Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to: Matthew
Book: Matthew
Chapter: 9

Overview:
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)

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.

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.

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.

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 woollen 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.

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!

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.

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.

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, Zec 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.