Matthew Chapter 9 "The Palsy, the Testimony, Two Women, and Two Blind Men." This Bible
Study is written by Roger Christopherson, and it's
transcription/ location is provided by http://www.theseason.org/plough.htm The deeds that Jesus will do and accomplish has a great message in it for those men and women of God that wish to be successful in their Christian life. It teaches you what you can do, and what you cannot do, in your Christian walk. There are different levels that you can receive and teach from these next few chapters. Matthew 9:1 "And He entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into His own city." Remember, Jesus and His disciples had just arrived from the other side, He healed two men of evil spirits and the spirits went into the swine, and killed themselves. The people came out from the town near by and demanded that He leave. So they entered back into the ship, and went back to another side of the sea. He went to the city of Capernaum, and in the Hebrew, it means the city of Consolation. Matthew 9:2 "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." This man was paralyzed, and as Jesus walked in, He saw their faith. As the man was lying on his cot, the loved ones around were as sad as the paralyzed man was. When Jesus told the man to be of good cheer, it is like a cheerful greeting, but "thy sins be forgiven thee" is a void statement, unless it comes from God. Anyone can utter the word, and the scribes in the room knew what the words meant, and when the words were spoken by someone other than the Messiah, it was wrong. The miracle that was done here was that the sins of the man with palsy were forgiven by the Son of God. However for those non-believer it was just so many words. These scribes were the elite of the church, and they were upset by this. Matthew 9:3 "And, behold, certain of the scribes said with themselves, "This man blasphemeth." Notice that these scribes did not say it out loud, "they said within themselves", that Jesus Christ blasphemed. It is only God that can judge a man or women by the content of his or her heart. Psalm 7:9 reads; "Oh let the wickedness of the wicked [lawless] come to an end; but establish the just: For the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins." Only God knows what is in your heart, that is to say, your mind. These scribes said that Jesus blasphemes because He forgave sins; and this would show that they looked on Jesus as just another man. So as they are thinking their thought, we are seeing another miracle, that of Jesus reading their minds. Now as Jesus sees what they are thinking He says to them: Matthew 9:4 "And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, "Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?" These scribes had not spoken yet, and Jesus is responding to their thoughts. Matthew 9:5 "For whether is easier, to say, 'thy sins be forgiven thee'; or to say, 'Arise, and walk?' " He is about to present His credentials to these scribes, and Jesus does it with a question. For in both cases it would take the act of God, to forgive sins, or to heal the man of palsy. It is as easy to say one as to say the other, and Jesus has called their attention to this fact. There is a deeper level to this spiritually. Thy sins forgiven the means your soul shall live forever in a perfect body. The healing will affect only the physical, for there will be no one handicapped in the spiritual body. Jesus words had to have impressed them. Matthew 9:6 "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." " "That ye may know", God is telling them, I am going to give you some proof. This documents form Jesus mouth just who "the Son of Man" is. He is the Living God walking on earth. Jesus then turns from the scribes to the sick man on the cot, and said; "Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house". This is the real test. Christ told him first thy sins are forgiven thee, and now, He healed the man with palsy. The man will either get up and walk, of Christ is going to be embarrassed, and called a fake. Matthew 9:7 "And he arose, and departed to his house." Anyone can say, thy sins are forgiven, but only God can demonstrate by action, and heal the sick immediately. The sick mans muscles had deteriorated to the point where there was no strength left in them; yet instantly his body was restored, and he got up and walked with full strength. This was a powerful thing that Jesus did before the scribes as a witness to His deity. Matthew 9:8 "But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled, and glorified God, Which had given such power unto men." "Unto men" reads in the original text, "unto a man". The multitudes of people standing around saw the miracles, and they glorified God for the works, but they just couldn't attach the fact that Jesus was God. They gave the glory of the act to God, and still looked on Jesus as common man. Jesus gave His credentials by the two acts, and the public accepted the acts as being of God. The only credential of a true man of God, is in his ability to carry out what he says He will do. If you state your a healing pastor, are the sick healed; if you are a teaching pastor is what you are saying backed up from the word of God, or just so many words. The traditions of men label a man's ministry, while the man filled with the Holy Spirit of God has the insight to read and tell others what God's word says with clarity and understanding. He rightly divides the Word of God, which means he applies the message to the right time period, and knows where and how the verse fits into the entire plan of God. Whatever gifts that you use, you must first obtain them from the Holy Spirit of God, and when He gives you the gift, He will also provide the direction and the opportunity for your use of that gift. However, education is very useful for it provides for your provision and getting along in the world, and understanding