Reference: Blindness
American
This distressing malady is very prevalent in the East. Many physical causes in those countries unite to injure the organs of vision. The sun is hot, and in the atmosphere floats a very fine dust, which enters and frets the eye. The armies of France and England, which were so long in Egypt during the French was, suffered severely from ophthalmic disease. In the cities of Egypt, blindness is perpetuated as a contagious disease by the filthy habits of the natives. It is of frequent occurrence also on the coast of Syria. In ancient times the eyes of person hated or feared were often torn out, Jg 16:21; 1Sa 11:2; 2Ki 25:7. Blindness was sometimes inflicted as a punishment, Ge 19:11; Ac 13:6; and it was often threatened as a penalty, De 28:28. The Jews were enjoined by the humane laws of Moses to show all kindness and consideration to the blind, Le 19:14; De 27:18. No one affected with this infirmity could officiate as priest, /#Le 21:18.
Our Savior miraculously cured many cases of blindness, both that which was caused by disease and that which had existed from birth. In these cases there was a double miracle; for not only was the organ of sight restored, but also the faculty of using it which is usually gained only by long experience, Mr 8:22-25. The touching of the eyes of the blind, and anointing them with clay, Mt 9:29; Joh 9:6, can not have had any medicinal or healing effect. The healing was miraculous, by the power of God.
Blindness is often used for ignorance and error, especially our sinful want of discernment as to spiritual things, Mt 15:14; 2Co 4:4. The abuse of God's mercy increases this blindness, Joh 12:40. Blessed are the eyes that fix their adoring gaze first of all on the Redeemer.
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Then He touched their eyes, saying, Be it unto you according to your faith.
Let them alone: the blind are leaders of the blind: if the blind may lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch.
And they come into Bethsaida: and they bring Him a blind man, and they intreat Him that He may touch him. And taking the blind man by the hand, He led him out of the village; and spitting in his eyes, putting His hands on him, He asked him, if he sees anything. read more. And looking up he said, I see the men walking about like trees. Then again He put His hands on his eyes, and he looked up; and was restored, and saw all things distinctly.
Saying these words, He spat on the ground, and made mortar out of the spittle, and besmeared the mortar on his eyes,
He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; in order that they may not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and turn, and I shall heal them.
And having gone through the whole island to Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician, a Jewish false prophet, to whom was the name of Bar-Jesus:
in order that I may manifest the same, as it behooves me to speak.
Fausets
Its cure is one of our Lord's most frequent miracles (Lu 7:21; Mt 9:27; Mr 8:23; Joh 5:3; 9:1), as had been foretold (Isa 29:18; 35:5). In coincidence with this is the commonness of it in the E. In Ludd (Lydda) the saying is, every one is either blind or has but one eye. Jaffa has 500 blind out of 5,000 of a population. The dust and sand pulverized by the intense heat, the constant glare, and in the sandy districts the absence of the refreshing "green grass," (the presence of which Mark notices as noteworthy in the miracle of the feeding the multitudes,) the cold sea air on the coasts, the night dews affecting those sleeping on the roofs, all tend to produce blindness.
It is a constant image used of spiritual darkness, and Jesus' restoration of sight to the blind pointed to the analogous spiritual bestowal of sight on the soul. Paul, who had passed through both the physical and the spiritual transition from darkness to light (Ac 9:8-9), instinctively, by an obviously undesigned coincidence confirming authenticity, often uses the expressive image (Ac 26:18; 2Co 4:4; Eph 1:18; 4:18; Col 1:13). Elymas was smitten with blindness at Paul's word (Ac 13:11, compare Ge 19:11; 2Ki 6:18). The blind were to be treated kindly (Le 19:14; De 27:18). The pagan conquerors sometimes blinded captives (2Ki 25:7; 1Sa 11:2).
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And two blind men followed Him, going thence, crying out, and saying,
And two blind men followed Him, going thence, crying out, and saying,
And taking the blind man by the hand, He led him out of the village; and spitting in his eyes, putting His hands on him, He asked him, if he sees anything.
And taking the blind man by the hand, He led him out of the village; and spitting in his eyes, putting His hands on him, He asked him, if he sees anything.
And at that hour He healed many of their diseases and ailments and evil spirits; and He conferred on many blind people the power to see.
And at that hour He healed many of their diseases and ailments and evil spirits; and He conferred on many blind people the power to see.
