Jerome — Commentary on Scripture

Matthew 9:10-12

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.

(V. 10 seq.) And it came to pass, as he sat at table in his house, behold many publicans and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, 'Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?' But when Jesus heard it, he said, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice." For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.''

Matthew 9:12-13

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

The Lord went to the banquet of sinners that he might have an opportunity to teach and to offer spiritual food to his hosts. In effect, when he is mentioned as frequently going out to attend feasts, nothing is said other than what he did there and taught there. Thus, we see both the Lord’s humility in reaching out to sinners and the force of his teaching in converting penitents. What follows: “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice” and “I came not to call the righteous but sinners” (as he cites testimony from the prophet) challenged the scribes and Pharisees, who considered themselves righteous and shunned both publicans and sinners.

Matthew 9:13

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.

(Verse 13) I desire mercy, and not sacrifice. For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners. And the Lord was going to the feasts of sinners, so that He may have an opportunity to teach and provide spiritual food to His invited guests. Ultimately, as He was frequently described as going to feasts, it is only important what He did there, what He taught, in order to demonstrate both the humility of the Lord in going to sinners and the power of His teaching in the conversion of repentant sinners. But as for what follows: 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice' (Hosea 6:6). And: 'I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners,' testifying of the prophet, he rebukes the scribes and Pharisees who consider themselves righteous, but reject the company of sinners and tax collectors.

Matthew 9:14-17 · 2 passages

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

O boastful enquiry and ostentation of fasting much to be blamed, nor can John's disciples be excused for their taking part with the Pharisees who they knew had been condemned by John, and for bringing a false accusation against Him whom they knew their master had preached. Christ is the Bridegroom and the Church the Bride. Of this spiritual union the Apostles were born; they cannot mourn so long as they see the Bridegroom in the chamber with the Bride. But when the nuptials are past, and the time of passion and resurrection is come, then shall the children of the Bridegroom fast. The days shall come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. Hence some think that a fast ought to follow the forty days of Passion, although the day of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit immediately bring back our joy and festival. From this text accordingly, Montanus, Prisca, and Maximilla enjoin a forty days' abstinence after Pentecost, but it is the use of the Church to come to the Lord's passion and resurrection through humiliation of the flesh, that by carnal a…

O boastful enquiry and ostentation of fasting much to be blamed, nor can John's disciples be excused for their taking part with the Pharisees who they knew had been condemned by John, and for bringing a false accusation against Him whom they knew their master had preached.

Christ is the Bridegroom and the Church the Bride. Of this spiritual union the Apostles were born; they cannot mourn so long as they see the Bridegroom in the chamber with the Bride. But when the nuptials are past, and the time of passion and resurrection is come, then shall the children of the Bridegroom fast. The days shall come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

Hence some think that a fast ought to follow the forty days of Passion, although the day of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit immediately bring back our joy and festival. From this text accordingly, Montanus, Prisca, and Maximilla enjoin a forty days' abstinence after Pentecost, but it is the use of the Church to come to the Lord's passion and resurrection through humiliation of the flesh, that by carnal abstinence we may better be prepared for spiritual fulness.

Otherwise; By the old garment, and old skins, we must understand the Scribes and Pharisees; and by the piece of new cloth, and new wine, the Gospel precepts, which the Jews were not able to bear; so the rent was made worse. Something such the Galatians sought to do, to mix the precepts of the Law with the Gospel, and to put new wine into old skins. The word of the Gospel is therefore to be poured into the Apostles, rather than into the Scribes and Pharisees, who, corrupted by the traditions of the elders, were unable to preserve the purity of Christ's precepts.

Or; When He has departed from us for our sins, then is a fast to be proclaimed, then is mourning to be put on.

(Verse 14) Then the disciples of John came to him, saying: Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast? Proud question, and full of the arrogance of the Pharisees. Certainly, to say nothing else, the boasting of fasting should be reprehended. And the disciples of John could not be blameless, who were slandering him, whom they knew had been proclaimed by their master's words, and were joining themselves to the Pharisees, whom they knew had been condemned by John, saying: O generation of vipers, who has shown you to flee from the coming wrath?

Matthew 9:15

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.

