the way, walk ye in it." Or, are signified those converted from either people, who sit beside the way, that is, Christ; John 14:6: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." They had heard through preaching that Jesus, according to human nature, would pass by, so as to undergo death, so as to cure the sick; therefore they cried out, saying, "Lord, have mercy on us, thou son of David." The cause of their being heard was not the loudness of the voice, but the fervor of devotion. Psalm 119:1: "In my trouble I cried to the Lord: and he heard me." Also they confess that he is both God and man: God, because they say, "Lord"; Psalm 99:3: "Know ye that the Lord he is God." And they ask for what is proper to God, namely "have mercy on us"; Psalm 144:9: "His tender mercies are over all his works." Also they call him of the seed of David, and in this they confess his humanity. Next is set forth their constancy. And first the obstacle is set forth; second the constancy. He says therefore, "And the multitude rebuked them that they should hold their peace," insofar as it was possible, because in that crowd there were some who revered Christ, and these rebuked them, because they thought it a vile thing that vile persons should approach so great a man. But those who disparaged Christ rebuked them, because they heard what they did not wish to hear, for they were grieved that they called him son of David. Jeremiah 23:5: "I will raise up to David a just branch" — "I will raise up unto David my servant." Mystically it is signified that some, blinded by sin, cry out to the Lord, "have mercy on us." But the crowd of carnal thoughts and carnal men rebukes them for coming to Christ. Job 20:2: "Therefore my thoughts different one from another succeed one another, and my mind is hurried away to different things." But a man ought to be constant against this and fight and labor manfully, as the Apostle teaches in 2 Timothy 2:3: "Labour as a good soldier of Christ Jesus." But the word of God is not bound by the words of men, and therefore there follows, "But they cried out the more." "And Jesus stood." Here is set forth the mercy of the Lord, and it is shown, for he stood. And why did he stand? Because the road was stony and full of hollows, so he wished to stand, because if they had gone forward, perhaps they could have been hurt. According to the mystical sense, because in coming into the world he moved men to ask, but he gave salvation by standing. Hence through the incarnation men are set in motion, but through him teaching and persevering they are healed. There follows, "and called them." But why did he call them? So that others might make way for them, and this signifies those whom the Lord calls through predestination. Romans 8:29: "Whom he foreknew, he also predestinated." Also he inquires their will: "What will ye that I do to you?" He did not ask so that he himself might know, but so as to give them to understand that he satisfies those who ask devoutly. Psalm 144:19: "He will do the will of them that fear him." "They say to him: Lord, that our eyes be opened." And this is just, that any sinner should ask this. Psalm 118:18: "Open thou my eyes: and I will consider the wondrous things of thy law." And elsewhere, Psalm 12:4: "Enlighten my eyes." They confessed him God, by saying "Lord," and man, by calling him son of David. "Therefore he had mercy on them." For he does all things out of his mercy. Lamentations 3:22: "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed." "And he touched their eyes, and immediately they saw." In this, that he touched their eyes and immediately they saw, the humanity and divinity of Christ are touched upon: for that he touched was the work of his humanity; but that he immediately gave light was the work of his divinity. The Lord himself touches through grace, but he enlightens through glory; Psalm 143:5: "Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke." There follows, "and they followed him." Hence they were not ungrateful. For many, before they obtain a benefit, follow the Lord, but once the benefit is received they abandon him — contrary to Ecclesiasticus 23:38: "It is a great glory to follow the Lord."”

“And behold, two blind men,.... Mark and Luke make mention but of one; which is no contradiction to Matthew; for they neither of them say that there was but one. A greater difficulty occurs in Luke's account; for whereas Matthew and Mark both agree, that it was when Jesus came out of Jericho, that this cure was wrought, Luke says it was "when he came nigh unto it"; which some reconcile by observing, that that phrase may be rendered, "while he was near Jericho"; and so only signifies his distance from it, and not motion to it; but this will not solve the difficulty, because we after read of his entrance into it, and passing through it. Some therefore have thought, that Christ met with, and cured one blind man before he entered the city, and another when he came out of it and that Matthew has put the history of both together: but to me it seems, that there were three blind men cured; one before he went into Jericho, which Luke only relates, and two as he came out of Jericho, which Matthew here speaks of; and one of which, according to Mark, was by name Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus; for so Bartimaeus signifies. Tima, or Timaeus, was a name in use among the Jews: we often read of R. Judah , Ben Tima (k), the son of Tima, or Timaeus. Origen (l) thinks, he had his name from the Greek word which signifies "honour"; and so "Time", with the Jews, is used for honour and profit (m). This man's father might have been a very honourable and useful man, though the son was fallen into poverty and distress, through blindness; for which reason he may be mentioned, as being a person well known to the Jews. Sitting by the wayside; Mark says, "begging", where such were wont to sit, in order to ask alms of persons, as they passed by; when they heard that Jesus passed by; who, upon perceiving that there was an unusual concourse of people, might ask the reason of it, when it was told them that Jesus of Nazareth was coming that way: or, without asking, they might hear the people speak of him; and inasmuch as they had heard many things concerning him, and the miracles he wrought, applied to him for help, and cried out, saying, have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David: in which may be observed the titles of honour they give him, which declare their faith in him; calling him Lord, expressing their sense of his deity, dominion, and power; and "Son of David", thereby owning and professing him to be the Messiah, that being a common name of him, well known among the Jews; See Gill on Mat 1:1, the petition they make is, that he would "have mercy on them", who, through blindness, were in a poor, helpless, and miserable condition; and this was made with great vehemency: they "cried" out aloud, that he might hear them, and take pity on them; being eagerly desirous of having their sight, and firmly believing that he was able to restore it to them. (k) T. Hieros. Nazir, fol. 52. 1. Erubin, fol. 19. 4. T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 84. 1. Bava Metzig, fol. 94. 1. Massech. Semachot, c. 9. Juchasin, fol. 159. 2. (l) Comment. in Matt. vol. 1. p. 428. Ed. Huet. (m) Targum in Esth. iii. 8. & v. 13. T. Hicros. Peah, fol. 15. 4.”

“As the proof of the husbandman’s industry lies in the abundance of his crop, so the fulness of the Church is the evidence of an industrious teacher; so it is here said, And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. No one was deterred by the toilsomeness of the journey, for spiritual love feels no fatigue; no one was kept away by the thought of sufferings, for they were going into possession of the kingdom of heaven. For he who has in very deed tasted the reality of heavenly good, has nothing to attach him to earth. In good season these blind men come before Christ, that having their eyes opened, they may go up with Him to Jerusalem as witnesses to His power. They heard the sound of the passers by, but saw not their persons, and having nothing free about them but their voice, because they could not follow Him with their feet, they pursued Him with their voice; When they heard that Jesus passed by, they cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.”