just how the wicked ones work. Matthew 9:9 "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." As Jesus was leaving this multitude of people, Jesus saw this tax gather sitting at his table working. Jesus looked at him, and told this tax collector to "follow Me". This man is Matthew, and now now he becomes one of the disciples as he arose and followed Jesus. Matthew was considered an enemy of the people by occupation, collecting taxes for Rome. When the Holy Spirit of God speaks to you through His Word, and commands that you change what you are doing, and set a new course for life, are you willing? You say, I am a Christian. I believe and am committed, but are you willing to make a definite change when you are convicted to do so. Christ is the living Word, and when He speaks to you through the Scriptures it is still the same, follow Me. Some of you have a destiny from God, and you have felt it since you were a child. When the traditions of men are taught, you know that it isn't right, you know that there is a purpose that God has put you on this earth for, yet you can't quite put your hand on in. That insight will come to you by the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God. One works with and supports the other. The word of God is powerful, and will convict if you just allow it to. Matthew 9:10 "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." While Jesus and the other disciples sat down with Matthew the tax collector to eat, here came some of Matthew's friends in and sat down to eat also. They are sinners and people that were hungry for not only food, but the word from Jesus. This is very common today, as most Christians will have nothing to do with the wicked, for they are more afraid of how it will affect their character in the eyes of others, then in planting a seed for Christ. It is easier to teach bold admitted sinners of the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, and His love for them, then going into an established Church house, where the doctrines are the traditions of men and the doctrines of demons. Most of those Christians are set in their ways, and their minds are closed to the truth of God's word. The hard core sinners have not been lied to by those planting the traditions, and they know that what they are doing is against God. They understand sin, and they understand forgiveness when it is offered. Matthew 9:11 "And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto His disciples, "Why eateth you Master with publicans and sinners?" Friend, we are talking about some super religious type people of the day. Of course they are afraid to approach Jesus, and of course these super religious type would rather attack the disciples instead. They try to put the guilt trip on them. Remember that these disciples are all new followers of Jesus, and these Pharisees know that you can destroy the ministry by attacking the followers. It sort of sounds like the super church-houses of today, and how they attack anyone that doesn't follow their traditions. Matthew 9:12 "But when Jesus heard that, He said unto them, "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." Jesus is telling these Pharisees that He is Messiah, and the reason that He came to the earth is to heal the sick, both physically and spiritually. But if you have all the religion that you can possible have, then in your righteousness, you don't need Me. You won't accept me, because in your own mind you are already saved by your righteousness. If you are on "cloud nine", then you have already flown out of here [in your rapture theory]; and your mind is closed anyhow. This is Jesus approach to those Pharisees. You just can't tell someone that thinks he knows everything about traditions, about the Word of God, their minds are set, and closed. They just don't want to hear it. Matthew 9:13 "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 is telling this pack of Pharisees, this tribe of churchmen, to go and find out what I have just said. Remember these words, "I will have mercy and not sacrifice". The righteous here are the self-righteous, and they are Hypocrites. Jesus is quoting from the book of Hosea all the way. He is saying, I want to have mercy, I don't want your sacrifices, I don't want your burnt animals. Hosea 6:6, 7; "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. [6] But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against Me." [7] The word "Hosea" in the Hebrew means "salvation, and Jesus is quoting from it. Going on into Hosea 7:1; "When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria:" Ephraim is the house of Israel, or Christian nations, and Samaria is the capital here "watch mountain". "For they commit false hood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without," [7:1] The thieves and the robbers are the ones that claim to be righteous and the preachers. Remember the Book of Hose was written to the people living in the time of the end, but it still applied to the self-righteous of Jesus day. Why would these "one verse" janglers keep spouting their one verses to back up their traditions? Because they just don't understand the plan of God, and the Word of God, so the traditions of men have become their way of life. Jesus told them to "go find it", go to the book of Hosea, and try to understand what it is saying. They won't, for they are "the troop of robbers" that are stripping the house of God clean of the truth of God's plan. Jesus was sent to Israel, and there were many among Israel that were of the "Nethinim" [Kenites] that were not of Israel. "Nethinim" means that they were "given to service", or liturgical duties, of the priesthood, and scribes but not by God. They assumed the duties, and were unopposed by the men of the house of Judah. These duties were set aside for the Levitical priesthood, and coming out of Babylon over four centuries before Jesus Christ's birth, both Ezra and