Matthew9

Jesus demonstrates his authority by forgiving sins and healing a paralytic, then calls Matthew, a publican, to follow him. He teaches about new wine and new garments, and performs several miracles, including healing a woman with an issue of blood, raising a ruler's daughter, and restoring sight and speech. The chapter concludes with Jesus' compassion for the scattered multitudes and his call for more laborers.

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Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic

And he entered into a boat, and crossed over, and came into his own city.

And 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 are forgiven.

And behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

For which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven; or to say, Arise, and walk?

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins (then saith he to the sick of the palsy), Arise, and take up thy bed, and go unto thy house.

And he arose, and departed to his house.

But when the multitudes saw it, they were afraid, and glorified God, who had given such authority unto men.

The Call of Matthew

And as Jesus passed by from thence, he saw a man, called Matthew, sitting at the place of toll: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

And it came to pass, as he sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.

And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Teacher with the publicans and sinners?

But when he heard it, he said, They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick.

But go ye and learn what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice: for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.

On Fasting, New Cloth, and New Wine

Then come to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?

And Jesus said unto them, Can the sons of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then will they fast.

And no man putteth a piece of undressed cloth upon an old garment; for that which should fill it up taketh from the garment, and a worse rent is made.

Neither do men put new wine into old wine-skins: else the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins perish: but they put new wine into fresh wine-skins, and both are preserved.

A Ruler’s Daughter and a Sick Woman

While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.

And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.

And behold, a woman, who had an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment:

for she said within herself, If I do but touch his garment, I shall be made whole.

But Jesus turning and seeing her said, Daughter, be of good cheer; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute-players, and the crowd making a tumult,

he said, Give place: for the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.

But when the crowd was put forth, he entered in, and took her by the hand; and the damsel arose.

And the fame hereof went forth into all that land.

Jesus Heals the Blind and Mute

And as Jesus passed by from thence, two blind men followed him, crying out, and saying, Have mercy on us, thou son of David.

And 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 say unto him, Yea, Lord.

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

And their eyes were opened. And Jesus strictly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.

But they went forth, and spread abroad his fame in all that land.

And as they went forth, behold, there was brought to him a dumb man possessed with a demon.

And when the demon was cast out, the dumb man spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

But the Pharisees said, By the prince of the demons casteth he out demons.

The Harvest is Plentiful

And Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness.

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd.

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few.

Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest.

Study Notes for Matthew 9

Verse 1

"His own city" refers to Capernaum (cf. Matt 4:13), which served as Jesus' primary base of operations in Galilee after leaving Nazareth.

Verse 2

Jesus addresses the man's spiritual need first, demonstrating that his primary mission includes dealing with the root problem of sin, not just physical ailment.

Verse 3

The scribes correctly understood that only God could forgive sins; their error was failing to recognize Jesus’ divine authority as the Son of Man.

Verse 4

Jesus demonstrates divine knowledge by perceiving their internal, unvoiced criticisms, further validating his claim to authority.

Verse 6

Jesus performs the physical healing as visible proof of the invisible authority he claimed—the power to forgive sins. 'Son of man' emphasizes both his humanity and his divine, authoritative role.

Verse 8

The crowds, still operating under a Jewish monotheistic framework, marvel that God has given such power to 'men,' perhaps not fully grasping Jesus' unique identity.

Verse 9

Matthew (also called Levi in Mark and Luke) was a tax collector (publican), a profession despised by Jews due to their collaboration with Rome and reputation for extortion.

Verse 10

Sharing a meal indicated fellowship and acceptance. Jesus' willingness to eat with 'publicans and sinners' violated the strict separation practices observed by the religious elite.

Verse 11

The Pharisees criticize the disciples, attempting to challenge Jesus' authority indirectly through his students.

Verse 12

This metaphor clarifies Jesus' mission: he views himself as a divine physician, seeking out those who recognize their spiritual sickness.

Verse 13

Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6, emphasizing that God values compassion and mercy (hesed) over external religious observance ('sacrifice'). This prioritizes relationship over ritual.

Verse 15

Jesus compares himself to the 'bridegroom,' a traditional messianic image. While the Bridegroom is present, celebration is appropriate; fasting will be necessary only after his departure (his death).

Verse 16

This parable emphasizes that the vitality and freedom of the Gospel cannot be contained within the rigid, outdated structures of Pharisaic Judaism.

Verse 18

Matthew merges two separate miracles into one continuous narrative, demonstrating Jesus' limitless power over death and disease. The 'ruler' was likely a leader in the local synagogue.

Verse 20

The woman’s condition rendered her perpetually ritually unclean (Lev 15:25-27). Her faith allowed her to bypass social and ritual barriers to seek healing.

Verse 22

Jesus affirms that the healing occurred not due to the magical power of his garment, but through the woman’s active faith. The term 'Daughter' is one of tenderness and restoration.

Verse 24

Jesus’ statement that the girl 'sleepeth' is a common biblical euphemism for death, emphasizing that death is temporary and reversible for those in Christ.

Verse 25

The raising of the dead is the ultimate demonstration of messianic authority (cf. Isa 26:19).

Verse 27

The title 'Son of David' is a specific messianic designation, acknowledging Jesus as the rightful heir to the Davidic throne and the expected deliverer of Israel.

Verse 29

This miracle emphasizes the direct link between the recipient’s faith and the power of God working through Jesus.

Verse 30

Jesus often commanded silence (the 'Messianic Secret') to manage the crowds, prevent premature political revolt, and allow his ministry to develop toward the cross.

Verse 34

This verse introduces the first major accusation that Jesus’ power is demonic, a charge that will escalate significantly in Matthew 12.

Verse 35

This verse functions as a summary statement, concluding the extensive miracle section (chapters 8-9) and setting the stage for the mission of the twelve disciples in chapter 10.

Verse 36

Jesus’ compassion is the motivation for his ministry. The image of the people as 'sheep having no shepherd' evokes prophetic passages (e.g., Ezek 34:5) lamenting Israel's poor leadership.

Verse 37

The 'harvest' refers to the gathering of people into the Kingdom of God. The mission is urgent and the potential converts are numerous, but the workers are few.

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Matthew9

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic

The Call of Matthew

On Fasting, New Cloth, and New Wine

A Ruler’s Daughter and a Sick Woman

Jesus Heals the Blind and Mute

The Harvest is Plentiful

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