(Verse 15.) And Jesus said to them: Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. Christ is the bridegroom: the Church is the bride. From this holy and spiritual union, the Apostles are born, who cannot mourn as long as they see the bride in the bridal chamber and know that the bridegroom is with the bride. But when the wedding is over and the time of his passion and resurrection has come, then the sons of the bridegroom will fast. Some believe that after forty days of the Passion, fasting should be observed: although the immediate arrival of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit indicate the celebration to us. And on this occasion, Montanus, Prisca, and Maximilla also observe Lent after Pentecost: because, with the bridegroom taken away, the children of the bridegroom should fast. However, the custom of the Church comes from the passion of the Lord and the resurrection through the humility of the flesh, so that we may be prepared for the spiritual nourishment of the body thro…

(Verse 15.) And Jesus said to them: Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. Christ is the bridegroom: the Church is the bride. From this holy and spiritual union, the Apostles are born, who cannot mourn as long as they see the bride in the bridal chamber and know that the bridegroom is with the bride. But when the wedding is over and the time of his passion and resurrection has come, then the sons of the bridegroom will fast. Some believe that after forty days of the Passion, fasting should be observed: although the immediate arrival of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit indicate the celebration to us. And on this occasion, Montanus, Prisca, and Maximilla also observe Lent after Pentecost: because, with the bridegroom taken away, the children of the bridegroom should fast. However, the custom of the Church comes from the passion of the Lord and the resurrection through the humility of the flesh, so that we may be prepared for the spiritual nourishment of the body through the fasting of the flesh. According to the tropology, it must be known that as long as the bridegroom is with us and we are in joy, we cannot fast or mourn. But when he departs from us because of our sins, then fasting must be announced, then mourning must be undertaken.

Matthew 9:16-17

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.

(V. 16, 17) However, no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. For the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved. These words were spoken by him to them. What he means is this: Until someone is born again and the old self is removed through my suffering, and he puts on a new self, he cannot bear the stricter commands of fasting and continence, lest through excessive severity he lose even the faith that he seems to possess now. But he set forth two examples, both of the old and the new, and of clothing. By the old wineskins we must understand the scribes and Pharisees. The new patch of clothing and the new wine represent the teachings of the Gospel, which the Jews cannot bear, lest a greater tear be made. The Galatians also desired to do something similar, mixing the precepts of the Gospel with the precepts of the Law, and putting the new wine into old winesk…

(V. 16, 17) However, no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. For the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved. These words were spoken by him to them. What he means is this: Until someone is born again and the old self is removed through my suffering, and he puts on a new self, he cannot bear the stricter commands of fasting and continence, lest through excessive severity he lose even the faith that he seems to possess now. But he set forth two examples, both of the old and the new, and of clothing. By the old wineskins we must understand the scribes and Pharisees. The new patch of clothing and the new wine represent the teachings of the Gospel, which the Jews cannot bear, lest a greater tear be made. The Galatians also desired to do something similar, mixing the precepts of the Gospel with the precepts of the Law, and putting the new wine into old wineskins; but the Apostle speaks to them, saying: O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you into not obeying the truth? (Gal. III, 1) Therefore, the word of the Gospel should be infused into the apostles rather than the Scribes and Pharisees, who were corrupted by the traditions of the elders and could not keep the sincerity of Christ's teachings. For there is a difference between the purity of a virginal soul, untouched by the contamination of previous vices, and the filth of one that has succumbed to the desires of many.

Matthew 9:17

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.

What he is saying is this: Until a person has been reborn and, having put aside the old person, puts on the new person because of my passion, he cannot observe right fasting and the precepts of temperance. Otherwise, through undue austerity one may lose even the faith one seems to possess. Christ gave two examples: the garment and the old and new wineskins. The old ones denote the scribes and Pharisees. The patch of shrunk cloth and the new wine signify the gospel precepts, which the Jews cannot observe, else a worse tear is made.

Matthew 9:18-19 · 2 passages

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.

(Verse 18, 19.) Behold, a certain ruler came forward and worshipped him, saying: My daughter has just died; but come, lay your hand upon her, and she will live. And Jesus arose and followed him, and so did his disciples. The eighth sign is in which the ruler asks for his daughter to be raised, not wanting to be excluded from the mystery of true circumcision; but a woman who had been flowing with blood enters, and is healed in the eighth place, so that the ruler's daughter comes as the ninth, according to what is said in the Psalms: Ethiopia will stretch out her hands to God (Psalm 67:32). And so, all Israel will be saved; as it is written: 'The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.' (Romans 11:25-26).

This woman that had the flux came to the Lord not in the house, nor in the town, for she was excluded from them by the Law, but by the way as He walked; thus as He goes to heal one woman, another is cured.

He said not, Thy faith shall make thee whole, but, hath made thee whole; for in that thou hast believed, thou art already made whole.

