The Pharisees accuse Him (not to His face, however) of using demon power to cast out demons. Peter. In the Greek "a man" is closely joined to "sitting at the receipt of custom," the words ΄αθθαῖον λεγόμενον appearing to be almost an afterthought. Jesus was sitting in the verandah, addressing the crowds that filled the courtyard and the doorway and the street beyond, when the men unroofed the verandah from above and let the sick man down. ] They represent the loss of power which all men must suffer who make themselves, their feelings, their preferences, the first consideration. Not for want of power on the part of our Lord. There is a treasury of valuable suggestion in His calling Himself the Bridegroom, thus applying to Himself the rich imagery of the Old Testament on this theme; while at the same time He adopts the very figure which John himself had used in order to mark his relation to Jesus as the Bridegroom’s friend; {cf. 2. He does not allow her, however, to go away without the assurance of His own word that her faith had healed her. A title of endearment and an assurance of hope. Her faith was not like that of the centurion—there was, perhaps, something of superstition in it; she seems to have thought that the healing power diffused itself from the Person of our Lord, apart from the action of his Divine wilt. He was God, because He knew their thoughts. These scribes represent jealous and selfish human nature. 20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his … We must put aside our own plans, and do what he bids us. The whole subject of demoniacal possession is a most difficult one; but many of the calmest and deepest thinkers, quite apart from the testimony of the Gospel, have found themselves unable to explain a multitude of dark facts in history and experience apart from the reality of demoniacal influence. In neither case are we told what the result was. His exhortation to prayer. )were feeding themselves, and not the flock. Probably the words, "while he spake these things unto them," are not in their original connexion. THE ILLUSTRATION HERE AFFORDED OF THE PRACTICALLY ASSURED VERDICT OF CHRIST, THAT HIS GRANDEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SAYING A BODY IS INCOMPLETE ESSENTIALLY WITHOUT THE SOUL SAVED ALSO. Christ takes the Pharisees at their own estimate of themselves, and, without entering into the question of whether this was right or wrong, shows them that on their own showing he would be useless to them. Have we ever comprehended the true measure of his divine and human nature? verse 11) do we and the Pharisees fast?. But come and lay thy hand upon her; in sign of personal relation and life-communication. Let us make sure that we thoroughly understand the doctrine that these words contain. For the exposition, see on [1239]Mr 2:1-12. they marvelled, and glorified God: they were struck with amazement and astonishment at the sight, it being what was strange and unusual; the like to which they had never seen before, nor heard of: and concluding it to be more than human; they ascribed it to God; they praised, and adored the divine goodness. The centurion's faith brought healing to his servant; the faith of friends to the paralytic. Jesus arose and followed the ruler. The resources of His human nature, beyond which He never went for the purpose of meeting His own personal needs, had been completely exhausted; but there is no diminution of His power to save those who call upon Him. He took the little hand; it was still and cold; it lay motionless in his. God loved us while we were yet sinners. The muscles, so long useless, obeyed the mandate of the will. Old Testament forms were good in their time; but they are not good to hold the new wine of spiritual life: and to attempt to combine them, as modern ritualists do, is to injure both, to do violence to the forms by subjecting them to a strain for which they were never intended, and to lose the greater part of the life by trying to put it in moulds which were never intended for it. Not all Christ's gracious deeds are recorded in our Gospels. To be in the kingdom is to be among the things that endure. The group in chaps, 8. and 9. is well fitted to give a comprehensive view of Christ’s power and willingness to save. They want the gentleman of to-day dressed according to the age of wigs and buckles. They had professed faith in him, yet their after-conduct (Matthew 9:31) shows that it was none too perfect. The notion is of "coercion springing out of displeasure. The superiority of spiritual to temporal blessings. Matthew 9:18-26 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. The readiness of our Lord to welcome the needy, and to reward faith. (Illustrate, failing vitality in the body.) Such was Matthew, perhaps a Levite, certainly an Israelite, but a publican. HOW THE BEHOLDING AND THE MOVED CONTEMPLATIVE BEHOLDING OF THE MOUNTAIN MASSES OF HUMAN