CHAPTER 9
Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Matthew 9:1
Capernaum was Jesus’ home city by choice (4:13-14) and the house of his residence in the city was the house of Simon Peter (8:14-17). It might help us to get a feel of a dwelling in those ancient days. According to the sketches presented by archaeologist Rami Arav, the main part of Peter’s house at Capernaum would have measured only some 3-4 meters on each side.1 It would therefore have been only the size of a rather small US bedroom or roughly 9 to13 feet. We might point out that many houses had courtyards where the family activities could spill over. Obviously, having privacy was not too highly regarded in the first century world.
If we wish to read an account of Jesus’ ministry in this instance, it is necessary for us to read the much longer versions in Mark 2:1-12 and Lk. 5:18-26. In Mark’s longer version we realize that the house was too small for all the people to gather and that the friends who brought the paralytic to Jesus in the next verse had to climb on the roof, make an opening in it, and let their friend down in front of the Master. We note again that Matthew for the sake of brevity often omits many colorful, descriptive details.2
A PARALYTIC HEALED
Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” Matthew 9:2
When we understand that the four friends had to climb upon the roof with their paralytic friend and let him down through the ceiling to Jesus, then we understand that they had great faith that Jesus could heal him. We might note that it was a mat the man was lying upon and not a bed as several translations have it. When we in the west think of bed we think of bed frames, box springs, mattresses and so on. Beds were simpler in ancient times.
It is interesting that Jesus did not immediately heal this paralytic. Rather he first proclaimed to him that his sins were forgiven. In Jesus’ culture it was generally felt that all sickness was traced to sin.3 It was a universal belief that all sickness was the result of sin and that no one could be cured until that person’s sin was forgiven.4 Of course, we know that in an underlying sense all sickness is the result of Adam’s original sin. However, it is a tricky business to claim that a person who is sick has sinned. Jesus makes plain in another place (Jn. 9:2-3) that all sickness is not directly caused by the sin of the person.
In this case the sickness was directly attributed to the man’s sin. Thus, Jesus dealt first with the sin problem. Sin is in fact the basic problem with the whole human race, although few will admit this today. We see many verses in the Bible where God states his willingness to forgive our sins and bring healing (Psa. 41:3-4; 103:2-3; Jam. 5:13-18). Both forgiveness and healing are a part of the atonement as well as part of the messianic blessing (Isa. 43:25; 44:22).5 Guzik sees that the presence of so much sickness at that time in Israel was due to their unfaithfulness to the covenant and to their low spiritual condition.6
When we realize the whole story here we have to praise the four men who brought their friend to Jesus. It shows us something about the power of corporate faith (cf. 18:19).7 Meyer remarks, “How inventive and ingenious is human love!” 8 By the fact that they had to take their friend to the top of the house and let him down through the roof might indicate that these were young men trying desperately to help their young friend. Jesus’ word to him could easily be interpreted that he is calling him a young man (Gk. teknon or child).
“At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, ‘This fellow is blaspheming!’ Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, ‘Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?’” (9:3-4). When Jesus spoke of forgiving sins it created a great problem for the teachers of the law or scribes who were present. They felt that no one could forgive sins but God and that Jesus was therefore blaspheming with such a claim. The teachers of the law were obviously overlooking many scriptures. They were especially overlooking the messianic passage in Isaiah 35:5-6, where the Messiah would cause the lame to leap like a deer.9
The charge of blasphemy was a very serious one carrying the death penalty (Lev. 24:10-16). This charge would continually be made against Jesus and, in fact, it would be the final charge of the Jewish Sanhedrin against him just before his crucifixion. Blasphemy was any act of cursing or slandering the name of God (Exo. 20:7).10 It also involved any act that would seem to violate the power and majesty of God.11 Thus, Jesus claim to forgive sins would fall under these definitions.
We see something here that will be evident on other occasions. Jesus was able to know their thoughts. When he came to earth he emptied himself of many divine prerogatives (Phil. 2:7-8). He came under the restrictions of human nature. However, his was not a fallen human nature and Jesus may have had many abilities that Adam originally possessed before the fall.
“Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. So he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Get up, take your mat and go home’” (9:5-6). Barclay says: “Now remember that these scribes believed that no one could get up and walk unless his sins were forgiven. If Jesus was able to make this man get up and walk, then that was unanswerable proof that the man’s sins were forgiven, and that Jesus’ claim was true.” 12 The scribes were in a precarious theological position.
