Mǎtaìfúyīn 9

1 Yēsū shàng le chuán , dù guò hǎi , lái dào zìjǐ de chéng lǐ .

2 Yǒu rén yòng rùzi tái zhe yī ge tānzi , dào Yēsū gēnqián lái . Yēsū jiàn tāmende xìnxīn , jiù duì tānzi shuō , xiǎozi , fàngxīn ba . nǐde zuì shè le .

3 Yǒu jǐ ge Wénshì xīnli shuō , zhège rén shuō jiànwàng de huà le .

4 Yēsū zhīdào tāmende xīnyì , jiù shuō , nǐ wèishénme xīnli huái zhe è niàn ne .

5 Huò shuō , nǐde zuì shè le . huò shuō , nǐ qǐlai xíng zǒu . nà yíyàng róngyi ne .

6 Dàn yào jiào nǐmen zhīdào Rénzǐ zaì de shang yǒu shè zuì de quánbǐng , jiù duì tānzi shuō , qǐlai , ná nǐde rùzi huí jiā qù ba .

7 Nà rén jiù qǐlai , huí jiā qù le .

8 Zhòngrén kànjian dōu jīngqí , jiù guī róngyào yǔ shén . yīnwei tā jiāng zhèyàng de quánbǐng cìgĕi rén .

9 Yēsū cóng nàli wàng qián zǒu , kànjian yī gèrén míng jiào Mǎtaì , zuò zaì shuì guān shang , jiù duì tā shuō , nǐ gēn cóng wǒ lái . tā jiù qǐlai gēn cóng le Yēsū .

10 Yēsū zaì wū lǐ zuòxí de shíhou , yǒu hǎoxiē shuìlì hé zuì rén lái , yǔ Yēsū hé tāde méntǔ yītóng zuòxí .

11 Fǎlìsaìrén kànjian , jiù duì Yēsū de méntǔ shuō , nǐmen de xiānsheng wèishénme hé shuìlì bìng zuì rén yītóng chī fàn ne .

12 Yēsū tīngjian , jiù shuō , kāng jiàn de rén yòng bú zhe yīshēng , yǒu bìng de rén cái yòng dé zhe .

13 Jīng shang shuō , wǒ xǐaì liánxù , bù xǐaì jìsì . zhè jù huà de yìsi , nǐmen qiĕ qù chuǎimó . wǒ lái , bĕn bú shì zhào yì rén , nǎi shì zhào zuì rén .

14 Nàshí , Yuēhàn de méntǔ lái jiàn Yēsū shuō , wǒmen hé Fǎlìsaìrén chángcháng jìnshí , nǐde méntǔ dào bú jìnshí , zhè shì wèishénme ne .

15 Yēsū duì tāmen shuō , xīnláng hé péibàn zhī rén tóng zaì de shíhou , péibàn zhī rén qǐnéng āi tòng ne . dàn rìzi jiāng dào , xīnláng yào líkāi tāmen , nàshíhòu tāmen jiù yào jìnshí .

16 Méiyǒu rén bǎ xīn bù bǔ zaì jiù yīfu shang . yīnwei suǒ bǔ shang de , fǎn daì huaì le nà yīfu , pò de jiù gèng dà le .

17 Yĕ méi rén bǎ xīn jiǔ zhuāng zaì jiù pídaì lǐ . ruò shì zhèyàng , pídaì jiù liè kāi , jiǔ lòu chūlai , lián pídaì yĕ huaì le . wéidú bǎ xīn jiǔ zhuāng zaì xīn pídaì lǐ , liǎngyàng jiù dōu bǎoquán le .

18 Yēsū shuō zhè huà de shíhou , yǒu yī ge guǎn gōngtáng de lái baì tā shuō , wǒ nǚér gāngcái sǐ le , qiú nǐ qù àn shǒu zaì tā shēnshang , tā jiù bì huó le .

19 Yēsū biàn qǐlai , gēn zhe tā qù , méntǔ yĕ gēn le qù .

20 Yǒu yī ge nǚrén , huàn le shí èr nián de xuè lòu lái dào Yēsū beì hòu , mō tāde yīshang zǐ .

21 Yīnwei tā xīnli shuō , wǒ zhǐ mō tāde yīshang , jiù bì quányù .

22 Yēsū zhuǎn guo lái kànjian tā , jiù shuō , nǚér , fàngxīn , nǐde xìn jiù le nǐ . cóng nàshíhòu , nǚrén jiù quányù le .

23 Yēsū dào le guǎn gōngtáng de jiā lǐ , kànjian yǒu chuī shǒu , yòu yǒu xǔduō rén luàn nāng .

24 Jiù shuō , tuì qù ba . zhè guīnǚ bú shì sǐ le , shì shuì zhaó le . tāmen jiù chīxiào tā .

25 Zhòngrén jì beì niǎn chū , Yēsū jiù jìn qù , lā zhe guīnǚ de shǒu , guīnǚ biàn qǐlai le .

26 Yúshì zhè fēngshēng chuán biàn le nà dìfang .

27 Yēsū cóng nàli wàng qián zǒu , yǒu liǎng ge xiāzi gēn zhe tā , hǎnjiào shuō , Dàwèi de zǐsūn , kĕliàn wǒmen ba .

28 Yēsū jìn le fángzi , xiāzi jiù lái dào tā gēnqián , Yēsū shuō , nǐmen xìn wǒ néng zuò zhè shì ma . tāmen shuō , Zhǔ a , wǒmen xìn .

29 Yēsū jiù mō tāmende yǎnjing , shuō , zhào zhe nǐmen de xìn gĕi nǐmen chéngquán le ba .

30 Tāmende yǎnjing jiù kāi le . Yēsū qiè qiè de zhǔfu tāmen shuō , nǐmen yào xiǎoxīn , bùkĕ jiào rén zhīdào .

31 Tāmen chū qù , jìng bǎ tāde míngsheng chuán biàn le nà dìfang .

32 Tāmen chū qù de shíhou , yǒu rén jiāng guǐ suǒ fù de yī ge yǎba , daì dào Yēsū gēnqián lái .

33 Guǐ beì gǎn chū qù , yǎba jiù shuō chū huà lái . zhòngrén dōu xīqí shuō , zaì Yǐsèliè zhōng , cónglái méiyǒu jiàn guō zhèyàng de shì .

34 Fǎlìsaìrén què shuō , tā shì kào zhe guǐ wáng gǎn guǐ .

35 Yēsū zǒu biàn gè chéng gè xiāng , zaì gōngtáng lǐ jiàoxun rén , xuānjiǎng tiānguó de fúyin , yòu yīzhì gèyàng de bìngzhèng .

36 Tā kànjian xǔduō de rén , jiù liánmǐn tāmen . yīnwei tāmen kùnkǔ liú lí , rútóng yáng méiyǒu mùrén yìbān .

37 Yúshì duì méntǔ shuō , yào shōu de zhuāngjia duō , zuò gōng de rén shǎo .

38 Suǒyǐ nǐmen dāng qiú zhuāngjia de zhǔ , dǎfa gōngrén chū qù , shōu tāde zhuāngjia .

Mǎtaìfúyīn 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.