Mateus 9

John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin

Mateus 9

MacArthur - A fast is always meaningless if it is performed from habit and does not result from deep concern and mourning over some spiritual need. Going to church on Sunday is hypocritical if it is done apart from a genuine desire to worship and glorify God. Singing a hymn is only a pretense of worship if it does not come from a heart that seeks to praise the Lord. Related Resources: Baker Evangelical Dictionary Fast, Fasting - recommended article by Eugene Merrill Torrey Topical Textbook Fasting Christian fasting - what does the Bible say? | GotQuestions.org McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia Fast American Tract Society Fasting Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Fasting Easton's Bible Dictionary Fast Fausset Bible Dictionary Fasting Holman Bible Dictionary Fasting Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Fasting Hastings' Dictionary of the NT Fasting (2) Fasting Hawker's Poor Man's Dictionary Fasting Fast Smith Bible Dictionary Fasts Vines' Expository Dictionary Fast, Fasting Fast Wilson's Bible Types Fast Webster Dictionary Fasting Watson's Theological Dictionary Fasting Fasting - Article by Archibald Alexander 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica Fasting International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Fasts and Feasts Fast; Fasting Feasts, and Fasts Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Fasts The Jewish Encyclopedia Fasting and Fast-Days How to fast—what does the Bible say? | GotQuestions.org Why don't Christians fast the same as Muslims? | GotQuestions.org Why did Jesus fast? | GotQuestions.org What are the different types of fasting? | GotQuestions.org What is Ramadan? | GotQuestions.org What is Tisha B'Av? Warren Wiersbe sees four pictures of Jesus' ministry described in all three synoptic Gospels - (1) As the Physician, He came to bring spiritual health to sick sinners. (Mt 9:12-13+, Mk 2:17+, Lk 5:31-32+) (2) As the Bridegroom, He came to give spiritual joy. The Christian life is a feast, not a funeral.(Mt 9:14-15+, Mk 2:18-20+, Lk 5:33-35+) (3) The illustration of the cloth reminds us that He came to bring spiritual wholeness; He did not come to “patch us up” and then let us fall apart. (Mt 9:16+, Mk 2:21+, Lk 5:36+) (4) The image of the wineskins teaches that He gives spiritual fullness. Jewish religion was a worn-out wineskin that would burst if filled with the new wine of the Gospel. Jesus did not come to renovate Moses or even mix Law and grace. He came with new life! (Mt 9:17+, Mk 2:22+, Lk 5:37-39+) (Bible Exposition Commentary) Matthew 9:15 And Jesus said to them, "The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast NET Matthew 9:15 Jesus said to them, "The wedding guests cannot mourn while the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast. GNT Matthew 9:15 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Μὴ δύνανται οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ νυμφῶνος πενθεῖν ἐφ᾽ ὅσον μετ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐστιν ὁ νυμφίος; ἐλεύσονται δὲ ἡμέραι ὅταν ἀπαρθῇ ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν ὁ νυμφίος, καὶ τότε νηστεύσουσιν. NLT Matthew 9:15 Jesus replied, "Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. KJV Matthew 9:15 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. ESV Matthew 9:15 And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. NIV Matthew 9:15 Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. ASV Matthew 9:15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the sons of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then will they fast. CSB Matthew 9:15 Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests be sad while the groom is with them? The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. NKJ Matthew 9:15 And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. NRS Matthew 9:15 And Jesus said to them, "The wedding guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. YLT Matthew 9:15 And Jesus said to them, 'Can the sons of the bride-chamber mourn, so long as the bridegroom is with them? but days shall come when the bridegroom may be taken from them, and then they shall fast. Can - Mt 25:1-10 Judges 14:11-20 Ps 45:14,15 Joh 3:29 Rev 19:9 21:2 when - Lu 24:13-21 Joh 16:6,18-22 Ac 1:9,10 and then - Isa 22:12 Ac 13:1-3 14:23 1Co 7:5 2Co 11:27 Parallel Passages Mt. 9:14–17; Mk 2:18–22; Lk 5:33–39 Mk 2:19+ And Jesus said to them, “While the bridegroom is with them, the attendants of the bridegroom cannot fast, can they? So long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 “But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. Luke 5:34-35+ And Jesus said to them, “You cannot make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? 