The Bible: Matthew Chapter 9 - in World English Version with Audio and Chapter Commentary.

Matthew Chapter 9

1 He entered into a boat, and crossed over, and came into his own city.

2 Behold, they brought to him a man who was paralysed, lying on a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Son, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven you."

3 Behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man blasphemes."

4 Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?

5 For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven;' or to say, 'Get up, and walk?'

6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins-" (then he said to the paralytic), "Get up, and take up your mat, and go to your house."

7 He arose and departed to his house.

8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

9 As Jesus passed by from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office. He said to him, "Follow me." He got up and followed him.

10 As he sat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.

11 When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

12 When Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.

13 But you go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

14 Then John's disciples came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don't fast?"

15 Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch would tear away from the garment, and a worse hole is made.

17 Neither do people put new wine into old wine skins, or else the skins would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the skins ruined. No, they put new wine into fresh wine skins, and both are preserved."

18 While he told these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshipped him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live."

19 Jesus got up and followed him, as did his disciples.

20 Behold, a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years came behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment;

21 for she said within herself, "If I just touch his garment, I will be made well."

22 But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, "Daughter, cheer up! Your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour.

23 When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd in noisy disorder,

24 he said to them, "Make room, because the girl isn't dead, but sleeping." They were ridiculing him.

25 But when the crowd was put out, he entered in, took her by the hand, and the girl arose.

26 The report of this went out into all that land.

27 As Jesus passed by from there, two blind men followed him, calling out and saying, "Have mercy on us, son of David!"

28 When he had come into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They told him, "Yes, Lord."

29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it done to you."

30 Their eyes were opened. Jesus strictly commanded them, saying, "See that no one knows about this."

31 But they went out and spread abroad his fame in all that land.

32 As they went out, behold, a mute man who was demon possessed was brought to him.

33 When the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. The multitudes marvelled, saying, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!"

34 But the Pharisees said, "By the prince of the demons, he casts out demons."

35 Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness amongst the people.

36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd.

37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the labourers are few.

38 Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out labourers into his harvest."

Footnotes

Verse 13: Hosea 6:6
Verse 13 (sinners to repentance): Nestle-Aland/United Bible Societies critical text Greek New Testament omits "to repentance".
Verse 20 (fringe): or, tassel
Verse 36 (harassed): Textus Receptus reads "weary" instead of "harassed"

Version: World English Bible

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Matthew Chapter 9 Guide

The King now exercised His authority in a new way. He pronounced pardon on a sinner, and straightway opposition was aroused. To the questioning and rebellious hearts He vindicated His authority to forgive sins by a different exhibition of power, the power of healing. The effect was instantaneous and remarkable. The multitudes feared and glorified God.

The record of a triumphal progress of the Shepherd King follows. A ruler, a woman ostracized because of her plague, two blind men, a dumb man possessed with a devil, crossed His path, and all their varied needs He met, and with strong, tender words spoke to all some message of peace and courage. Here also the opposition of His foes manifests itself openly, and the long conflict with the forces of false religion begins. The Pharisees, madly jealous of His power, attribute it to Satan.

This section reveals the attitude of the King to the crowds, and the position of His people as intermediary. There is, first, a general statement of His public ministerial work. Then follows a declaration of the effect produced on Him. "He was moved with compassion." This movement of His compassion is consequent on His vision of the true condition of the crowds, "distressed" and "scattered"; and, as the attitude of the Pharisees proves, they are "sheep without a shepherd."

From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.

Matthew Chapter 9 Commentary

Chapter Outline

Jesus returns to Capernaum, and heals a paralytic. -- (1-8)
Matthew called. -- (9)
Matthew, or Levi's feast. -- (10-13)
Objections of John's disciples. -- (14-17)
Christ raises the daughter of Jairus, He heals the issue of blood. -- (18-26)
He heals two blind men. -- (27-31)
Christ casts out a dumb spirit. -- (32-34)
He sends forth the apostles. -- (35-38)

Verses 1-8

The faith of the friends of the paralytic in bringing him to Christ, was a strong faith; they firmly believed that Jesus Christ both could and would heal him. A strong faith regards no obstacles in pressing after Christ. It was a humble faith; they brought him to attend on Christ. It was an active faith. Sin may be pardoned, yet the sickness not be removed; the sickness may be removed, yet the sin not pardoned: but if we have the comfort of peace with God, with the comfort of recovery from sickness, this makes the healing a mercy indeed. This is no encouragement to sin. If thou bring thy sins to Jesus Christ, as thy malady and misery to be cured of, and delivered from, it is well; but to come with them, as thy darlings and delight, thinking still to retain them and receive him, is a gross mistake, a miserable delusion. The great intention of the blessed Jesus in the redemption he wrought, is to separate our hearts from sin. Our Lord Jesus has perfect knowledge of all that we say within ourselves. There is a great deal of evil in sinful thoughts, which is very offensive to the Lord Jesus. Christ designed to show that his great errand to the world was, to save his people from their sins. He turned from disputing with the scribes, and spake healing to the sick man. Not only he had no more need to be carried upon his bed, but he had strength to carry it. God must be glorified in all the power that is given to do good.

Verse 9

Matthew was in his calling, as the rest of those whom Christ called. As Satan comes with his temptations to the idle, so Christ comes with his calls to those who are employed. We are all naturally averse from thee, O God; do thou bid us to follow thee; draw us by thy powerful word, and we shall run after thee. Speak by the word of the Spirit to our hearts, the world cannot hold us down, Satan cannot stop our way, we shall arise and follow thee. A saving change is wrought in the soul, by Christ as the author, and his word as the means. Neither Matthew's place, nor his gains by it, could detain him, when Christ called him. He left it, and though we find the disciples, who were fishers, occasionally fishing again afterwards, we never more find Matthew at his sinful gain.

