Matthieu 9

1 Jésus, étant entré dans la barque, repassa le lac, et vint en sa ville.

2 Et on lui présenta un paralytique couché sur un lit. Et Jésus, voyant la foi de ces gens-là, dit au paralytique: Prends courage, mon fils, tes péchés te sont pardonnés.

3 Là-dessus, quelques scribes disaient en eux-mêmes: Cet homme blasphème.

4 Mais Jésus, connaissant leurs pensées, leur dit: Pourquoi avez-vous de mauvaises pensées dans vos cours?

5 Car lequel est le plus aisé de dire: Tes péchés te sont pardonnés, ou de dire: Lève-toi, et marche?

6 Or, afin que vous sachiez que le Fils de l'homme a l'autorité sur la terre de pardonner les péchés: Lève-toi, dit-il alors au paralytique, prends ton lit, et t'en va dans ta maison.

7 Et il se leva, et s'en alla dans sa maison.

8 Le peuple ayant vu cela, fut rempli d'admiration, et il glorifia Dieu d'avoir donné un tel pouvoir aux hommes.

9 Et Jésus, étant parti de là, vit un homme, nommé Matthieu, assis au bureau des impôts, et il lui dit: Suis-moi. Et lui, se levant, le suivit.

10 Et voici, Jésus étant à table dans la maison de Matthieu, beaucoup de péagers et de gens de mauvaise vie vinrent, et se mirent à table avec Jésus et ses disciples.

11 Les pharisiens, voyant cela, dirent à ses disciples: Pourquoi votre maître mange-t-il avec les péagers et les gens de mauvaise vie?

12 Et Jésus, l'ayant entendu, leur dit: Ce ne sont pas ceux qui sont en santé qui ont besoin de médecin, mais ceux qui se portent mal.

13 Mais allez, et apprenez ce que signifie: Je veux la miséricorde, et non pas le sacrifice, car ce ne sont pas des justes que je suis venu appeler à la repentance, mais des pécheurs.

14 Alors les disciples de Jean vinrent à Jésus, et lui dirent: D'où vient que nous et les pharisiens nous jeûnons souvent, et que tes disciples ne jeûnent point?

15 Et Jésus leur répondit: Les amis de l'époux peuvent-ils s'affliger pendant que l'époux est avec eux? Mais le temps viendra que l'époux leur sera ôté, et alors ils jeûneront.

16 Personne ne met une pièce de drap neuf à un vieil habit; parce que la pièce emporterait l'habit, et la déchirure en serait plus grande.

17 On ne met pas non plus le vin nouveau dans de vieux vaisseaux; autrement les vaisseaux se rompent, le vin se répand, et les vaisseaux sont perdus; mais on met le vin nouveau dans des vaisseaux neufs, et l'un et l'autre se conservent.

18 Comme il leur disait ces choses, un chef de synagogue vint, qui se prosterna devant lui, et lui dit: Ma fille vient de mourir; mais viens lui imposer les mains, et elle vivra.

19 Et Jésus, s'étant levé, le suivit avec ses disciples.

20 Et une femme qui était malade d'une perte de sang depuis douze ans, s'approcha par-derrière, et toucha le bord de son vêtement,

21 Car elle disait en elle-même: Si seulement je touche son vêtement, je serai guérie.

22 Jésus, s'étant retourné et la regardant, lui dit: Prends courage, ma fille! ta foi t'a guérie. Et cette femme fut guérie dès cette heure-là.

23 Quand Jésus fut arrivé à la maison du chef de synagogue, et qu'il eut vu les joueurs de flûte et la foule qui faisait grand bruit, il leur dit:

24 Retirez-vous; car cette jeune fille n'est pas morte, mais elle dort. Et ils se moquaient de lui.

25 Et après qu'on eut fait sortir tout le monde, il entra, et prit par la main cette jeune fille, et elle se leva.

26 Et le bruit s'en répandit par toute cette contrée.

27 Comme Jésus partait de là, deux aveugles le suivirent, criant et disant: Fils de David! aie pitié de nous.

28 Et quand il fut arrivé à la maison, ces aveugles vinrent à lui, et Jésus leur dit: Croyez-vous que je puisse faire cela? Ils lui répondirent: Oui, Seigneur!

29 Alors il leur toucha les yeux, en disant: Qu'il vous soit fait selon votre foi.

30 Et leurs yeux furent ouverts; et Jésus les menaça fortement, en disant: Prenez garde que personne ne le sache.

31 Mais, étant sortis, ils répandirent sa réputation dans toute cette contrée.

32 Et comme ils sortaient, on lui présenta un homme muet, démoniaque.

33 Et le démon ayant été chassé, le muet parla. Et le peuple, étant dans l'admiration, disait: Rien de semblable n'a jamais été vu en Israël.

34 Mais les pharisiens disaient: Il chasse les démons par le prince des démons.

35 Et Jésus allait par toutes les villes et par toutes les bourgades, enseignant dans leurs synagogues, prêchant l'évangile du royaume de Dieu, et guérissant toutes sortes de maladies et toutes sortes d'infirmités parmi le peuple.

36 Et voyant la multitude du peuple, il fut ému de compassion envers eux, de ce qu'ils étaient misérables et errants, comme des brebis qui n'ont point de berger.

37 Alors il dit à ses disciples: La moisson est grande, mais il y a peu d'ouvriers.

38 Priez donc le Maître de la moisson d'envoyer des ouvriers dans sa moisson.

Matthieu 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.