Obviously, it took no power or authority to simply say “your sins are forgiven.” We could say such a thing today but it would be meaningless, as well as an affront to God. However, it took a great deal of authority to tell a paralyzed man to rise and walk. The Greek word used here is exousia, meaning power or authority. It was a strong implication of Jesus’ Messiahship as well as his Deity.13 Once again Jesus used the title Son of Man (cf. 8:19-20). Matthew does not mention that this once crippled man even carried his bed as he walked away healed (Lk. 5:25).
“Then the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man” (9:7-8). The crowds were amazed and awestruck at this event. We will notice all through this gospel how the crowds were often in awe of Jesus while the scribes and others rejected him, his message and his mighty works (cf. 9:33-34; 12:13-15; 14:34 – 15:2).14 Utley says, “Rabbinical Judaism had become trapped by tradition and the quoting of the ancient sayings of the rabbis.” 15 The Jewish scholars were not able to cope with the vast paradigm shift that was now facing them.
THE CALLING OF MATTHEW
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. Matthew 9:9
Here we have a man, who was probably from the priestly line, 16 who was involved in the despicable and disreputable occupation of collecting taxes for an occupying power.
Barclay says, “There was never a more unlikely candidate for the office of apostle than Matthew.” 17 Since Matthew was located at Capernaum, and since Capernaum was situated on a main trade route, we can guess that he was mostly involved in collecting import duties on all goods that were brought along that road. Barclay also sums up the kind and amounts of duties that were levied: “There was a duty of anything from 2 ½ percent to 12 ½ percent on all goods imported and exported. A tax had to be paid to travel on main roads, to cross bridges, to enter market-places and towns or harbors. There was a tax on pack animals, and a tax on the wheels and axles of carts…” 18
Because of the Roman system of tax farming, tax collectors were notoriously dishonest. They were also despised by the people. Osborne says, “A Jew who accepted such an office shamed his family and friends and was excommunicated from the synagogue.” 19 A tax gatherer was listed right along with the dregs of society.
No doubt, Matthew was somewhat familiar with Jesus. He had probably listened in on some of his teaching around the Capernaum area. His heart was likely touched by Jesus and his word. However, it was most unthinkable that he could ever be able to follow such a man. Matthew was probably wealthy like most tax collectors and he surely knew that he would have to forsake that wealth to follow the Master. If somehow the discipleship did not work out, Matthew knew that he could not go back to his job and that finding future employment would be very difficult for a publican.20
Then Jesus came by one day and said “Matthew, follow me!” There was no second thought. Matthew rose up immediately and followed the Master. He became a very important follower since he would later write the gospel under his name. We also know him as Levi from the other gospels. In those days most people had two or three names, with a Roman name, a Greek name and a Jewish name.21 We can imagine that the addition of Matthew might have put the other disciples in shock. Archaeological evidence indicates that even fish taken from the Sea of Galilee were taxed. It might have been a little awkward at first as despised Matthew joined the apostolic band.22
“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples” (9:10). Matthew wasted no time in calling together his tax collector friends with others and introducing them to Jesus. That is really what a disciple is supposed to do, to reach others with the saving word of God. Matthew did this by throwing a great banquet for them and for Jesus. In those days when there was such a banquet it was customary for folks who were not invited to enter the room and watch, even asking questions or making comments as the banquet progressed.
This was obviously quite a collection of rogues. Tax collectors were shunned by society and barred from the synagogues. Some of the others who were not tax collectors were sinners in the eyes of the religious elite. These did not keep all the scruples and petty regulations of the law as the Pharisees and others saw it.23 They were referred to as the “people of the land” or the Am ha’aretz in Hebrew, the ignorant and the boorish.24
“When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’” (9:11). At that time in history when one dined with another it was considered as an act of friendship and acceptance. It was even thought to form an intimate bond between the diners.25 The Pharisees, who were probably not invited, were nevertheless listening at the entryway and eventually chimed in. To them it was a sin to eat with tax collectors and other such people.
“On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick’” (9:12). The Pharisees and others of the religious parties no doubt considered themselves as the spiritually healthy. However, they were desperately sick souls. They considered themselves healthy and no doubt doctors of others, but they were in fact doing nothing to help and heal the sick.26 Barclay rephrases this section saying: “I did not come to invite people who are so self-satisfied that they are convinced of their own goodness and that they do not need anyone’s help; I came to invite people who are very conscious of their sin and desperately aware of their need for a savior.” 27 In Luke 19:10 we read: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (9:13). Here Jesus is quoting from Hosea 6:6: “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” In Matthew 23:23, Jesus will list mercy as one of the weightier or important matters of the law (cf. 1 Sam. 15:22). In Exodus 33:19, we learn that mercy is a part of God’s name. Mercy (Heb. Hesed) speaks of that faithful covenant love of God.28 Clarke says, “That the whole sacrificial system was intended only to point out the infinite mercy of God to fallen man.” 29 Since God is so merciful, it behooves us as his children to show a little mercy to one another.
JOHN’S DISCIPLES QUESTION JESUS
Then John’s disciples came and asked him, ‘How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?’” Matthew 9:14
John the Baptist had great appeal to people of all classes. Historical and biblical records inform us that his influence continued a long time, even into the second century (cf. Acts 19:1-9).30 From scripture we realize that John came to introduce Jesus. He fully expected his own influence would decrease as the influence of Jesus increased (Jn. 3:29-32). John was now in prison and no doubt his disciples were a bit confused and bewildered. They were spending their days in tears and in fasting and they wondered why Jesus and his disciples were not doing the same (cf. Mk. 2:18-22; Lk. 5:33-39).
“Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast’” (9:15). John considered Jesus as the bridegroom and himself only a friend of the bridegroom (Jn. 3:29). It was his job to introduce the bridegroom and to direct Israel to him. He even directed his own disciples to Jesus and some of them followed Jesus (cf. Jn. 1:36, 40).
In Bible times the wedding was a large and important community event. Barclay describes it: “For a week after the wedding open house was kept; the bride and bridegroom were treated as, and even addressed as, a king and queen. And during that week their closest friends shared all the joy and all the festivities with them; these closest friends were called the children of the bride chamber…That was not time for fasting, but for the rejoicing of a lifetime.” 31
The Lord’s people could not fast while the Lord was with them. However, the Lord would soon be taken away and then they would fast. There are a number of references to fasting in the New Testament (cf. Acts 9:9; 13:2f.; 14:23).
Jesus then proceeded to give some examples of the new day coming and how the old and the new could not be mixed together. “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse” (9:16).
This is a simple rule for seamstresses of any age. If an unshrunk patch is sown on an old garment, the patch will shrink when washed and tear the garment. Christianity is not just a patch on the old garment. While it is built upon Judaism, it is nevertheless the complete fulfillment of Judaism. However, we can never say that Christianity does away with Judaism as those of Replacement Theology maintain.32
“Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved” (9:17). Guthrie says, “There is a radical newness about Jesus’ message which needs new forms of expression. Patching up Judaism will not do.” 33 To the Jewish leaders a new idea was not just considered as a mistake, but it was looked upon as a sin.34 But Jesus came to make everything new (Rev. 21:5).
In those days people did not carry around wine in bottles or clay jugs for these would easily break as they carried on their rough mode of living. Instead, wine was carried in flasks made from the skins of animals. Barker and Kohlenberger describe the process: “Skin bottles for carrying various fluids were made by killing the chosen animal, cutting off its head and feet, skinning the carcass, and sewing up the skin, fur side out, to seal off all orfices but one (usually the neck). The skin was tanned with special care…” 35
Barclay describes the new container: “In a new skin there was a certain elasticity, and no harm was done because the skin gave with the pressure…To put this into modern terms: our minds must be elastic enough to receive and to contain new ideas…Every new idea has had to fight for its existence against the instinctive opposition of the human mind.” 36 Elihu, the young counselor of Job once exclaimed, “…inside I am like bottled-up wine, like new wineskins ready to burst. I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and reply” (Job 32:19-20).
As Coffman says, “Christ did not pour the new wine of his teaching into the old wineskins (John’s disciples) but into new wineskins (his disciples).” 37
THE DEAD GIRL AND THE SICK WOMAN
While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples. Matthew 9:18-19
Jesus had recently spoken with a scribe who wished to be his disciple and now the synagogue leader himself has come to the Master. We see this account also in Mark 5:21-43, and in Luke 8:40-56. The account of this synagogue leader is one of the most drama-filled stories in the New Testament.
This leader certainly was under pressure from the religious establishment to have nothing to do with Jesus and to resist him with all his powers. However, the leader’s dear little daughter lay dying and that was foremost in his mind. At last he decided to go to the one he knew could help – to Jesus.
A synagogue leader was an important man in Judaism and would correspond to the chazan today. He was a layman who was in charge of the synagogue, an elected official who was charged with the oversight of buildings and the practical administration of the synagogue operations. He was also in charge of the public worship services. No doubt he was supposed to be a pillar of Jewish orthodoxy.38 Mark tells us that his name was Jairus (Mk. 5:22), which would translate into the modern Hebrew name of Yair.