SIN, WANT, MISERY, SHOULD HAVE FOR THEIR LEGITIMATE CHRISTIAN ACTION, NOT DESPAIR, NOT DESPONDENCY, NOT SO MUCH AS ONE FOREBODING, FEARFUL DOUBT BUT THE CALMEST CONVICTION THAT THEY STRETCH A VAST AND A HOPEFUL HARVEST-FIELD BEFORE THE AGONIZED EYE. It may have arisen from a gloss on the πυκνά of Luke. II. We have not the temptation to self-confidence which the apostles had, but there does arise in us a state of mind which requires these sobering words of our Lord. 1. SHE KNEW HERSELF TO BE A SUFFERER. It is said that "no man is a hero to his valet;" but he ought to be. I. JOURNEYING. They thronged round our Lord, eager to see what he would do. Man will be saved, but not on God's terms. Their amazement is no greater than ours. They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Behold, many publicans (Matthew 5:46, note) and sinners. Two of John's disciples followed Christ, and asked, "Where dwellest Thou?" It was well, too, for the multitude to learn the great lesson that faith in Christ hath power to heal. Also the apostles were not yet sufficiently disentangled from Jewish prejudices to move freely or without danger among Samaritans and Gentiles. The probable evidences of this will be found: I. Also point out the fine corroborating, not invalidating, witness to truth offered by the variation of St. Matthew's "even now dead," St. Mark's "on the point of death," and St. Luke's "lay a-dying." When He says by the power of the Spirit, "follow me," He can make the hardest and most sinful obey. Publicans were social outcasts, and religiously halfexcommunicate. They knew that He was above the ordinary, but they were just beginning to grasp the fact that He was God in the flesh. The stress is on "burst;" the thought is therefore not yet of the bottles, but of the fate of the wine. A ruler might have felt some difficulty in preferring a request to him just then. (c) Because he did not fast in deference to rabbinical tradition. He gives patience, peace, holy hope. I. "Their" faith, no doubt, designates that betokened by the conduct of all concerned—the paralytic himself, and those who were hands, arms, and feet to him. Walk in newness of life—in the power which Christ imparts.—Sir E. Bayley, Bart, B.D. But He first gives him assurance of far greater blessing that bodily healing. His sheep are very dear to him; his people must care for them. Matthew 9:8. of working miracles, healing diseases, and delivering miserable mortals from such maladies, as were otherwise incurable; still looking upon Christ as a mere man, by whom God did these things; not knowing yet the mystery of the incarnation, God manifest in the flesh. In every generation can be seen this Pharisaic spirit—deep-seated hatred and fear of change. He said to him, "Follow me." He said: "Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? It was a tacit claim to a right to speak on the most momentous of topics, viz. 3. The bearers. Matthew's account is much the shortest. Years afterwards Peter incurred the rebuke of St. Paul for yielding to these Jewish prejudices. III. There was a strictly Jewish Christianity in the early Church, really harder and narrower than old Judaism. HE RESTORED TEE DEAD BY THE POWER OF A SIMPLE COMMAND. Notice, then—. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: God prefers the doing of good to all outward ritual and ordinances, even the best of them: “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice:”. (b) Not that they were without scribes. It affects the Ruler because it affects the equity and so the continuance of His rule. One who is not born again can neither appropriate or appreciate the preciousness of the grace of God in Christ. How utterly impossible it is for us to obtain this blessing except in the way presented here.—Who else has the requisite knowledge? He saw her not with the outward eye—she was behind him; but he knew her heart. Because that is the guarantee that gifts will be well used. "He saw their thoughts," some ancient manuscripts read; their thoughts lay open to his all-seeing eye; he read them. Let God be praised that He does. Persevere in prayer. In a moment his wonderful life-power thrills through her, and she sits up alive again. There is no other cure. He keeps us under His watchful eye. But deeper far is this necessity if the disease of the soul is to be reached. Oh that we could answer always with the unhesitating assent of those poor blind men! I. The poor fellow was all a-tremble, lying on a bed. (A. F. C. Christ spoke to the suffering sinner; giving first that we may return to Him of His own. Have a good heart on it cheer up thy spirits." It is ingenious. The result is a twofold disaster—they are burst, which may not be a very great evil if they are worn out; and the wine is spilt, which is a serious loss. We have seen Israel's long blind condition pictured in the two blind men; now her mute state of bearing no