Nehemiah had seen that these Kenites had taken over. I Chronicles 2:55: "And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez [Jerusalem]; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab." The entire book of Hosea is direct to the "Lost sheep of the "House of Israel", not the Jews. But these Kenites have become the self-righteous leadership over the House of Judah, Jesus is playing with these Kenite Pharisees' minds. The "House of Israel" was scattered in 722 B.C by the Assyrians, and migrated through the Caucasus Mountains, to the north and western Europe, and the Americas. Today they are lost, because they don't even know who they are. They call themselves "Caucasians", and they think "Caucasian" is a race of people, because they have forgotten the event. Hosea 1:10 identifies them as the "sons of the living God". Christ is the living God, and those sons would be called Christians. Jesus Christ knew where they were, and who they are, and today they have become as numerous as the sand of the seas, scattered around the world. Matthew 9:14 "Then came to Him the disciples of John, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but Thy disciples fast not?" These disciples are the followers of John the Baptist. They are asking Jesus directly, why do your disciples not fast and we have to fast many times? A fast is when you give up something because you are grieving over something lost or gone. Matthew 9:15 "And Jesus said unto them, "Can the children of the bride chamber 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." The bride chamber is a happy place, and those in with the bride are happy for her. Jesus is asking the question, and the answer is, of course not? Jesus is referring to His death soon. The fast will come shortly, but not while the wedding is going on. The time for Christ's disciples fast will be at His crucifixion, when the Groom is taken from them. Christ is still with them and teaching them at this time. Matthew 9:16 "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." Jesus is answering John's disciples with a parable. Jesus is showing them that this old garment, is the traditions of these Pharisees, the hypocrites; They were not the teachings of the Old Testament, but of the traditions that they had put in place of the Word of God. They were the do's and don'ts of the self-righteous, and never was part of God's Holy Word, and never will be. It is the silliness of man's teaching. When you have a old pair of pants on, that you really like to wear; it is real comfortable. Then when you wear a hole in it in the knees, you repair it with new material, and new thread. When it come time to wash it again, and the soap and hot water works on the old fabric, the new fabric shrinks right up, and yet the old is so well worn, that it stays the same. When you put the pants on to wear it again, you have puckered knees that stick out like a sore thumb. Jesus is comparing the repair job on the garment to the self-righteous man that is so deep in traditions of men, that when they hear the real truth of God Word, the "new fresh garment material", and apply that word to their old traditions, it causes them to squirm and pucker up. If it sounds to vulgar for God's Word, maybe your to self-righteous for God. Are you to steeped in your traditions, to hear and understand God's plan? So if you didn't get the first example, Jesus is going to give another analogy. Maybe you didn't understand the message of the old pair of pants. Matthew 9:17 "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." When the juices are green and fermenting, it builds up quite a pressure. Understand here that in the original text, "Bottle" is "wine skin"; it is not glass, but an animal skin. A new animal skin stretches, when it is green and pliable. The old wine skin is stretched to the limit, and is fixed to the point that it is solid. Jesus is telling these people that if you put new wine in an old wine skin there is no give to it, and it will burst. When you put the real truth into an old fixed in traditions church, that is just what will happen to them. They are so fixed in their minds that they just can't handle the truth of God's Word. Jesus is talking about the righteous scribes, and ministers, and lay persons that are set in their traditions and doctrines, and they just can't give when the truth enters their midst. However the sinner, and publicans can give, they are hearing the new wine that is the Word, and when they hear they can and will give, and become pliable to what God wants them to do. The "new Wine" is the teachings of God's Word that Jesus is giving, and those teachings will split that old church house wide open. In most church houses in the world today, should Jesus walk into their midst and go to the pulpit, they would be harder to convince then these old self-righteous scribes and Pharisees were to convince. If He was to teach the real truth, today's churchmen would throw Christ out, or it would split that church wide open. They are not pliable to the word of God. Christ's teachings are powerful, when activated by the Spirit of the Living God. Try to understand the teachings of Christ in the simplicity that He taught them. For it is only through those teachings of Christ that you can apply them to your life, to have it a value to you. And through them, you can find peace of mind. Matthew 9:18 "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." " This "certain ruler" was a leader in the synagogue, and he is asking for Jesus help, even after his daughter is dead. This is real faith, for he is asking Jesus to bring back the soul even after that soul of the daughter has departed the body. This ruler had to know beyond any doubt that this was the Messiah, of he understood that it was only God that could raise one from the dead. This ruler is saying, she is even now dead. This healing is recorded in greater length in Luke 