35 “But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.” MOURNING WHEN HE IS TAKEN AWAY And Jesus said to them, "The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? - This is rhetorical. Of course not. That would be absurd. It would be ludicrous to think that Jesus’ disciples ought to fast and mourn while the Messiah was in their midst! A wedding was a time of great joy (then and today)! Literally they are not even "able" (dunamai) to mourn. The attendants of the bridegroom are distinct from the groomsmen but are the guests invited to the wedding. The scene is in Galilee, where groomsmen were not customary, as in Judaea and thus there is no mention of them in the account of the marriage at Cana. Louis Barbieri - Jesus answered that the kingdom is like a great feast (cf. Matt. 22:2; Isa. 25:6), in this case a wedding banquet. Since the King was now present, it was inappropriate for Him or His disciples to fast. (BKC) A T Robertson on attendants of the bridegroom (KJV = "the sons of the bridechamber") - Not merely the groomsmen, but the guests also, the paranumphs (paranumphoi of the old Greek). Jesus here adopts the Baptist’s own metaphor (John 3:29), changing the friend of the bridegroom (ho philos tou numphiou) to sons of the bridechamber.....Mourning does not suit the wedding feast. Mark, Matthew, and Luke all give the three parables (bridegroom, unfulled cloth, new wineskins) illustrating and defending the conduct of Jesus in feasting with Levi on a Jewish fast-day. Luke 5:36 calls these parables. Jesus here seems iconoclastic to the ecclesiastics and revolutionary in emphasis on the spiritual instead of the ritualistic and ceremonial....(in another note) Hebrew idiom for the wedding guests, “the friends of the bridegroom and all the sons of the bride-chamber” (Tos. Berak. ii. 10) (Matthew 9 Commentary) Marvin

Mateus 9

MacArthur - "The old garment is the legalistic system of rabbinic tradition that had obscured the law of God (cf. Mt. 15:3-6). Jesus was not interested in mending the religion of the Pharisees. The good news of salvation by grace through faith in Him could not be combined with the works-righteousness of Judaism." (Ibid) For (gar) is a term of explanation. This use is clear as Jesus explains how inane it would be to put a new patch of material on old material. One might say Judaism was "worn out" (palaios) and in need of something brand new (kainos), the Gospel. The patch (epiblema) pulls away (airo) from the garment (himation), and a worse (cheiron) tear (schisma) results - Ancient cloth was usually wool or linen, both of which shrank when washed. New material patching up old material would result in a tear because the patch would shrink when the garment was washed. And Jesus says that the result is a worse tear where tear is the Greek word schisma which gives us our English schism. The patch does more harm than good. The question is what do the patch and old garment symbolize? The old garment represents Judaism with all the rules and regulations that were to be kept to achieve (self) righteousness. The patch of unshrunk cloth represents the new way to approach God and the new (only) way to achieve righteousness. Jesus' coming resulted in formation of a new institution, the church, that brought Jew and Gentile together into a completely new body that did not exist in the OT (Ephesians 2:16+). Jesus explained that He did not come to repair or reform the old institutions of Judaism, but to institute/inaugurate a brand new covenant altogether. Jesus came to introduce something new, not to patch up something old. In salvation with the forgiveness of sins which faith in Jesus brings, He does not destroy the Law, but He actually fulfills it. Think of the illustration of an acorn whose purpose is fulfilled when it grows into an oak tree. There is a sense in which the acorn (THE LAW) is gone, but its purpose has been fulfilled (cf PURPOSE OF THE LAW = Gal 3:19-24+). And so the Law is now fulfilled in the work of Christ on the Cross. Jesus Himself declared "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill." (Mt 5:17+, see parallel truth in Ro 10:4+). In addition, in the New Covenant not only is the Law not abolished, but