witness for God is illustrated in the dumb man brought to Him. The tense ( ἠκολούθει) shows that our Lord had already started when the next incident took place. If the main thing had been the restoration of bodily sight, the more who heard of it the better. This was a sign of the healing power that cures spiritual evil. Are there none here who will at length listen to his call, "Follow me" ? ", "Look, you don"t try and patch up the old garment with new material", "Look, my daughter"s dead: but I know if you"ll come and lay your hand on her, she"ll live", "If there are any sick among you let them call for the elders of the church. And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. But the Church of Christ has been slow in following her Master's example in showing real brotherhood for people under a social ban. Who else has the requisite power? It was enough to perceive the great fact—that Jesus brought forgiveness. After the series of miracles of healing recorded in the previous chapter, the evangelist passes to the more directly spiritual work of Christ, and the transition is marked by an incident which combines both kinds of ministry. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. We should consider such a performance in the house of death most unseemly. Now he was in Capernaum; he was well known there, but not as he had been known at Nazareth. Jesus lays hold of the cold little hand of the dead child. A. Robinson's note, however, in the Cambridge 'Texts and Studies,' I. As to Pharisees, their fasting was generally a matter of spiritual pride, that is, of doing something they thought to be of human merit. The Evangelist must needs speak of the feast, and properly prefaces that account by telling of his call. 2. No, there is not a sentence in the whole of it that would be any answer to that cry, "Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean." Thus Jesus ascribes to himself what even the highest Old Testament prophecies of the Messianic time had reserved to God; e.g. He immediately stands upon his feet, takes up his bed, or couch, that whereon he lay, ( saith Luke), and went home in the sight of them all, so as none could doubt concerning the cure. OUR LORD DID SOT CHOOSE HIS ASSOCIATES BECAUSE HE LIKED THEM. Perhaps it was premature to announce in that neighbourhood that he was the expected Son of David; perhaps he saw something of self-importance in the men; they would talk too loudly of the privilege bestowed upon them; they would glorify themselves rather than God. ", "And when the multitude saw it, they marvelled and glorified God. It was so in that day, it is so in this day. The Lord has work for us every day; it is not always the work which we had marked out for ourselves. THE CONFESSION OF FAITH—WITH HONESTY AND TRUTHFULNESS ALL-UNCHALLENGED BY THE OMNISCIENT KNOWER OF THE HEART. ). Matthew and Mark use the present of general statement, Luke the perfect ( ἀφέωνται, Doric; Winer, Luke 14:3. a), to express a past fact of permanent significance. In the paragraph preceding we have notable examples of the heart-searching powers of Jesus. He was paralyzed, quite helpless; apparently he had lost the power of speech. I. But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men. Take up thy bed.—The Oriental frequently spreads a mat upon the ground and sleeps in the open air; in the morning he rolls up his mat and carries it away (Carr). He encourages his disciples to go and do likewise. In the ruler's house, his daughter having died, the Lord rebukes the mourners for their noise making. It lives secretly in the soul, but works terribly in the body. (2.) Our Lord himself, feeling the shepherdless condition of the people, desires to call out the interest of his disciples in it. "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. CHRIST HAS DIVINE AUTHORITY TO FORGIVE SIN. If a spirit can exercise a malign influence on a man, why not on an animal? What was to the Scribes an occasion of blasphemy, proved to them an incitement to praise and bless; they glorified God, who had given such power to men; power not only to heal diseases, but to forgive sins; for they could not but acknowledge the authority of Christ's declaration, thy sins are forgiven, when their eyes shewed them the efficacy of his command, arise and walk. Forgiven thee; Revised Version omits "thee" (genuine in Luke), with manuscripts ( ἀφίενταί σου αἱἁμαρτίαι). … The worthiness of the sinner is seen in the completeness of his devotion. It comes from the same God; but it is fresher, stronger than the old. God would not bow the heavens and come down to effect merely that object. He saw the faith of the sick of the palsy, or else the sick of the palsy would have not allowed himself to be brought. ", "he taught them as one having authority;", "And, to, they bring unto him a paralytic laying on a bed. II. Those who were impoverished, are enriched; and the conquered