Chapter 9:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Lightfoot
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Malachi Mark
Matthew 9
Concise Complete
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.
Chapter 9:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Lightfoot
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Malachi Mark
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
