1.      Please read Matthew 20:17-34.  What stands out to you?  How are the themes and concerns of one section connected with those in the other sections of this passage?

2.      Verses 18-19 are the third time in Matthew where Jesus tells his disciples why he is going to Jerusalem, and what will happen there.  What things are Jesus (and Matthew) trying to convey by doing this, and what differences might these make to you?

3.      What does ‘the cup of suffering’ mean to you?  (For background on this image, see Isaiah 51, Jeremiah 25, Psalm 75). 

4.      Who today gets silenced, or pushed to the margins, or told not to come near to Jesus?   

5.      Why do you think people treat others like the two blind men in this way?

6.      Why does Jesus ask the men what they want from him?

7.      Why does Jesus touch them when he restores their sight?

8.      What do we learn about Jesus’ compassion here, and how this must shape our actions?

9.      What things do you learn from the example of the two men throughout this story?