are conquerors, the victims, are victors, and the lost are found. and no wonder that the Pharisees, unable in any other way to evade the force of such a succession of manifest signs of the kingdom of heaven, should be driven to the contradictory and blasphemous suggestion, "He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils." The sheep are distressed. His knowledge. Here is not a word of their believing and owning Christ as the Son of God, which was the great thing the miracle was wrought to bring them to; but blindness was happened to Israel, seeing they saw and could not perceive. But there is another way of looking at it. Jesus eating with the publicans and sinners. That the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins ( ὅτι ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ὁυἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας). (a) It was the received opinion of that time in Judaea that Messiah should be a Son of David (cf. He forgave the sins first and healed his body afterwards to show: 2. The ground of the question here was why one of these should neglect what the others preached as a religious duty. 1. Come to Jesus in the hour of bitter sorrow; he will come to those who come to him. Give us today our daily bread. There is no cross for any one who can teach that the kingdom of heaven cometh with observation; and as long as he can say, "Lo, here!" 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. Show in what senses Christ brought new truth concerning God and man. THE BRIDEGROOM'S PRESENCE, AND THE STATE OF FEELING AND CONDUCT SUITABLE TO IT. The wild abandonment of despair is not Christian. And as Jesus passed forth (Revised Version, by) from thence. THE COMPLETENESS OF HIS HEALING POWER. Just as later, in the words of St. Peter, "He bare our sins in His own body on the tree," so already "Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses. His journeys all had a purpose. As sin works outward through the body, punishment strikes the body on its way to the seat of sin. Not health, but forgiveness, was to be the basis of his joy. III. THAT THERE IS A MORAL FITNESS IN RELATION TO CIRCUMSTANCES. The inference is that while they were honest enough to admit the truth of what they had seen (unlike some others who could be mentioned) they had not appreciated the fuller truths which were coming home to the disciples that Jesus was more than just another man. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. This third cure is within the circle of the disciples. III. the Pharisees, the disciples of John, and the disciples of our Lord. Therefore. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! His servants should imitate him in his humility, in his zeal for the salvation of the poorest and the most ignorant. All the accounts represent our Lord as teaching when Jairus came to him; but in the parallel passages he was on the seashore (equivalent to our Matthew 8:34; Matthew 9:1). The conduct of Jesus was new to the world, and it has been but rarely followed. At the top of the page we see written: "Saint Matthew." Perhaps a mere booth by the roadside for collecting the octroi-duty on food, etc., carried past. Oh, the tenderness of Christ to sin and misery! How can he do such things? It was he who saved her; it is he who saves sinners now. Its proper result was reached, for others were led to believe in Christ. 1. But the bridegroom was not merely introducing some corrections into the Jews' religion, as though patching an old garment with a new piece of cloth. His disciples are the reapers. ), first removed the sick man's spiritual trouble, and then healed him. All the difference between Christendom and heathendom attests Him as the Fountain of the invisible good which has passed into visibility in the secondary results of the gospel, which the blindest can see and the least spiritual can appraise.—A. Follow by keeping him always in view, thinking of him, doing his will. The Master's response. Observe that although the excited multitudes at Jerusalem shout out the title at the triumphal entry (Matthew 21:9; cf. 5. Even the Pharisees could not help being confounded at this miracle; for it was performed by one whom they had but a few moments before pronounced a blasphemer. Matthew 9:28. ., p129.]. But the Pharisees said (vide supra). But that ye may know — May have evident proof, that the Son of man hath power on earth — Even in his state of humiliation, to forgive sins; then (turning from them) he saith to the sick of the palsy, Arise, &c., and he arose — Thus Jesus gave the Pharisees a twofold demonstration of his divinity: 1st, by showing that he knew their thoughts; for to search the hearts and know the thoughts of mankind is not in the power either of men or angels, but is the prerogative of God only; 2dly, by assuming to himself, and manifesting undeniably, that he possessed power to forgive sins.