Luke 18:40-43

Jesus evidently asked His question to elicit the blind man’s faith. He certainly knew what he wanted. The title "Lord" here obviously reflects more than simple respect. It expressed the man’s faith. Jesus’ words would have left no doubt that He was responsible for the miracle. He hastened to clarify that the man’s faith was the instrumental cause of the healing. Luke stressed this again for his readers’ benefit (cf. Luke 7:50; Luke 8:48; Luke 17:19). Divine power was the efficient cause of the healing.

The responses to the instantaneous (Luke 1:64; et al.) healing were what they should have been. The man began following Jesus, and he glorified God (cf. Luke 18:23). Likewise the observers’ reaction was to praise God. Only Luke recorded the glorifying and praising of God that took place then (cf. Luke 2:20; Luke 5:25; et al.). This reflects his interest in the joyful outcome of salvation (cf. Luke 5:26; Luke 17:18; Acts 2:47; Acts 3:9).

Luke probably included this incident partially to contrast the faith of the blind man with the unbelief of the religious leaders. Again the humble received salvation while others who failed to realize their need for Jesus’ grace did not. The incident would have been a lesson to the disciples as well as the multitudes.