Then was brought to him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, so that the blind and dumb both spoke and saw.
was.
Matthew 9:32 As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.
Mark 3:11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.
Luke 11:14 And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.
he healed.
Mark 7:35-37 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain…
Mark 9:17-26 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; …
blind.
Psalm 51:15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
Isaiah 29:18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
Isaiah 32:3,4 And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken…
and He healed the man
Jesus' healing of the demon-possessed man demonstrates His authority over both the spiritual and physical realms. This act of healing is a testament to His divine nature and fulfillment of messianic prophecies, such as those found in Isaiah 35:5-6, which speak of the Messiah opening the eyes of the blind and unstopping the ears of the deaf. The healing serves as a sign of the in-breaking of God's kingdom through Jesus' ministry, showcasing His compassion and power.
so that he could speak and see
The restoration of the man's sight and speech signifies a complete and miraculous healing, emphasizing the totality of Jesus' power. In biblical symbolism, sight often represents understanding and spiritual insight, while speech can symbolize the ability to proclaim truth. This healing not only restores the man's physical abilities but also serves as a metaphor for spiritual awakening and the proclamation of God's works. The miracle underscores Jesus' role as the light of the world, bringing clarity and truth to those in darkness.
• Matthew ties this episode to the conflict that has just unfolded with the Pharisees (Matthew 12:14–21), showing Jesus moving straight from controversy to compassion.
• The timing emphasizes continuity in Jesus’ mission: whether confronting religious leaders or relieving human misery, He remains the promised Servant (Isaiah 42:1–4; fulfilled in Matthew 12:18–21).
• “Then” also hints at fulfilled prophecy—every act of mercy is another marker that the Messianic age has arrived (Luke 7:22).
• Scripture treats demonic oppression as real, not symbolic (Mark 1:34; Luke 4:41).
• Evil spirits distort God’s image in people; Jesus’ authority over them proves His divine power (Matthew 8:29, 31).
• The man’s plight reminds us of humanity’s deeper bondage to sin (Ephesians 2:1–3). Christ delivers from both physical and spiritual tyranny.
• Physical affliction compounds the spiritual bondage, leaving the man cut off from sight and speech—two primary ways we receive and express truth.
• Blindness often pictures spiritual darkness (John 9:39–41), while muteness suggests suppressed worship (Psalm 34:1). Jesus heals both realms.
• The severity of the condition magnifies the miracle—no one could claim psychosomatic recovery here (cf. John 9:32–33).
• Friends or family act in faith, mirroring those who lowered the paralytic through the roof (Mark 2:3–5).
• Their action illustrates intercessory love; we, too, “bring” the helpless to Christ through prayer and witness (1 Timothy 2:1).
• Jesus never turns away sincere seekers (John 6:37).
• With a word, Jesus asserts dominion over both disease and demons (Matthew 8:16–17).
• His miracles authenticate His message that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).
• Healing fulfills Messianic promises of restoration (Isaiah 35:5–6).
• The immediate, complete reversal shows divine compassion and authority (Luke 18:43).
• Restored sight enables recognition of Jesus; renewed speech allows proclamation of His praise—exactly what salvation accomplishes (1 Peter 2:9).
• The miracle prepares the crowd and the Pharisees for the ensuing debate about Jesus’ power source (Matthew 12:23–24), exposing hearts.
Matthew 12:22 captures a vivid snapshot of the Messiah’s mission: at a specific moment, a man utterly bound by demons, blindness, and muteness is set free by being brought to Jesus. The verse testifies to Christ’s absolute authority over the spiritual and physical realms, His fulfillment of prophetic hopes, and His compassion for broken people. It invites us to bring every need to the Savior who still opens eyes and loosens tongues for God’s glory.
(22) The narrative that follows is again a stumbling-block in the way of harmonists. St. Luke (Luke 11:14) places it after the feeding of the five thousand; St. Mark (Mark 3:22) immediately after the mission of the Twelve. A like narrative has met us in Matthew 9:32, and it is probable enough that the charge was repeated as often as the occasion presented itself, and as often answered in identical or like words. St. Mark states that the Pharisees who brought it were those who had come down from Jerusalem, and this falls in with all that we have seen of the activity of those emissaries of the party.Possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb.--In Matthew 9:32, the man was simply dumb; here the phenomena of the suspension of conscious sensation and volition were more complicated.
Verses 22-32. - The healing of a man blind and dumb, and the consequent blasphemy of the Pharisees. The miracle leads them to the extreme of spiritual opposition. (On the assimilation to our vers. 22-24, found in Matthew 9:32-34, see notes there.) The parallel passages are Luke 11:14-23 and, for the blasphemy and our Lord's consequent defence only, Mark 3:22-30. Verse 22 - Then was brought. So Westcott and Herr margin, but text, "then they brought," as in Matthew 9:32. Unto him one possessed with a devil, blind (this fact is not mentioned by Luke), and dumb. "The devil had shut up each entrance by which be might come to faith, his sight and his hearing, yet Christ opened each" (Chrysostom). And he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. The case was worse than even that of Matthew 9:32, where the man was not blind.