Verses 10-13

Some time after his call, Matthew sought to bring his old associates to hear Christ. He knew by experience what the grace of Christ could do, and would not despair concerning them. Those who are effectually brought to Christ, cannot but desire that others also may be brought to him. Those who suppose their souls to be without disease will not welcome the spiritual Physician. This was the case with the Pharisees; they despised Christ, because they thought themselves whole; but the poor publicans and sinners felt that they wanted instruction and amendment. It is easy, and too common, to put the worst constructions upon the best words and actions. It may justly be suspected that those have not the grace of God themselves, who are not pleased with others' obtaining it. Christ's conversing with sinners is here called mercy; for to promote the conversion of souls is the greatest act of mercy. The gospel call is a call to repentance; a call to us to change our minds, and to change our ways. If the children of men had not been sinners, there had been no need for Christ to come among them. Let us examine whether we have found out our sickness, and have learned to follow the directions of our great Physician.

Verses 14-17

John was at this time in prison; his circumstances, his character, and the nature of the message he was sent to deliver, led those who were peculiarly attached to him, to keep frequent fasts. Christ referred them to John's testimony of him, Joh 3:29. Though there is no doubt that Jesus and his disciples lived in a spare and frugal manner, it would be improper for his disciples to fast while they had the comfort of his presence. When he is with them, all is well. The presence of the sun makes day, and its absence produces night. Our Lord further reminded them of common rules of prudence. It was not usual to take a piece of rough woolen cloth, which had never been prepared, to join to an old garment, for it would not join well with the soft, old garment, but would tear it further, and the rent would be made worse. Nor would men put new wine into old leathern bottles, which were going to decay, and would be liable to burst from the fermenting of the wine; but putting the new wine into strong, new, skin bottles, both would be preserved. Great caution and prudence are necessary, that young converts may not receive gloomy and forbidding ideas of the service of our Lord; but duties are to be urged as they are able to bear them.

Verses 18-26

The death of our relations should drive us to Christ, who is our life. And it is high honour to the greatest rulers to attend on the Lord Jesus; and those who would receive mercy from Christ, must honour him. The variety of methods Christ took in working his miracles, perhaps was because of the different frames and tempers of mind, which those were in who came to him, and which He who searches the heart perfectly knew. A poor woman applied herself to Christ, and received mercy from him by the way. If we do but touch, as it were, the hem of Christ's garment by living faith, our worst evils will be healed; there is no other real cure, nor need we fear his knowing things which are a grief and burden to us, but which we would not tell to any earthly friend. When Christ entered the ruler's house, he said, Give place. Sometimes, when the sorrow of the world prevails, it is difficult for Christ and his comforts to enter. The ruler's daughter was really dead, but not so to Christ. The death of the righteous is in a special manner to be looked on as only a sleep. The words and works of Christ may not at first be understood, yet they are not therefore to be despised. The people were put forth. Scorners who laugh at what they do not understand, are not proper witnesses of the wonderful works of Christ. Dead souls are not raised to spiritual life, unless Christ take them by the hand: it is done in the day of his power. If this single instance of Christ's raising one newly dead so increased his fame, what will be his glory when all that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and come forth; those that have done good to the resurrection of life, and those that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation!

Verses 27-31

At this time the Jews expected Messiah would appear; these blind men knew and proclaimed in the streets of Capernaum that he was come, and that Jesus was he. Those who, by the providence of God, have lost their bodily sight, may, by the grace of God, have the eyes of their understanding fully enlightened. And whatever our wants and burdens are, we need no more for supply and support, than to share in the mercy of our Lord Jesus. In Christ is enough for all. They followed him crying aloud. He would try their faith, and would teach us always to pray, and not to faint, though the answer does not come at once. They followed Christ, and followed him crying; but the great question is, Do ye believe? Nature may make us earnest, but it is only grace that can work faith. Christ touched their eyes. He gives sight to blind souls by the power of his grace going with his word, and he puts the cure upon their faith. Those who apply to Jesus Christ, shall be dealt with, not according to their fancies, nor according to their profession, but according to their faith. Christ sometimes concealed his miracles, because he would not indulge the conceit which prevailed among the Jews, that their Messiah should be a temporal prince, and so give occasion to the people to attempt tumults and seditions.

Verses 32-34

Of the two, better a dumb devil than a blaspheming one. Christ's cures strike at the root, and remove the effect by taking away the cause; they open the lips, by breaking Satan's power in the soul. Nothing can convince those who are under the power of pride. They will believe anything, however false or absurd, rather than the Holy Scriptures; thus they show the enmity of their hearts against a holy God.

Verses 35-38

Jesus visited not only the great and wealthy cities, but the poor, obscure villages; and there he preached, there he healed. The souls of the meanest in the world are as precious to Christ, and should be so to us, as the souls of those who make the greatest figure. There were priests, Levites, and scribes, all over the land; but they were idol shepherds, Zec 11:17; therefore Christ had compassion on the people as sheep scattered, as men perishing for lack of knowledge. To this day vast multitudes are as sheep not having a shepherd, and we should have compassion and do all we can to help them. The multitudes desirous of spiritual instruction formed a plenteous harvest, needing many active labourers; but few deserved that character. Christ is the Lord of the harvest. Let us pray that many may be raised up and sent forth, who will labour in bringing souls to Christ. It is a sign that God is about to bestow some special mercy upon a people, when he stirs them up to pray for it. And commissions given to labourers in answer to prayer, are most likely to be successful.

From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.

The Bible: Matthew Chapter 9: with Audio and Commentary.