8:40 and on. This ruler knew that if he could get Jesus to lay hands on his child, she would come to life. He declared such, "she shall live". Matthew 9:19 "And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did His disciples." Luke points out that this girl is twelve years old, and there is a more in-depth lesson to this, in that she is twelve, her age is symbolic of the "House of Israel". The House of Judah knows who they are, but Israel in large part is asleep. God is speaking to Israel that is dead spiritually. Matthew 9:20 "(And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind Him, and touched the hem of His garment:" Here is that numerical value of twelve again, and it is also another female. Matthew 9:21 "For she said within herself, "If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole." Notice what the woman said; "If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole". This again is faith. If you want your prayers answered, you have to have that same faith, and know beyond any doubt that your request will come to pass. There can be no doubt in you. If it is His will you will be healed, or you prayer answered, and it will be according to God's will. When the man with palsy sought healing, God forgave his sins first, and that was truly the greatest miracle. For only Christ can forgive sins. When you are dealing with faith, the forgiving of your sins are greater then the healing of the physical body. This woman knew absolutely that she would be healed, even before she touched Jesus garment, she had the faith. Don't waste your time in prayer if you have doubts before you pray. Matthew 9:22 "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.)" Luke 8:43 points out that she had this issue for twelve years, and had spent all her living [money upon physicians, and none could heal her, so this was her only possibility of getting healed. She saw others being healed, and she knew that if she could just touch the lowest part of Christ's garment, she would be healed. Matthew 9:23 "And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise," Now we are back at the house of the ruler, with the dead twelve year old daughter, and the house was filled with the people preparing the body, and the mourners for family and friends. These were the professionals mourners, that hired out to do their act, in most cases. Matthew 9:24 "He said unto them, "Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth." And they laughed Him to scorn." When Jesus walked into the room, He took authority and ordered them out. And they looked up at Him through their artificial tears, and laughed and made fun of Jesus. This is just as we see that Israel [Christians] are doing today. They are going through with their ceremonial act, and when a teacher of God's word speaks to them, they give out the same laugh and scorning, if it differs from their dead traditions. Remember in Ezekiel 37, where Ezekiel is told to go and prophecy against that whole valley of dry, dead and disconnected bones of the whole House of Israel. The meaning was that they were spiritually dead. Even today, Israel is dead and she just doesn't know it, they are just like this twelve year old girl. They sit Sunday after Sunday, and suck up the small dribble of milk from their pastor, and expect that to satisfy their spiritual needs all week. Physically it just wouldn't keep them alive, and that is why they also are spiritually dead. Friend if you expect God to bless your life, it is time that you get into all of God's Word, and except the whole Word as the complete plan of God, and start paying attention to what is going on around us, before it is to late for you. Make your spiritual life as important as your physical life, and feed both alike. Matthew 9:25 "But when the people were put forth, He went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose." When Jesus made the point, in a stern voice, they all went. Jesus then went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up. In Luke 8:55 it states; "And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and He commanded to give her meat." When the girl came to life, Jesus told them to give the girl food that she can live by, meat and not milk. When we have Christ come into ones heart, that mind becomes hungry, and they need to be feed from the Word of God. They need meat to sustain themselves, and not the dribble of milk spattered out from most pulpits of today. To understand the full Word of God brings comfort and peace of mind. Matthew 9:26 "And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land." That fame went out of the miracles of Christ, and it is also the fame of today. Jesus made this girl that was dead to live, and that is a miracle, but you miss the whole meaning of the lesson, if you don't teach also what the twelve year old girl, and twelve year blood issue stood for. In the simplicity of Christ's teachings, that it stood for the lost tribes of Israel. Christ will soon pay the price on the cross here and salvation will be open to all, but the tribes of Israel have duties and obligations in the prophesies of God's Word. Thank God there are many that are starting to open their eyes, and allowing those truths to transform their lives into spiritual vessels that God can use. Matthew 9:27 "And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed Him, crying, and saying, "Thou Son of David, have mercy on us." These two blind men could not see, yet they knew that He was the Son of God, and they cried out to Him in passion, "have mercy upon us." Mercy is the unmerited favor by God, to undeserving man. These two men knew of the Messiah that was prophesied to be born of a virgin in Bethlehem, and they knew that this Jesus was He. They had no doubt. Spiritually what is this telling us? Two stands for witness in the Scriptures, and it is required that two witnesses voice out, for words to be accepted. Here