In them a multitude of the sick, blind, lame, withered, were lying down.
In them a multitude of the sick, blind, lame, withered, were lying down.
And passing along, He saw a man blind from his birth.
And passing along, He saw a man blind from his birth.
And Saul arose from the ground; and his eyes being open, he saw nothing: but leading him by the hand, they led him into Damascus;
And Saul arose from the ground; and his eyes being open, he saw nothing: but leading him by the hand, they led him into Damascus; and he was three days not seeing, neither did he eat nor drink.
and he was three days not seeing, neither did he eat nor drink.
And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a time. And immediately there fell on him a mist and darkness; and going about he was seeking people to lead him by the hand.
And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a time. And immediately there fell on him a mist and darkness; and going about he was seeking people to lead him by the hand.
to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God, in order that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.
to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God, in order that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.
the eyes of your heart having been enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance among the saints,
the eyes of your heart having been enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance among the saints,
being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God through the ignorance being in themselves, on account of the blindness of their heart;
being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God through the ignorance being in themselves, on account of the blindness of their heart;
who delivered us from the power of darkness, and transplanted us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;
who delivered us from the power of darkness, and transplanted us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;
in order that I may manifest the same, as it behooves me to speak.
in order that I may manifest the same, as it behooves me to speak.
Hastings
Morish
Used metaphorically to describe the state of man by nature under the influence of Satan, 2Co 4:4; also a professing Christian who hates his brother, 1Jo 2:11; also the state of Israel in their heartless profession, Mt 23:16-26; and the judicial blindness on Israel. Joh 12:40. In Ro 11:7,25; 2Co 3:14; Eph 4:18, it is rather 'obdurateness or hardness,' from ?????,'to harden.'
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Woe unto you, blind guides, who are saying, Whosoever may swear by the temple it is nothing; but whosoever may swear by the gold of the temple, he is debtor. Ye fools and blind: for which is the greater, the gold, or the temple sanctifying the gold? read more. And, Whosoever may swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever may swear by the gift upon it, is debtor. Ye blind: for which is the greater, the gift, or the altar which sanctifies the gift? Therefore the one swearing by the altar, swears by it, and by all things which are on it. And the one swearing by the temple, swears by it, and by Him who inhabited it. And the one swearing by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by Him that sitteth upon it. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you tithe mint and anise and cummin, and pass by the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: it behooves to do these and not to neglect those. Ye blind guides, who strain out the gnat, and swallow down the camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you purify the exterior of the cup and the plate, and within they are full of extortion and impurity. Ye blind Pharisee, first purify the inside of the cup, in order that its outside may be clean.
He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; in order that they may not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and turn, and I shall heal them.
What then? Israel did not attain that which he was seeking, but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened:
I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, as to this mystery, in order that you may not he wise with yourselves, that blindness in part has happened unto Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles may come in;
in whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who believe not, in order that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, may not shine on them.
being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God through the ignorance being in themselves, on account of the blindness of their heart;
and in all these things put on divine love, which is the bond of perfection.
But the one hating his brother is in darkness, and walks about in darkness, and does not know whither he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Smith
is extremely common in the East from many causes. Blind beggars figure repeatedly in the New Testament
and "opening the eyes of the blind" is mentioned in prophecy as a peculiar attribute of the Messiah.
etc. The Jews were specially charged to treat the blind with compassion and care.
Le 19:14; De 27:18
Blindness willfully inflicted for political or other purposes is alluded to in Scripture.
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Then a demonized man was brought to Him, blind and dumb: and He healed him, so that the blind and dumb man both spake and saw.
Watsons
BLINDNESS is often used in Scripture to express ignorance or want of discernment in divine things, as well as the being destitute of natural sight. See Isa 42:18-19; 6:10; Mt 15:14. "Blindness of heart" is the want of understanding arising from the influence of vicious passions. "Hardness of heart" is stubbornness of will, and destitution of moral feeling. Moses says, "Thou shalt not put a stumbling block before the blind," Le 19:14, which may be understood literally; or figuratively, as if Moses recommended that charity and instruction should be shown to them who want light and counsel, or to those who are in danger of going wrong through their ignorance. Moses says also, "Cursed be he who maketh the blind to wander out of his way," De 27:18, which may also be taken in the same manner. An ignorant or erring teacher is compared by our Lord to a blind man leading a blind man;
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Let them alone: the blind are leaders of the blind: if the blind may lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch.