Scripture Study: Matthew 9
Narrator:
Chris Genthree
Duration:
3min
• 2 min. read • grade level: 6
AT 9{Matt. 9:2-82And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 3And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7And he arose, and departed to his house. 8But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men. (Matthew 9:2‑8). This is man in his helplessness (paralytic), brought by the faith of other men. The Lord recognizes this and says to him, "Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee". This is grace to the undeserving, but in the religious mind it was blasphemy. How blind they were to Who was there, even when the multitude saw the man carrying his bed! They were in fear and glorified God, who had given such power to men. Why did they not see that it was Emmanuel, Jehovah, the Savior of His people, the Son of man? Grace that forgives sins, is declared here.
Matt. 9:10-1310And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 11And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? 12But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (Matthew 9:10‑13). This grace is seen in eating with sinners, calling them to repentance and meeting their need, but the rich pharisee goes away empty.
Matt. 9:14-1714Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? 15And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. 16No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. 17Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. (Matthew 9:14‑17). This new wine of grace could not be put into the old forms of Judaism. Man in the flesh could not receive it. (Rom. 8:99But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Romans 8:9).) There must be a new birth, a new righteousness, a new joy. Christ is the bridegroom, and they could not fast while He was there, but His rejection is in view, and they will fast when He would be taken from them. (John 16:20-2220Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. 21A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. 22And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. (John 16:20‑22).)
Matt. 9:18-2618While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. 19And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. 20And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: 21For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 22But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. 23And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, 24He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. 25But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. 26And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land. (Matthew 9:18‑26). The history of Israel is pictured. The ruler's daughter is dying, and in fact dead. The Lord, at the ruler's request, goes to heal her, but on the way individual faith gets the blessing. The woman is healed and made glad. Then, when the Lord comes as Son of man, Israel will be raised again, that is, restored as a nation.
Matt. 9:27-3127And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. 28And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. 29Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. 30And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. 31But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. (Matthew 9:27‑31). Two blind men own Him as Son of David and they follow Him into the house. He questions them, and they confess their faith in His ability to open their eyes, and their eyes are opened. This is another picture of the Jewish remnant of faith. Then as they go forth, the dumb man has his mouth opened. The multitudes marvel and confess that this was new in Israel, but the Pharisees show their hatred, putting it down to Satan's work. Such is religious man.