Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 9:30
And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See [that] no man know [it.]
30. straitly charged ] The word in the original is a remarkable one, Literally, to roar, then (1) “to charge with vehement threats,” then (2) “to enjoin strictly,” (here and Mar 1:43); (3) to be loudly indignant (Mar 14:5); (4) “to groan in the spirit;” said of our Lord at the grave of Lazarus (Joh 11:33; Joh 11:38).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And their eyes were opened – Immediately. That is, their sight was restored: And Jesus straitly charged them. He enjoined it on them in the most earnest and solemn manner.
See that no man know it – That is, do not make proclamation of this; do not make it your business to tell every man of it; do not go forth as if I wished that you should proclaim this abroad. The injunction could not mean that they should screen the fact that no one should know it, for there were witnesses of it, and it would be made known; but they were not to make it a point to proclaim to the world what was done to them. This was in accordance with the usual habit of the Saviour Mat 8:4; Mat 12:16, and also with his own precepts to others Mat 6:1-4.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 30. Straitly charged them] He charged them severely, from , from , and , to roar or storm with anger; he charged them, on pain of his displeasure, not to make it as yet public. See the reasons, Clarke “Mt 8:4“.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
30. And their eyes were opened: andJesus straitly charged themThe expression is very strong,denoting great earnestness.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And their eyes were opened,…. Some copies read, “immediately”; and so do the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions: and this was certainly the true and real matter of fact, that as soon as Christ had touched their eyes, and said the above words, their sight was perfectly restored to them; and they had a clear, full, and true sight of objects, as men have, whose vision faculty is in its full strength and rigour, and their eyes open:
and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, see that no man know it. This was a very strict charge, and according to the signification of the word here used, it was given with great austerity of countenance, and severity of expression, in a very rough and threatening manner; which Christ might be the rather induced to, because he had given such like orders already, and they had not been observed: the reasons for concealing the miracle are not very obvious; it seems likely, that with the same view he took no notice of these blind men in the street, but went into an house, and cured them; which seems to be, to shun all appearance of vain glory, or seeking popular applause, that he gave these orders; or it may be, he did not choose to be made more known by this miracle, or at this time, or by these men; he might foresee that it would be attended with ill consequences; either the more to irritate the resentments of some persons against him; or to put others on doing things which were disagreeable to him; as setting him up for a temporal prince among them, being David’s son.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Were opened (). Triple augment (on =, and then on preposition = ).
Strictly charged them ( ). A difficult word, compound of and (to be moved with anger). It is used of horses snorting (Aeschylus, Theb. 461), of men fretting or being angry (Da 11:30). Allen notes that it occurs twice in Mark (Mark 1:43; Mark 14:5) when Matthew omits it. It is found only here in Matthew. John has it twice in a different sense (Joh 11:33 with ). Here and in Mr 1:32 it has the notion of commanding sternly, a sense unknown to ancient writers. Most manuscripts have the middle , but Aleph and B have the passive which Westcott and Hort accept, but without the passive sense (cf. ). “The word describes rather a rush of deep feeling which in the synoptic passages showed itself in a vehement injunctive and in Joh 11:33 in look and manner” (McNeile). Bruce translates Euthymius Zigabenus on Mr 1:32: “Looked severely, contracting His eyebrows, and shaking His head at them as they are wont to do who wish to make sure that secrets will be kept.” “See to it, let no one know it” (, ). Note elliptical change of persons and number in the two imperatives.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And their eyes were opened,” (kai eneochthesan auton hoi ophthalmoi) “And their eyes came to be opened,” as they were caused to see, or had their sight restored, at His word or command. The first object they saw was Jesus. How many there are with open eyes who are yet blind to a vision of Jesus, 2Co 4:3-4.
2) “And Jesus straitly taught them, saying,” (kai enebrimethe autois ho lesous legon) “And Jesus sternly admonished them saying,” with clear explanation, earnestly commanded them, to avoid public notoriety, Mat 12:16-17; Mat 12:19.
3) “See that no man know it.” (horate medeis ginosketo) “See that you let no one know.” This was designed to remove occasion of further envy from the Pharisees, Mat 9:34; Mr 1:43.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
30. And Jesus threatened them Either he wished to have other persons as witnesses of the miracle, or to delay the publication of it till another time. Their conduct in immediately proclaiming it every where is worthy of blame: for the notion entertained by some, that Christ forbade them for the purpose of exciting them the more, has been already refuted. There was, no doubt, some reason for forbidding it, which is unknown to us; and those men, through inconsiderate zeal, spread the rumor before the proper time.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(30) Straitly charged them.The word, implying originally the panting breath of vehement emotion, is one of the strongest used by the New Testament writers (Mar. 1:43; Mar. 14:5; Joh. 11:33; Joh. 11:38) to express repugnance, displeasure, or the command that implies annoyance. It is as if our Lord saw the garrulous joy on the point of uttering itself, and sought by every means in His power to restrain it. The reasons may be sought, as elsewhere, either (1) in its being good for the spiritual life of the men themselves that they should show forth their praise of God, not with their lips, but in their lives; or (2) in the shrinking from mere notoriety, from the gaze of crowds drawn together to gaze on signs and wonders, and ready to make the Wonder-Worker a king because He wrought them, which St. Matthew, at a later stage, notes as characteristic of our Lords ministry (Mat. 12:16-21).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
30. That no man know it Not every man is fit to preach the Gospel who has received God’s mercy. Not every time is proper for proclaiming the truth. Compare on Mat 8:4.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And their eyes were opened. And Jesus strictly charged them, saying, “See that no man know it.”