in (Jer 31:33+) God actually says "“I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it." And then God enables us to keep His Law by giving us His Spirit, a gift He promised in Ezekiel 36:27+ "I will put My Spirit within you and cause (SPIRIT GIVES US THE DESIRE AND THE POWER TO OBEY) you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe (OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO OBEY) My ordinances." MacArthur - Repairing an old tunic with a piece of new, unshrunk fabric would be ill-advised. Not only would the new cloth not match the faded color of the old (cf. Luke 5:36), it would shrink when washed and pull the garment, causing it to tear. Our Lord’s point was that His gospel of repentance and forgiveness from sin could not be patched into the legalistic traditionalism of Pharisaic Judaism. The true gospel cannot be successfully attached to the tattered garment of superficial religion worn so proudly by the scribes and Pharisees. Apostate Judaism’s rituals and ceremonies were like filthy rags (Isa. 64:6); they were beyond repair. Jesus did not come with a message to patch up their old system. He came to totally replace it. It is important to note that the old garment to which Jesus alludes is neither the Mosaic law nor the Old Testament as a whole. Jesus did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it (Mt. 5:17-19+). Moreover, the apostle Paul explains that the law of God is righteous and good (Ro 7:12,16+). The Jewish leaders had added their own rabbinic stipulations and traditions to God’s law to the degree that Judaism had more to do with keeping extra-biblical prescriptions than with honoring divine requirements. (See Mark Commentary) Patch (1915)(epiblema from epiballo = to throw over) refers literally to that which is put over or on something else, as a piece of cloth used to repair a hole in clothing. Liddell-Scott - that which is thrown over, tapestry, hangings. Ancient Garment Repair - Cloth was woven from wool, linen, sometimes cotton. New cloth shrinks significantly after first wash. Sewing an unshrunk patch onto a weathered, fragile garment guarantees tearing once it shrinks. Thus the epiblēma intensifies—not fixes—the problem. The epiblēma symbolizes something externally applied to temporarily cover a deeper mismatch which actually makes the situation worse. Something applied on the surface (Gospel mixed with Law), is not addressing the underlying issue. When Pharisees question why Jesus’ disciples do not fast Jesus responded with two parables - Unshrunk patch (epiblēma) on old garment and New wine in old wineskins. Both illustrate this key principle: The new (Jesus’ kingdom, New Covenant) cannot be grafted onto the old (Pharisaic traditions, Old Covenant). Christ did not come to sew a piece of new cloth on the old garment of Judaism; he came to bring a new garment altogether. Jesus' use of the metaphor of a patch underscores that the Pharisaic system (old garment) is unrepairable and only a new “garment” of grace suffices. EPIBLEMA - 3V - Matt. 9:16; Mk. 2:21; Lk. 5:36 Old (3820)(palaios from pálai = in the past, long ago) antique, not recent, not new, obsolete, old in the sense of worn out and decrepit. (see discussion of old self = old man -- "old self" in Ro 6:6+, Eph. 4:22+ and Col. 3:9+) Palaios means in existence for a long time, and in a number of contexts conveys the sense of being obsolete, antiquated or outworn. Worn out from use is the idea in the synoptic parallel parables - Old Garment, Old Wineskins — Matthew 9:16–17; Mark 2:21–22; Luke 5:36–39. These represent the old religious system—Judaism under the Old Covenant, especially the rigid man made traditions of the Pharisees. Palaios is used in 2 Cor 3:14 to describe the "Old covenant." Paul calls the Mosaic covenant “old”—not evil, but superseded by the new covenant in Christ. The old covenant prepared the way; the new covenant fulfills it, so that now we can keep the Law (enabled by grace and the Spirit). The related verb palaioo is used in Hebrews 8:13 to describe the Old Covenant "becoming obsolete (palaioo)." The “Old Man” in Romans 6:6; Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:9. Romans 6:6 “our old man” refers to the believer’s old identity in Adam, the person enslaved to sin before union with Christ. Ephesians 4:22 “put off your old self” refers to the old way of life—corrupt through deceitful desires—which is incompatible with new life in Christ. Colossians 3:9 “you have put off the old man” signifies the believer has been