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But they - spread abroad his fame - They should have held their peace; for to obey is better than sacrifice, 1 Samuel 15:22; but man must always be wiser than God, however, it may be profitable to remark,

1st. That honor pursues those who fly from it.

2dly. He who is thoroughly sensible of God's mercy cannot long contain his acknowledgments.

3dly. That God in general requires that what a man has received, for his own salvation, shall become subservient to that of others - Let your light so shine, etc.

God chooses to help man by man, that all may be firmly knit together in brotherly love.

But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame - The report of what he had done. This was not unnatural for them. They were so filled with joy that they could not repress their feelings. In this, however, they violated the express command of the Saviour; but he was not responsible for that.

At this time the Jews expected Messiah would appear; these blind men knew and proclaimed in the streets of Capernaum that he was come, and that Jesus was he. Those who, by the providence of God, have lost their bodily sight, may, by the grace of God, have the eyes of their understanding fully enlightened. And whatever our wants and burdens are, we need no more for supply and support, than to share in the mercy of our Lord Jesus. In Christ is enough for all. They followed him crying aloud. He would try their faith, and would teach us always to pray, and not to faint, though the answer does not come at once. They followed Christ, and followed him crying; but the great question is, Do ye believe? Nature may make us earnest, but it is only grace that can work faith. Christ touched their eyes. He gives sight to blind souls by the power of his grace going with his word, and he puts the cure upon their faith. Those who apply to Jesus Christ, shall be dealt with, not according to their fancies, nor according to their profession, but according to their faith. Christ sometimes concealed his miracles, because he would not indulge the conceit which prevailed among the Jews, that their Messiah should be a temporal prince, and so give occasion to the people to attempt tumults and seditions.