And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
De Cons. Evan. ii, 29: This account of the two blind men and the dumb daemon isread in Matthew only. The two blind men of whom the others speak are not the same as these, though something similar was done with them. So that even if Matthew had not also recorded their cure, we might have seen that this present narrative was of a different transaction. And this we ought diligently to remember, that many actions of our Lord are very much like one another, but areproved not to be the same action, by being both related at different times bythe same Evangelist. So that when we find cases in which one is recorded by one Evangelist, and another by another, and some difference which we cannot reconcile between their accounts, we should suppose that they are like, but not the same, events.
The natural order of things is here preserved; the daemon is first cast out, and there the functions of the members proceed. "And the multitude marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.”.
Or; By the dumb and deaf, and daemoniac, is signified the Gentile world, needing health in every part; for sunk in evil of every kind, they are afflicted with disease of every part of the body.
The wonder of the multitude is followed up by the confession, “It was never so seen in Israel;” because he, for whom there was no help under the Law, is saved by the power of the Word.
The Greek word here is more frequent in common speech in the sense of, ‘deaf, 'but it is the manner of Scripture to use it indifferently as either.
As the blind receive light, so the tongue of the dumb is loosed, that he may confess Him whom before he denied. The wonder of the multitude is the confession of the nations. The scoff of the Pharisees is the unbelief of the Jews, which is to this day.
And so far from punishing them for their insensibility, He did not even simply rebuke them; at once both evincing His meekness, and so refuting the calumny; and at the same time minded also by the signs which followed to exhibit His proof more completely: and then to adduce also the refutation by words. He went about therefore both in cities, and in countries, and in their synagogues; instructing us to requite our calumniators, not with fresh calumnies, but with greater benefits. Since, if not for man's sake, but God's, you do good to your fellow-servants; whatsoever they may do, leave not thou off doing them good, that your reward may be greater; since he surely, who upon their calumny leaves off his doing good, signifies that for their praise' sake, not for God's sake, he applies himself to that kind of virtue.
For this cause Christ, to teach us that of mere goodness He had entered on this, so far from waiting for the sick to come to Him, of Himself hastened unto them, bearing the...
They set Him thus above others, because He not only healed, but with such ease, and quickness; and cured diseases both infinite in number, and in quality incurable. This most grieved the Pharisees, that they set Him before all others, not only those that then lived, but all who had lived before, on which account it follows, “But the Pharisees said, He casteth out daemons through the Prince of daemons.”.
What can be more foolish than this speech of theirs? For it cannot be pretended that one daemon would cast out another; for they are wont to consent to one another's deeds, and not to be at variance among themselves. But Christ not only cast out daemons, but healed the lepers, raised the dead, forgave sins, preached the kingdom of God, and brought men to the Father, which a daemon neither could nor would do.
Jesus not only refrained from punishing his detractors for their insensitivity, but he did not even give them a simple rebuke. This gives further evidence of his meekness and refutes their malicious talk. He exhibits further proof of his glory by the signs that were to follow and the refutations that would become more explicit. For these reasons he went about in all the cities, in the countryside and in the synagogues, instructing all to respond to those who attacked him, not with fresh vilification but with ever greater benevolence. So do good to your companions not for their sake alone but for God’s sake. Whatever they may do, do not cease doing them good. Your reward will be greater. When you are vilified, if you quit doing good, you signify that you are seeking the praise of others, not the praise of God. For this reason Christ was sent to teach us that he came simply to do good. He did not wait for the sick to come to him. He himself hurried to them, bearing them a twofold blessin...
Figuratively; As is the two blind men were denoted both nations, Jews and Gentiles, so in the man dumb and afflicted with the daemon is denoted the whole human race.
Observe the beautiful order of His miracles; how after He had given sight to the blind, He restored speech to the dumb, and healed the possessed of the daemon; by which He shows Himself the Lord of power, and the author of the heavenly medicine. For it was said by Isaiah, “Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, and the tongue of the dumb loosed.” Whence it is said, “When they were gone forth, they brought unto him a man dumb, and possessed with a daemon.”.
Thus the Scribes and Pharisees denied such of the Lord’s miracles as they could deny; and such as they could not they explained by an evil interpretation, according to that, “In the multitude of they excellency thy enemies shall lie unto thee.” .
For the Gentiles were dumb; not being able to open their mouth in the confession of the true faith, and the praises of the Creator, or because inpaying worship to dumb idols they were made like unto them. They were afflicted with a daemon, becau...
As Lover of mankind He did not wait for them to come to Him, but He Himself went all around. Therefore they could not say as an excuse that "no one taught us." He draws them to Himself by word and deed, teaching and working wonders.
