Bible Commentaries
Matthew 9

Verse 1

His own city ; Capernaum. Chap Matthew 4:13 ; Mark 2:1 .

Verse 2

Son ; a title of condescension and kindness.

Thy sins be forgiven thee ; here, as everywhere in the holy Scriptures, disease is regarded as a fruit of sin. The forgiveness of the man’s sins by the Saviour is a pledge that in due time his disease shall also be healed. Some think that this had been produced by special sinful indulgence. When men feel their need of Christ, and have living faith in him, they will let nothing hinder their application to him for help.

Verse 3

Blasphemeth ; by usurping the prerogative of God to forgive sins.

Verse 4

Knowing their thoughts ; by his divine omniscience, though they had not expressed them.

Think ye evil ; of me, as if I were a blasphemer in forgiving sins.

Verse 5

Easier ; that is, one is as really the work of God as the other.

Verse 6

But that ye may know ; by healing the sick of the palsy he manifests himself to be God, and therefore able to forgive sins.

Verse 8

Unto men ; it was not a man that had done this divine work, but God manifest in the flesh. 1 Timothy 3:16 .

Verse 9

Matthew ; the writer of this gospel.

Receipt of custom ; the place where taxes were paid. Some abandoned men are called by the grace of Christ; and when he speaks to their hearts, they will immediately follow him.

Verse 10

The house ; Matthew’s house.

Publicans and sinners ; tax-gatherers and vicious persons.

Verse 12

Sick ; sinners need the Saviour, as those that are sick need a physician. It was therefore proper that he should be with such, for the purpose of doing them good. And if any were really righteous, as the Pharisees imagined that they were, they did not need his presence as a Saviour. It is sometimes right to associate even with the openly vicious, for the purpose of doing them good.

Verse 13

Meaneth ; Hosea 6:6 .

Mercy ; I am pleased with a merciful disposition, manifesting itself in doing good to the needs, more than with the most careful attention merely to external ceremonies. In these latter lay all the religion of the scribes and Pharisees. They scrupulously avoided the outward defilement of contact with publicans and sinners, while they had no compassion for their souls or bodies. No external observances will compensate for the want of a kind, compassionate disposition; and acts of mercy to the needy and to the guilty, from love to God and men, are peculiarly acceptable to him.

Verse 15

The children of the bride - chamber ; the companions of the bridegroom during the marriage-feast. Judges 14:10-11 .

Then shall they fast ; fasting is an expression of sorrow, not suitable for the marriage-feast while the bridegroom is still present. So Christ is the bridegroom of the church. While he was personally present with his disciples, it was not suitable that they should fast. After his removal from them, they would have trials that would make fasting proper.

Verse 16

New cloth ; or, as the margin, raw or unwrought cloth, not yet dressed or fulled, and liable to shrink upon being wet.

Taketh from the garment ; namely, when by shrinking it tears itself from it. Very much of a person’s usefulness depends upon the correctness of his judgment as to the time and manner of doing things, and upon his doing things which are not only right in themselves, but adapted to the circumstances in which he is placed, and to the character and condition of those whom he labors to benefit.

Verse 17

Into old bottles ; bottles were then made, not of glass, but of the skins of animals. Of course, those that were old would be rotten; and new wine, if put into them, would, in the process of fermentation, burst them. By this and the preceding similitude our Lord teaches that the austerities of the old dispensation, under which John lived, cannot be profitably mixed in with the free spirit of the new. Compare chap. Matthew 11:18-19 .

Verse 18

Ruler ; an elder to whom was committed the care of the synagogue.

Even now dead ; when he came to Jesus she was at the point of death. Before Jesus arrived at his house she was dead. Mark 5:23 ; Mark 5:35 . Our highest comforts may be the occasion of our deepest sorrows; but application to Jesus, with unwavering confidence in him, will bring sure and all-sufficient relief.

Verse 20

Issue of blood ; an unclean disease, according to the Mosaic law. Leviticus 15:25 .

Hem ; border or fringe.

Verse 22

Daughter ; a term of tender kindness.

Thy faith ; the power of Christ was the cause, and her faith in him, leading her to take the proper measures, was the means of her being healed.

Verse 23

Minstrels ; the persons hired to play on instruments of music at funerals.

Making a noise ; the noise of wailing, as was the custom.

Verse 24

Give place ; retire: your services are not wanted.

Not dead ; that is, not permanently. Her death is but as a sleep from which she will be speedily awakened.

Verse 25

Went in ; Mark tells us that he took with him five persons.

Mark 5:37-40 . These were all competent witnesses, as were the multitude without when they saw her, of the reality of the miracle.

Verse 27

Son of David ; a phrase among the Jews for the Messiah, as descended from David.

Verse 28

Before he gives men the blessings which they need, he often tries the reality and strength of their faith, and leads them to manifest that they believe he is able to give what they seek; and thus, by the time and manner of bestowing his favors, he greatly increases their value.

Verse 33

The dumb spake ; thus was the prophecy, Isaiah 35:5-6 , fulfilled in Jesus; showing that he was the Christ.

In Israel ; in the land of Israel, or in the history of their nation.

Verse 34

Prince of the devils ; they ascribed his beneficent miracles to the help of Satan, for the purpose of preventing the people from receiving him as the Messiah. No kindness can be so great and no mode of expressing it so wise and good, but that wicked men will sometimes find fault with it, and attribute it to the basest means and the vilest motives.

Verse 36

Sheep having no shepherd ; not provided with proper guardians and teachers.

Verse 37

Plenteous ; there are vast multitudes who need the gospel.

Verse 38

Lord of the harvest ; the great, divine teacher.

Send forth ; prepare and incline many to go and preach the gospel.