Matthew 20:34 Meaning and Explanation
“So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Moved with compassion, Jesus touches their eyes; they immediately receive sight and follow him.
What Does Matthew 20:34 Mean?
Moved with compassion, Jesus reaches out and touches their eyes. At once their sight is restored, and the first thing their opened eyes behold is the Savior who healed them. Their response is immediate and whole-hearted: they followed him, joining the multitude now as seeing disciples on the road to Jerusalem.
This closing scene gathers the chapter's themes into a single act. The Lord who taught that greatness is service, and who is going to Jerusalem to give His life a ransom for many, stops to touch the eyes of two forgotten beggars. Compassion moves Him to heal, and gratitude moves them to follow. The chapter ends not with thrones or rankings but with mercy given and discipleship begun, the true pattern of the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 20:34 in the Original Language
splagchnizomai (σπλαγχνίζομαι), 'had compassion' -- to be moved with mercy from the depths of one's being.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 20:34
What does Matthew 20:34 mean?
Moved with compassion, Jesus touches their eyes; they immediately receive sight and follow him.