the two blind men both are assured of who Jesus Christ is, and they sound off, "Thou Son of David have mercy on us." This miracle follows the raising of the girl, and here you also have the "key to David", so you can see that what Christ was really talking about, is that Israel is not not only dead, but is blind. They don't have eyes to see. Matthew 9:28 "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." These two blind men followed right behind Jesus into the house, so Jesus turned to them and if they really believed that Christ could heal them. Their answer was absolute and firm, "Yea Lord." At the end of your prayer, if Christ appeared to you and asked you, do you really think I will do that for you? What would your response be? A firm, Yea Lord!, or mush flowing in garble out of your mouth. A weak, If you think you can Lord?" When you pray be absolute and positive, that is the faith that is required of the Lord. Matthew 9:29 "Then touched He their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it unto you." The eye is the mirror of the soul, and most souls are dead. Jesus reached out and touched these two blind men on their eyes, and said "According to your faith be it unto you." This is a proposition, friend, and the proposition is that if you believe when you are asking, it shall be done. But if your playing around, your wasting your time. Christianity is not a religion, but it is a reality. It is real, and when you accept it as real, it becomes your way of life. If it is a game to you, then it become just another chance in your life; and the odds are stacked against you. If you are pretending playing church, it is blasphemy to God, especially if it carries Christ's name. Matthew 9:30 "And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, "See that no man know it." Jesus told them to keep the most important event in their lives a secret. I think He knew what they were going to do. Matthew 9:31 "But they, when they were departed, spread abroad His fame in all the country." You can just see these two joyful souls running around the town sounding out the good news. Jesus Christ can still heal the blind today, and heal the sick, and when He does it, it allows you to give those around you an example that God still honor's faith. Matthew 9:32 "As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a dumb man possessed with a devil." What this is saying, is that these two men that just received their sight went out into the street and got this other man that could not speak. He was frightened by the devil to the point of losing his ability to talk. Spiritually speaking, this man couldn't speak the truth, because the devil had seared his mind with traditions, and false doctrines. Matthew 9:33 "And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, "It was never so seen in Israel.". The people were saying, we have never seen anyone do this before. Take the in depth meaning here, get the devil out of your system. Get the devil out of your churches, and including those Scripture lawyers that twist the Scriptures on every corner, to fit their own purposes. You know; the pass the plate religion. Friend, it is time to get down to the depth of the true meaning of God's Word, and learn to live in peace. When you open your mouth, let it be the truth, speaking for the true Christ, instead of tradition. Matthew 9:34 "But the Pharisees said, "He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils." Satan had his influence on earth all the time, even in the heritage of the Pharisees doing the talking. Yet this had never been done before by anyone. Satan is the weaker one when he comes agains anyone of God's elect, for they know the power of God that we have in His Holy Spirit, when we claim the name of Jesus. Matthew 9:35 "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." The gospel of the kingdom is the things that we have just been studying. It is the teaching of the twelve tribes, their passing, and how that they need to be waken up. How that if they will see and repent, God will change their lives. Matthew 9:36 "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." As Jesus looked over this mass of people, He took pity on them. He saw that they were like a bunch of lost sheep heading in all direction, with no one to lead them. The Pharisees had taken the priesthood and this mob of people was getting fed by these Kenites very little of God's Word, and a whole lot of tradition. They were fed just enough to keep the fund rolling into the offering plate. And if you notice that when Jesus is challenged, it is almost always from this same band of leaders. Not much has changed from the time of Christ, for we have the same small band of Pharisees today, those Kenites with their liberal minds, that stand for everything but what the Word of God teaches. Matthew 9:37 "Then saith He unto His disciples, "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;" There is no difference today then it was in Jesus day. The masses of the people of Israel are still spiritually dead, and the harvest is truly plenteous. There is a time coming very shortly when you will either know the truth, or God will cause you to be blind for the truth. The signs of the end times are becoming history on a daily basis, and Christians go right on like they have all the time in the world. God is looking for the laborers today, just as He was in Christ's day, and there is just as much a shortage. Matthew 9:38 "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest." We are to pray that people will wake up and become the laborers to go forth and give out the true Word of God to the spiritually blind masses.
PLEASE NOTE: These studies may be stored on your
private computer as a library, printed out in single copy
(or
you may print enough for a study group) for private study
purposes provided the Author and Source are included with
each and every excerpt or copy. |