Matthew 9 · KJV
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Matthew 9

Matthew 9:1–8

A paralysed man is forgiven and healed

And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. 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. And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house. But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

Back in Capernaum, 'his own city', people bring Jesus a paralysed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus tells the man his sins are forgiven. Some scribes think this is blasphemy. Jesus asks which is easier to say, then heals the man to show that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.

What does this mean?

'Blasphemy' means insulting God, or claiming what belongs to God alone. In Jewish thought forgiveness of sins was God's prerogative, sought through repentance and, at the temple, sacrifice.

Historical context

Many people in the ancient world assumed a link between illness and sin, though the Jewish scriptures also question that assumption, most famously in the book of Job.

Why does it matter?

This is the first open conflict between Jesus and religious authorities in Matthew. The authority the crowds noticed in his teaching (7:29) now extends to forgiving sins.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Told in three Gospels

How Matthew tells it

Matthew's account is much briefer than Mark's or Luke's, with no crowd blocking the door and no opening of the roof to lower the man. Only Matthew ends by saying the crowds praised God for giving such authority 'to men'; some interpreters connect this with the authority later given to the disciples (16:19; 18:18).

Matthew 9:9–13

The call of Matthew

And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

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. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Jesus calls a tax collector named Matthew, who leaves his booth to follow him. At a meal, many tax collectors and 'sinners' eat with Jesus; when Pharisees object, Jesus replies that it is the sick who need a doctor, and that he came to call sinners.

  • Scripture connection · Quotation

    Matthew 9:13 quotes Hosea 6:6

    For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
    Hosea 6:6 · KJV

    Hosea criticised worship without faithfulness. Jesus quotes it again in Matthew 12:7.

What does this mean?

'Publicans' (KJV) are tax collectors. 'Sinners' meant people seen as openly disregarding the Law, not simply everyone. The 'receipt of custom' (KJV) was a toll or tax booth.

Historical context

In Galilee, tolls and taxes were collected for Herod Antipas by local contractors, who were widely despised as collaborators and extortioners. Sharing a meal signalled acceptance and friendship, which is why eating with such people caused offence.

Why does it matter?

Christian tradition from the second century attributes this Gospel to this Matthew, one of the Twelve. Most modern scholars think the author is unknown and drew on Mark's Gospel, though some defend the traditional view.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Told in three Gospels

How Matthew tells it

Mark and Luke call the tax collector Levi; Matthew calls him Matthew, the name found in all the lists of the Twelve, and only Matthew's list adds 'the tax collector' (10:3). Only Matthew has Jesus tell the Pharisees to 'go and learn' the meaning of Hosea's words about mercy. Luke says Levi held a great feast.

Matthew 9:14–17

A question about fasting

Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

Disciples of John the Baptist ask why Jesus' disciples do not fast as they and the Pharisees do. Jesus replies that wedding guests do not mourn while the bridegroom is with them, though a time will come when he is taken away. He adds images of new cloth on an old garment and new wine in old wineskins.

What does this mean?

'Children of the bridechamber' (KJV) means the bridegroom's friends or wedding guests. Wineskins were goatskin containers; new wine, still fermenting, would stretch and burst old, brittle skins. 'Bottles' (KJV) are such skins.

Historical context

Weddings were celebrated over several days, a time when ordinary obligations such as fasting were set aside.

Why does it matter?

The bridegroom 'taken away' is generally read as Jesus' first hint of his death. Interpreters debate whether the cloth and wineskin images stress the newness of Jesus' message or, as the closing 'both are preserved' may suggest, the keeping of old and new together (compare 13:52).

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Matthew 9:18–26

A ruler's daughter and a woman's faith

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. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.

And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

A local leader kneels before Jesus, says his daughter has just died, and asks him to lay his hand on her. On the way, a woman who has suffered bleeding for twelve years touches the edge of Jesus' cloak and is healed. At the house, Jesus sends out the mourners, takes the girl by the hand and she gets up.

What does this mean?

'Hem' (KJV) or 'fringe' (WEB) probably means the tassels the Law required on the corners of garments (Numbers 15:38). Calling death 'sleep' was a common image; here it implies that her death is not final.

Historical context

Under the Law, a woman with ongoing bleeding was ritually unclean and passed on uncleanness by touch (Leviticus 15:25–27), so her condition would have isolated her for years. Flute players and wailing mourners were hired even by modest families at a death; the commotion shows that the girl was believed to be dead.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Told in three Gospels

How Matthew tells it

Matthew's telling is far shorter than Mark's or Luke's. The father is unnamed (Mark and Luke: Jairus) and says from the start that his daughter has died, where in Mark and Luke she is dying. Jesus speaks to the woman before she is healed, 'from that hour', and there is no search in the crowd for who touched him.

Matthew 9:27–34

Two blind men and a man who could not speak

And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.

As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.

Two blind men follow Jesus, calling him 'son of David'. He asks if they believe he can heal them, touches their eyes, and they see; he sternly tells them to keep quiet, but they spread the news. Then a man unable to speak because of a demon is healed. The crowds are amazed, but the Pharisees claim Jesus drives out demons by the prince of demons.

What does this mean?

'Son of David' was a title for the Messiah as heir to David's throne; some Jewish traditions also remembered David's son Solomon as a healer with power over spirits. 'Dumb' (KJV) means unable to speak. 'Straitly charged' means strictly ordered.

Why does it matter?

The episode closes the run of miracles in chapters 8–9 by setting the two responses side by side: the crowds' wonder and the Pharisees' hostility. Matthew tells similar stories of two blind men (20:29–34) and of a mute man possessed by a demon (12:22–24), where the charge of working with Satan is answered at length.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Matthew 9:35–38

Sheep without a shepherd

And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 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.

Jesus travels through all the towns and villages, teaching, preaching and healing. Seeing the crowds harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd, he is moved with compassion and tells his disciples to pray for more workers for the harvest.

What does this mean?

'Fainted' (KJV) means were weary or harassed. 'Sheep without a shepherd' is a scriptural image for a people without proper leaders (Numbers 27:17; Ezekiel 34). 'Harvest' is a common image for God's gathering of people at the end, sometimes in judgment.

Why does it matter?

This summary repeats 4:23 almost exactly, rounding off chapters 5–9, and leads into the mission of the Twelve in chapter 10: the prayer for workers is answered by Jesus sending out the disciples themselves.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Translation

KJVTraditional biblical languageWEBContemporary English

Chapters

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26
  27. 27
  28. 28

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Reading

Translation

KJVTraditional biblical languageWEBContemporary English

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

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