Matthew 9

1 Then he entred in to a shippe and passed over and came in to his awne cite.

2 And lo they brought to him a ma sicke of ye palsie lyinge in his bed. And when Iesus sawe ye faith of the he sayd to the sicke of ye palsie: sonne be of good chere thy sinnes be forgeve the.

3 And beholde certeyne of ye scribes sayd in the selves this ma blasphemeth.

4 And whe Iesus sawe their thoughtes he sayd: wherfore thinke ye evill in youre hertes?

5 Whether ys esyer to saye thy synnes be forgeven ye or to saye: arise and walke?

6 That ye maye knowe that ye sonne of ma hath power to forgeve sinnes in erth then sayd he vnto ye sicke of ye palsye: arise take vp thy beed and go home to thine housse.

7 And he arose and departed to his awne housse.

8 And when ye people sawe it they marveyled and glorified god which had geve suche power to me.

9 And as Iesus passed forth fro thence he sawe a ma syt a receyuinge of custome named Mathew and sayd to him: folowe me.

10 And he arose and folowed him. And it came to passe as he sat at meate in the housse: beholde many publicans and synners came and sate downe also with Iesus and hys disciples.

11 When the Pharises sawe that they sayd to hys disciples: why eateth youre master wt publicans and synners?

12 When Iesus herde that he sayde vnto them: The whole neade not the phisicion but they that are sicke.

13 Goo and learne what that meaneth: I have pleasure in mercy and not in offerynge. For I am not come to call the rightewes but the synners to repentaunce.

14 Then came ye disciples of Ihon to hym sayinge: why do we and the Pharises fast ofte: but thy disciples fast not?

15 And Iesus sayde vnto them: Can ye weddynge chyldren morne as longe as ye bridegrome is wt them? The tyme will come whe the bridegrome shalbe take fro them and then shall they faste.

16 Noo man peceth and olde garment with a pece of newe cloothe. For then taketh he awaye ye pece agayne from the garmet and the rent ys made greater.

17 Nether do men put newe wyne into olde vessels for then the vessels breake and the wyne runneth oute and the vessels perysshe. But they powre newe wyne into newe vessels and so are both saved togeder.

18 Whyls he thus spake vnto the beholde ther came a certayne ruler and worshipped him sayinge: my doghter is euen now deceased but come and lay thy honde on her and she shall live.

19 And Iesus arose and folowed hym with hys disciples.

20 And beholde a woman which was diseased wt an yssue of bloude .xii. yeres came behynde hym and toched ye hem of hys vesture.

21 For she sayd in her silfe: yf I maye toche but even his vesture only I shalbe safe.

22 Then Iesus tourned him about and behelde her sayinge: Doughter be of good conforte thy faith hath made the safe. And she was made whole even that same houre.

23 And when Iesus came into ye rulers housse and sawe the minstrels and the people raginge

24 he sayde vnto them: Get you hence for ye mayde is not deed but slepeth. And they laughed hym to scorne.

25 Assone as ye people were put forthe he went in and toke her by ye hond and the mayde arose.

26 And this was noysed through out all that lande.

27 And as Iesus departed thence two blynde men folowed hym crying and saying: O thou sonne of David have mercy on vs.

28 And when he was come to housse the blynd came to hym And Iesus sayde vnto them: Beleve ye that I am able to do thys? And they sayde vnto hym: ye Lorde.

29 Then touched he their eyes saying: acordynge to youre faythe be it vnto you.

30 And their eyes were opened. And Iesus charged the saying: Se yt no man knowe of it.

31 But they assone as they were departed spreed abroade his name through oute all the londe.

32 As they went out beholde they brought to hym a dome ma possessed af a devyll.

33 And as sone as the devyll was cast oute the domme spake: And the people merveled sayinge: it was never so sene in Israel.

34 But the Pharises sayde: he casteth oute devyls by the power of the chefe devyll.

35 And Iesus went about all cities and tounes teachynge in their synagoges and preachyng the glad tidinges of ye kyngdome and healinge all maner sicknes and desease amoge ye people.

36 But when he sawe the people he had copassion on the because they were pyned awaye and scattered abroade eve as shepe havige no shepherd.

37 Then sayde he to hys disciples: the hervest is greate but the laborers are feawe.

38 Wherfore praye the Lorde of the harvest to sende forthe laborers into hys harvest.

Matthew 9 Commentary

Chapter 9

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, ( Zechariah 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.