21:13 The one who shuts his ears 1 to the cry 2 of the poor,
he too will cry out and will not be answered. 3
1 sn The imagery means “pay no attention to” the cry for help or “refuse to help,” so it is a metonymy of cause for the effect.
2 sn “Cry” here would be a metonymy of effect for the cause, the cause being the great needs of the poor.
3 sn The proverb is teaching that those who show mercy will receive mercy. It involves the principle of talionic justice – those who refuse the needs of others will themselves be refused when they need help (so Luke 16:19-31).
4 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the blind man learning that Jesus was nearby.
5 tn Grk “called out, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
6 sn Jesus was more than a Nazarene to this blind person, who saw quite well that Jesus was Son of David. He understood what Luke 7:22-23 affirms. There was a tradition in Judaism that the Son of David (Solomon) had great powers of healing (Josephus, Ant. 8.2.5 [8.42-49]).
7 sn Have mercy on me is a request for healing (cf. 17:13). It is not owed the man. He simply asks for God’s kind grace.
8 sn That is, those who were at the front of the procession.
9 tn Or “rebuked.” The crowd’s view was that surely Jesus would not be bothered with someone as unimportant as a blind beggar.
10 sn Public opinion would not sway the blind man from getting Jesus’ attention. The term shouted is strong as it can be used of animal cries.
11 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the beggar’s cries.
12 tn Grk “ordered him”; the referent (the blind beggar, v. 35) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
13 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the beggar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
14 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.