Matthew 9:20 · 2 passages

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

The Gospel according to Luke says that the ruler’s daughter was twelve years old. Note also that the woman concerned, who was from the Gentiles, began to get sick at a place believed to be in a Jewish district. Except by way of contrast between physical conditions, the girl’s ailment is not indicated. As for the woman who had a hemorrhage, she approached the Lord not in her home or in the town (because according to the law she was excluded from towns) but while the Lord was walking by, so that in the course of going to one woman, another was cured. The apostles say in this regard, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. Since you judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.”

(Ver. 20) And behold, a woman who had been suffering from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak. In the Gospel according to Luke, it is written that the daughter of a ruler had reached the age of twelve (Luke 8). Note, therefore, that during that time this woman, that is, the people of the Gentiles, began to be sick, while the people of the Jews believed. For unless a comparison of virtues is made, vice is not revealed. But this woman, flowing with blood, does not approach the Lord in the house, nor in the city, for according to the Law she was excluded from the cities (Leviticus 15, Numbers 5); but on the way, as the Lord walks, so that while He goes to another, another may be healed. Hence the apostles say: 'It was necessary that the word of God should be preached to you, but since you judged yourselves unworthy of salvation, we turn to the Gentiles' (Acts 13:46).

Matthew 9:21

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

(Verse 21) For she said within herself, If I shall touch but his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, According to the Law, he who touches a woman who is menstruating or has a discharge of blood is unclean (Lev. 20:25). She touches the Lord for this reason, that she may be healed of the defect of blood.

Matthew 9:22

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.

(Verse 22) Have faith, daughter, your faith has saved you: and the woman was saved from that hour. Therefore, daughter, because your faith has saved you. He did not say, your faith will save you, but has saved you. For in what you have believed, you have already been saved.

Matthew 9:23 · 2 passages

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

(Verse 23) And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, He said, 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.

They that had mocked the Reviver were not worthy to behold the mystery of the revival; and therefore it follows, And when the multitude was put forth, he entered, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

To this day the damsel lays dead in the ruler's house; and they that seem to be teachers are but minstrels singing funeral dirges. The Jews also are not the crowd of believers, but of people making a noise. But when the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in, then all Israel shall be saved.

He took her by the hand, and the maid arose; because if the hands of the Jews which are defiled with blood be not first cleansed, their synagogue which is dead shall not revive.

Matthew 9:24

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

(Vers. 24.) Step back, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping. And they laughed at him. For in God, all things live.

Matthew 9:25

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

(Verse 25.) And when the crowd had been thrown out, he entered. For they were not worthy to see the mystery of the one rising again, who they derided with unworthy insults.

Matthew 9:26

And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

(Verse 26) And he took her by the hand. And the girl arose: And this report went forth into all that land. Unless the hands of the Jews, which are full of blood, are first cleansed, their synagogue will not rise again.

Matthew 9:27

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

(Verse 27) And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying out and saying, 'Have mercy on us, Son of David.' As Jesus passed through the house of the ruler and was going to his own house, as we read above: Getting into a boat, he crossed over and came to his own city. The two blind men cried out, saying, 'Have mercy on us, Son of David.' And yet they were not healed on the way, as they thought; but after he came to his own house, they approached him and entered: and their faith is first tested, so that they may receive the light of true faith. Earlier we presented a sign regarding the prince's daughter and the hemorrhaging (or sick) woman, now this is added: that as there was death and weakness there, here blindness is shown. Both peoples were blind when the Lord passed through this world, and desired to return to their homes. But unless they confess and say, 'Have mercy on us, Son of David,' and when Jesus asks, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?' He responds: Indeed, Lord, he does not receive his former sight. In another Gospel, one blind man is writte…

(Verse 27) And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying out and saying, 'Have mercy on us, Son of David.' As Jesus passed through the house of the ruler and was going to his own house, as we read above: Getting into a boat, he crossed over and came to his own city. The two blind men cried out, saying, 'Have mercy on us, Son of David.' And yet they were not healed on the way, as they thought; but after he came to his own house, they approached him and entered: and their faith is first tested, so that they may receive the light of true faith. Earlier we presented a sign regarding the prince's daughter and the hemorrhaging (or sick) woman, now this is added: that as there was death and weakness there, here blindness is shown. Both peoples were blind when the Lord passed through this world, and desired to return to their homes. But unless they confess and say, 'Have mercy on us, Son of David,' and when Jesus asks, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?' He responds: Indeed, Lord, he does not receive his former sight. In another Gospel, one blind man is written about, with torn clothes, sitting in Jericho, who is forbidden by the apostles to cry out; but through impudence, he receives healing (Mark 10). This passage properly pertains to the people of the Gentiles and should be explained in its own volume.