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 ship, and passed 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 be forgiven thee.

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 whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

But 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.

And he arose, and departed to his house.

But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

The Call of Matthew

¶ And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

And 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.

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

But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

But 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.

On Fasting, New Cloth, and New Wine

¶ Then came 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 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.

No 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.

Neither 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.

A Ruler’s Daughter and a Sick Woman

¶ While 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.

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

And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

But 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.

And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,

He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.

But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

Jesus Heals the Blind and Mute

¶ And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.

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 said unto him, Yea, Lord.

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

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

But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.

As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.

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

But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.

The Harvest is Plentiful

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

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers 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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