In Isa 35:5 it is stated concerning the coming age, ‘the eyes of the blind will be opened’, and here it was happening before all eyes. It was declaring to them, “The Messiah, the son of David’ is among you. The Kingly rule of Heaven is here.’ Then Jesus told them not to spread abroad what had happened. It was a private miracle done within a private house, and that was how He wanted it to remain. As ever Jesus aim was to curtail the crowds and prevent Himself from being swamped.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 9:30. Straitly charged Strictly. Campbell.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mat 9:30 f. ] they recovered their power of seeing . Comp. Joh 9:10 ; 2Ki 6:17 ; Isa 30:5 ; Isa 42:7 ; Psa 146:8 ; Wetstein on this passage.
(see the critical remarks): He was displeased with them , and said (see on Joh 11:33 ). The angry tone (Mar 1:43 ) of the prohibition is due to the feeling that an unsuccessful result was to be apprehended. To such a feeling correspond the strict terms of the prohibition: take care to let no one know it!
, . . .] “propter memoriam gratiae non possunt tacere beneficium,” Jerome. : out of the house. Mat 9:28 . Paulus, notwithstanding the context, interprets: out of the town. See also Mat 9:32 , where can only mean: whilst they were going out from Jesus, out of His house.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it .
Ver. 30. Straitly charged them, saying, See that no man, &c. ] He threatened them terribly a (as the word here used importeth) should they but open their mouths to make it known to any man. Some do all for a name: Christ (besides the veil of his humanity) says, nay, thunders, “See ye tell no man.” How far are those spirits from this which care only to be seen, and wish only to dazzle others’ eyes with admiration, not caring for unknown riches!
a , cum vehementi et fremente comminatione interdixit.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
30. ] Suidas explains this word, , . The purpose of our Lord’s earnestness appears to have been twofold: (1) that He might not be so occupied and over-pressed with applications as to have neither time nor strength for the preaching of the Gospel: (2) to prevent the already-excited people from taking some public measure of recognition, and thus arousing the malice of the Pharisees before His hour was come.
No doubt the two men were guilty of an act of disobedience in thus breaking the Lord’s solemn injunction: for obedience is better than sacrifice; the humble observance of the word of the Lord, than the most laborious and wide-spread will-worship after man’s own mind and invention. Trench (Miracles, p. 197) well remarks, that the fact of almost all the Romish interpreters having applauded this act, is “very characteristic, and rests on very deep differences.”
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 9:30 . , a Hebraism. The Jews thought of blind eyes as shut, and of seeing eyes as open. , sternly enjoined ( vide Mar 1:43 ). The paraphrase of Euthy. Zig. gives a vivid idea of the meaning, “looked severely, contracting His eyebrows, and shaking His head at them, as they are wont to do who wish to make sure that secrets will be kept”.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
30. ] Suidas explains this word, , . The purpose of our Lords earnestness appears to have been twofold: (1) that He might not be so occupied and over-pressed with applications as to have neither time nor strength for the preaching of the Gospel: (2) to prevent the already-excited people from taking some public measure of recognition, and thus arousing the malice of the Pharisees before His hour was come.
No doubt the two men were guilty of an act of disobedience in thus breaking the Lords solemn injunction: for obedience is better than sacrifice; the humble observance of the word of the Lord, than the most laborious and wide-spread will-worship after mans own mind and invention. Trench (Miracles, p. 197) well remarks, that the fact of almost all the Romish interpreters having applauded this act, is very characteristic, and rests on very deep differences.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 9:30. , were opened) The same verb is used also in the case of ears, Mar 7:34-35, and of the mouth, Luk 1:64.-, straitly charged) perhaps lest an opportunity might be given to the Pharisees. Cf. Mat 9:34.[431]-, see) A word used absolutely; for neither does the following imperative depend on this.
[431] It would have been better for them to have obeyed His injunction of silence: and yet their conduct is not without affording us means of inferring, how great is the effect which the power of Christ has on those who have experienced it.-V. g.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
their: Psa 146:8, Isa 35:5, Isa 42:7, Isa 52:13, Joh 9:7-26
straitly: Mat 8:4, Mat 12:16, Mat 17:9, Mar 5:43, Luk 5:14, Luk 8:56
Reciprocal: 2Sa 5:23 – fetch Mat 6:3 – let Mat 8:13 – and as Mat 11:5 – blind Mat 15:28 – be it Mar 1:43 – General Mar 8:26 – Neither Luk 5:13 – I will
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9:30
Eyes were opened. Thayer explains the last word to mean, “to restore one’s sight,” hence the passage does not mean their eyelids had been closed.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 9:30. And their eyes were opened. A figurative but natural expression for restoration to sight.
And Jesus solemnly charged them, almost equivalent to sternly threatened them. These men had already shouted their belief in His Messiahship, in the public street, and their over-ready zeal might provoke over-ready opposition.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 30
The Savior seems often to have given directions with a view of limiting the publicity of his most remarkable miracles, in order to keep the popular excitement which they occasioned within due bounds. Since the Jews expected the Messiah to head their armies, and expel the Romans from their territories, there was danger, if he became suddenly known as the Messiah, before he had corrected their erroneous views of the nature of his reign, that popular insurrections and bloodshed might ensue. On one occasion, this result was narrowly escaped. (John 6:15.) And besides, even if no popular tumult should ensue, still the greater the publicity given to his movements and miracles, the greater was the danger of their attracting the attention of Herod’s government in Galilee, or that of the Romans in Judea.