And their eyes were opened; and Jesus sternly charged them, saying,
See that no man knows it.
Read Chapter 9
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
And Jesus strictly charged them. Although our Saviour strictly charged them to keep the miracle silent, they nevertheless published it throughout all that country; not being able to contain themselves, they became the evangelists and publishers of what they were commanded to conceal. Thus we are admonished not only to keep silent ourselves whatever is to our own commendation, but likewise to endeavour to hinder others from publishing it; to act otherwise would be to render ourselves odious to men, and abominable in the sight of God. But if we are silent, we shall obtain greater glory in the sight both of God and men. On the other hand, whatever redounds to the glory of the Almighty, we must ourselves publish, and exhort others to make it known to the whole world. Therefore it is said, Go and relate the glory of God. (St. Chrysostom, hom. xxxiii.)
This command to silence is itself no light charge against the religious leadership. The eyes of these two men had been ruined. They then received faith by hearing alone. They themselves could now see this miracle. Ironically, however, having now sight to witness to what was happening, they were commanded to say nothing. You can hear their earnestness in their loud cries, in their pleading simply for mercy and in their supplications. So they called him Son of David, because that name was above all thought to be honorable, the name that the prophets called those whom they wished most to commend and declare great. The Gospel of Matthew, Homily
Do you see Christ's humility? They spread abroad His fame in thanksgiving, not out of disobedience. But if in another place Christ says, Go and tell of the glory of God [Lk.8:39], there is nothing contradictory in this. For He wants them to say nothing about Himself, but to speak of the glory of God.