When this leader came to Jesus it was a touching scene. He first knelt before Jesus. The Greek word for kneel is proskuneo and it means not only to fall down but also to do obeisance or to worship.39 Likely, this synagogue ruler was worshipping Jesus despite what his associates might have thought about such a thing. His act of worship would have been blasphemous if Jesus had not been God.40
Then Jairus pleaded for Jesus to help his dying daughter. From the other accounts also (cf. Mk. 5:23; Lk. 8:42) there is evidence that the daughter was already dead. Perhaps she was in a coma and breathing her last when Jairus left her.
“Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, ‘If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed’” (9:20-21). The act of this desperate woman expressed her great faith. Because of her condition of bleeding, the woman would have been unclean (Lev. 15:25-27). Her presence was a ritual defilement. Everything she touched, sat upon or lay down upon became unclean.41 The very thought of her touching a famous Rabbi was a scandalous idea. However, this may be why she came up quietly and only touched his garment.
Mark tells us that this woman had spent all the money she had physicians who were trying to heal her. Instead of getting better she had only gotten worse (Mk. 5:26-27). Obviously, the woman was desperate so she came to Jesus and quietly touched him. She knew in a moment that she was healed (Mk. 5:29).
What she touched was the edge of his cloak or his tassel (kraspedon). Jewish men were required by the law to wear tassels on the hem of their garments (Num. 15:37-41; Deut. 22:12). In Jesus’ time the tassels would probably have been worn on his prayer shawl.
Wiersbe says, “The girl had been healthy for twelve years, and then died; the woman had been ill for twelve years and was now made whole. Jairus’s need was public – all knew it; the woman’s need was private – only Jesus understood.” 42
“Jesus turned and saw her. ‘Take heart, daughter,’ he said, ‘your faith has healed you.’ And the woman was healed at that moment” (9:22). What a moment this was! Suddenly the woman was healed through and through and she knew it instantly. “For twelve years, she too had been one of the untouchables: and had not been able to lead a normal life.” 43 While she and others rejoiced, the synagogue ruler may have had other thoughts.
We can only imagine the inner agony that was going on in the heart of Jairus. He was probably saying to himself, “O Jesus please hurry! My only little daughter is dying!” While the healing of the woman was miraculous it was probably seen initially by Jairus as a terrible delay. Jesus may have designed it in just this way in order to strengthen the faith of the synagogue ruler.44 The other gospels tell how Jesus called the woman out so that she had to confess before the crowd that she was healed. The decision for Jesus is always a public one.
“When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, he said, ‘Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.’ But they laughed at him” (9:23-24). Barclay comments: “In a house of grief an incessant wailing was kept up. The wailing was done by professional wailing women…The shrill incessant wailing of the professional mourners would be filling the house of Jairus that day…And also the very poorest amongst the Israelites will not allow her less than two flutes and one wailing woman…” 45 Osborne adds, “Lack of weeping and wailing was the ultimate disgrace and disrespect.” 46
The mourners and flute players all knew that the girl was dead. They had probably officiated at many funerals and they were the experts. The grieving relatives all knew that she was dead. However, Jesus came announcing that she was only asleep (cf. Jn. 11:11; Acts 7:60; 2 Pet. 3:4). The crowd laughed scornfully at the Master’s words. Jesus quickly put the crowd outside. Then he took the parents along with his disciples Peter, James and John (Mk. 5:37) and entered the room.
“After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up” (9:25). Mark mentions that Jesus did the following: “He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha koum!’ (which means ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up!’)” (Mk. 5:41).
In Luke 8:55, it is said that her spirit returned to her. This was the obvious proof that the girl was really dead and not just asleep. Jesus then instructed that they give their near-teenager something to eat (Mk. 5:43).
“News of this spread through all that region” (9:26). Despite Jesus’ desire for secrecy this story spread like wildfire throughout the whole area. The raising of the dead was no small thing. Long before, the prophets Elijah and Elisha had done similar things (1 Ki. 17:21-22; 2 Ki. 4:33-35). But we remember that it had been over four centuries since such a prophet had appeared in Israel. We can pity all the musicians and wailing women because their scornful unbelief had caused them to miss this wonderful miracle.
