Eyes Opened and Hearts Moved: The Compassion of Jesus (Matthew 9:27-38)
Have you ever felt unnoticed, unheard, or just plain stuck? In Matthew 9:27–38, we see Jesus meet people exactly in those kinds of moments—with kindness, healing, and care. He doesn’t just see the crowd; He sees the person. And His heart is full of compassion.
Let’s take a look at what happens in these verses and what it means for us today.
Two Blind Men Are Healed
As Jesus is walking, two blind men begin to follow Him. They cry out, asking for mercy and help. Even though they can’t see, they believe Jesus can heal them.
Jesus asks them, “Do you believe I can do this?” They answer yes. Then He gently touches their eyes, and suddenly—they can see!
What we learn: Faith matters. These men couldn’t see Jesus, but they trusted Him. And He responded to their faith with healing. Sometimes all we need is to believe that Jesus really can help us—even when we’re in the dark.
A Mute Man Speaks Again
Right after that, someone brings Jesus a man who can’t speak. This man is also controlled by an evil spirit. Without a big show or long speech, Jesus drives out the spirit, and the man starts speaking.
The crowd is amazed! But not everyone is happy. Some of the religious leaders accuse Jesus of doing wrong. Still, the man is healed, and the people praise what they’ve seen.
What we learn: Jesus brings freedom. Even when others criticize or don’t understand, He keeps caring, healing, and helping. And no one is too far gone for His help.
Jesus Looks at the Crowds with Compassion
Jesus keeps traveling—going from town to town, teaching, healing, and helping. But then He pauses. He sees the large crowds, and His heart is deeply moved.
Why? Because the people are lost, confused, and hurting—like sheep without a shepherd.
What we learn: Jesus doesn’t just care about big miracles. He notices our everyday struggles—our loneliness, confusion, and pain. His heart breaks when He sees people who feel lost. And He wants to guide them with love.
A Prayer for More Helpers
After seeing the crowds and feeling compassion, Jesus turns to His disciples and says something powerful: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. Ask God to send more workers.”
In other words, there’s so much need—and Jesus wants His followers to care too. He invites them (and us!) to pray and be part of the work.
What we learn: Jesus doesn’t do everything alone. He invites us to pray, to care, and to help. Whether by sharing kindness, encouraging someone, or simply listening, we can be part of what God is doing in the world.
Final Thoughts
This part of the Bible shows us who Jesus is:
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He listens to cries for help.
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He responds to faith, even small and quiet faith.
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He heals what’s broken—whether it’s bodies, hearts, or spirits.
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And He deeply cares about every person.
If you’ve ever wondered whether Jesus sees you or cares about your struggles, the answer is yes. And just like in this passage, He’s still asking us to notice others too—to pray, to care, and to help however we can.
Matthew 9:27-38 (WEB)
9:27 As Jesus passed by from there, two blind men followed him, calling out and saying, “Have mercy on us, son of David!” 28 When he had come into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”They told him, “Yes, Lord.”29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30 Then their eyes were opened. Jesus strictly commanded them, saying, “See that no one knows about this.” 31 But they went out and spread abroad his fame in all that land.32 As they went out, behold, a mute man who was demon possessed was brought to him. 33 When the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. The multitudes marveled, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”34 But the Pharisees said, “By the prince of the demons, he casts out demons.”35 Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. 36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them because they were harassed and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest.”