When Faith Opens Your Eyes

By Pastor Brandon Phillips

When the two blind men in Matthew 9 finally saw the world around them, the first thing they wanted to do was tell someone. Their eyes had just been opened by the hand of Jesus, and the miracle was too great to keep to themselves.

But this story isn’t simply about a physical healing—it’s about what true faith looks like once it’s awakened.

Before we even look at their response, we need to remember what faith actually is. Charles Spurgeon once said, “Faith is both God’s gift and man’s act. The Lord is the author of our faith, but we ourselves believe.” In other words, faith is not passive. It begins with God, but it’s something we personally embrace. The blind men couldn’t have believed apart from grace, yet grace moved them to act.

Jesus’ Stern Warning

Matthew tells us:

“And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, ‘See that no one knows about this.’” (Matthew 9:30, LSB)

After performing the miracle, Jesus “sternly warned” them—a phrase that, in Greek, carries deep emotion, even a sense of rebuke. Jesus wasn’t being harsh for the sake of it; He was guarding the purpose of His mission.

In first-century Israel, the anticipation of a political Messiah ran high. Many were looking for someone to overthrow Rome, not a Savior who would die for their sins. Jesus knew that premature excitement about His identity could lead to confusion, even chaos.

His miracles already drew massive attention, and His fame was spreading. Yet He wanted His messiahship to be confirmed by the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy—not by popular enthusiasm or misunderstanding.

Disobedient, but Moved by Faith

Despite His command, Matthew records:

“But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout all that land.” (Matthew 9:31, LSB)

They couldn’t contain themselves. Jesus had just given them sight—and more than that, salvation. Their eyes, both physical and spiritual, had been opened. Their hearts were overflowing.

Martin Luther once said, “Faith is a living, restless thing. It cannot be inoperative.” That captures these men perfectly. Their faith was alive—it moved, it spoke, it acted. Though they disobeyed Jesus’ immediate instruction, their joy made silence impossible.

And really, who could blame them? They wanted others to know what Jesus had done for them. They wanted others to experience it too.

A Living Faith That Reaches Others

As they went out, Matthew writes that “a mute, demon-possessed man was brought to Him” (Matthew 9:32). The Greek term for “mute” can also mean “deaf,” and it’s even translated that way elsewhere in Matthew’s Gospel. Like blindness, deafness was common in those days, often caused by disease or injury. But in this case, the man’s condition was tied to demonic oppression.

When Jesus cast out the demon, the man spoke, and the crowds were astonished:

“Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” (Matthew 9:33, LSB)

John MacArthur suggests that it might have been the same two formerly blind men who brought this mute man to Jesus. If so, that would be beautifully fitting. The first thing they did after receiving their own healing was to lead someone else to the same Savior who had healed them.

That’s what genuine faith does—it can’t help but reach out. When Christ changes you, you want others to experience His mercy too.

When Seeing Leads to Sharing

Matthew doesn’t tell us much about the mute man’s faith, but the pattern is clear. These miracles were living testimonies of Jesus’ messianic mission, fulfilling Isaiah 35:5:

“Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.”

The crowds marveled, but many still didn’t believe. Physical sight didn’t guarantee spiritual vision. Yet the faith of the blind men gives us a picture of true conversion: they recognized their need, trusted Jesus completely, and responded with gratitude that overflowed into action.

Their obedience wasn’t perfect—but it was powerful. Their conduct reflected hearts transformed by grace.

John Newton put it best in Amazing Grace:

“I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see.”

That’s not just a lyric—it’s the story of every believer.

Faith That Acts

Charles Spurgeon once told a story about two men swept down a river. A rope was thrown to one, while the other clung to a floating log. The man holding the rope was drawn safely to shore, but the one clutching the log was carried away. The difference wasn’t their grip—it was what they held onto.

Faith in Christ is like that rope. It connects us to the Savior who alone can bring us safely home. Good works, morality, even religion—without Christ—are just logs in the current.

So, if you’ve been holding on to your own strength, your reputation, or your past efforts to make yourself right with God—let go. Grab hold of Christ.

Jesus still invites the weary and burdened, saying:

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, LSB)

The two blind men couldn’t stay silent about what Christ had done for them—and neither should we. When faith opens your eyes, it opens your mouth.

True faith changes conduct. It moves, it speaks, it acts.
Because when you’ve truly seen Jesus, you can’t help but share Him.