HEALING THE BLIND AND MUTE
As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” Matthew 9:27
This passage has no parallel in Mark and Luke but can be paralleled with the healing of blind men at Jericho in Matthew 20:29-34.47 Morris states that Jesus did more miracles of healing the blind than any other category.48 The blind men in these instances cried out to Jesus as the Son of David. Coffman remarks, “The symbolism of this incident is magnificent. Although the learned Pharisees and doctors of religion could not see Christ as the Messiah, or Son of David, these blind people COULD!” 49 The doctors of the law had no doubt forgotten Isaiah 35:5, “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped” (cf. Isa. 29:18; 42:7).
“When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ they replied” (9:28). We have to give these blind men an “A” for persistence. They followed Jesus and it must have been a little difficult since they had no sight. The house they entered was no doubt the house of Simon where Jesus often lodged.
“Then he touched their eyes and said, ‘According to your faith let it be done to you;’” (9:29). Jesus had many modes of healing as we see in other miracles. Here it was a simple touch in response to their faith. As we see in all the miracles, faith was the medium, the “spiritual organ of appropriation, the connecting link between our emptiness and God’s fullness.” 50 Here we think of that gospel song written by Bill Gaither in 1963:
He touched me, oh He touched me
And oh the joy that floods my soul!
Something happened and now I know
He touched me and made me whole 51
“…and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, ‘See that no one knows about this.’ But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region” (9:30-31). Jesus healed the blind men and his failure rate remained at zero. Here Jesus continued with his “Messianic Secret” approach to his miracles. He cautioned them not to tell it. In their sheer excitement these two formerly blind men went out and spread the news everywhere. That made Jesus’ ministry more difficult, but we can imagine that there was a little bit of a smile on the Lord’s lips at their great joy and boldness.
“While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus” (9:32). In many ways this man was similar to the one Jesus would heal later in 12:22. Today many Christians are still biased against demon activity but strangely, the world is quite familiar with it. The Greek word for demon-possessed here is kōphon, meaning dumb, mute and can also mean deaf.52 Some scholars believe he was both deaf and mute.53 In the Jewish understanding a demon possessed person in this condition could not be helped. He could not speak, so the name of the demon could not be known and thus not be cast out.54
“And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel’” (9:33). Obviously, Jesus did not have to know the name of a demon to cast it out. Often, when Jesus came around the demons started screaming and begging him for mercy. This was something new in Israel. The long-awaited Messiah had come.
“But the Pharisees said, ‘It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons’” (9:34). The miracles of Jesus were so astounding that they could not be denied, even by the religious leaders. The leaders were intent to charge Jesus with blasphemy, but here they themselves were guilty of the grossest blasphemy. They were taking the miraculous works of God and crediting them to the devil. This act brought them very close to committing the unpardonable sin.
WORKERS FOR THE HARVEST
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. Matthew 9:35
Some people feel that this was a third Galilee circuit for Jesus and his disciples.55 In the earlier part of his ministry Jesus focused upon the Jewish people in Galilee and apparently conducted a very thorough ministry among the Jewish towns and villages. We have no record of his visiting the largest cities of Tiberias and Sepphoris. These were Gentile cities and Tiberias was unclean for devout Jews since it was built upon a cemetery.
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (9:36). It seems that Jesus’ great compassion always preceded his great works (14:14; 15:32; 20:34). That should be a lesson and example for workers today. The Greek for having compassion here is esplagchnisthē. The Greeks felt that the seat of all emotions was in the nobler viscera, or the heart, the lungs, the liver and the intestines. The problem with Greek religion was that they did not think their gods had this quality. Rather, they thought them incapable of feeling.56 This reflects the drastic difference between Greek and Hebrew faiths. Jesus as the Son of God feels deeply about people’s need. His Father feels the same way. As we would say today, it is a “gut feeling.”
“Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field’” (9:37). Jesus knew that the harvest of humanity was getting ripe. Often in the Bible the harvest is used to picture the coming judgment (Isa. 27:12; Hos. 6:11; Joel 3:13).57 The judgment of AD 70 was fast approaching but today the final judgment is coming near. Now, more than ever, the Lord needs workers to be sent out. The Greek word for “send out” is ekballō. This word means “to drive out, to push out, to draw out with violence or without.” 58 Sometimes God has to really push his people to get them to do what they are supposed to do.
Perhaps he is even now pushing on some of us. All believers need to be in prayer about this. We need to daily ask God to send more workers into his fields. These fields are white already unto harvest (Jn. 4:35). Meyer says, “Pray for laborers, and you will become a laborer. Begin as a disciple, and you will become an apostle.” 59