decisively stripped of the “old garment” of sin nature. In short, our Old obsolete identity, has been crucified with Christ (Ro 6:6) and is no longer master over the believer. The old man can’t be repaired; he must be crucified. Palaios reminds us that God’s grace is not a patch on our old life—it replaces it with something gloriously new. Grace doesn’t patch the old life —it replaces it. In classical Greek παλαιός described ancient traditions, long-standing customs, old structures, and things worn by time. Often implied “no longer suitable” for present needs. This helps interpret Jesus’ teaching: Judaism as a παλαιός garment could not withstand the shrinking, stretching, transforming power of the gospel. PALAIOS - 15V - Matt. 9:16; Matt. 9:17; Matt. 13:52; Mk. 2:21; Mk. 2:22; Lk. 5:36; Lk. 5:37; Lk. 5:39; Rom. 6:6; 1 Co. 5:7; 1 Co. 5:8; 2 Co. 3:14; Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9; 1 Jn. 2:7 Garment (2440)(himation) describes a garment of any sort, but especially an outer garment. The himation was something thrown over the inner tunic (chitin) and in secular Greek was sometimes used for the Roman toga. In the present context, while Jesus is referring to a literal garment, He is using the garment as an illustration of a spiritual truth. That truth is that the old garment of Judaism had become corrupted ("moth-eaten," so to speak) by numerous non-biblical interpretations and traditions of men(cf Lk 15:6+, Mt 23:4, 23, Lk 11:46+, Acts 15:10+) and was worn out, "spiritually threadbare," so to speak! In other words, a "gospel patch" was neither compatible with the old garment, nor would it be able to repair the old garment of hackneyed Judaism. Jesus did not come to reform ritualistic Judaism but to replace it and clothe men with "garments of salvation", representing not their self-righteous works (as in Judaism) but His righteousness (Isa 61:10+; Ro 3:22+), for as Paul wrote "all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Gal 3:27+). Pulls away (142)(airo) literally means to lift up something (Mt 17:27) and to carry it (Lxx - Ge 44:1, Ex 25:28 = the Ark). In the first Septuagint use of airo in Ge 35:2 Jacob told his household "Put away (airo) the foreign gods." As an aside this is the same verb used by John the Baptist when he made the famous declaration - "The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away (airo) the sin of the world!." (John 1:29+) Matthew used this same verb in its literal sense in the story of the paralytic who Jesus healed physically and spiritually (Mt 9:6). Jesus uses airo in His famous invitation "Take my yoke..." (Mt 11:29+). Luke uses a different verb schizo (split, rend, divide) in his version of this parable (Lk 5:36+). Matthew uses schizo in Mt 27:51 when he records "behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom." Worse (5501)(cheiron irregular comparative of kakós =bad) is an adjective used to compare degrees of evil, such as worsening spiritual or physical condition. It means inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability. Less satisfactory than something else. Cheiron means worse, inferior in rank, dignity, goodness, excellence, or condition (Matt. 9:16; 12:45; 27:64; Mark 2:21; 5:26; Luke 11:26; 1 Tim. 5:8; 2 Tim. 3:13; 2 Pet. 2:20). More grievous, more severe as spoken of punishment and so in Hebrews 10:29 cheiron illustrates the severity of punishment for those who continue to sin deliberately after having accepted Christ. Cheiron - severer(1), worse(10). Matt. 9:16; Matt. 12:45; Matt. 27:64; Mk. 2:21; Mk. 5:26; Lk. 11:26; Jn. 5:14; 1 Tim. 5:8; 2 Tim. 3:13; Heb. 10:29; 2 Pet. 2:20. Used over 400x in the Septuagint (uses only from the Pentateuch) - Gen. 19:19; Gen. 24:50; Gen. 26:29; Gen. 44:34; Gen. 48:16; Gen. 50:15; Exod. 5:19; Num. 14:23; Num. 32:11; Num. 32:23; Deut. 1:39; Deut. 29:21; Deut. 30:15; Deut. 31:17; Deut. 31:29; Deut. Tear (4978)(schisma from schizo = to cleave, split) literally a split, a rift, and in a garment a tear or rent. Figuratively, of doctrinal differences and divided loyalties within a group schism, division of opinion, discord (Jn 7.43; 1Co 12.25) Schisma in NT - division(4), divisions(2), tear(2). Mt. 9:16; Mk. 2:21; Jn. 7:43; Jn. 9:16; Jn. 10:19; 1 Co. 1:10; 1 Co. 11:18; 1 Co. 12:25. No uses in the Septuagint. SUMMARY - In Matthew 9:16, Jesus uses the metaphor of sewing an unshrunk cloth onto an old garment to illustrate the incompatibility between the old religious system of Judaism and the new life and teachings He brings through the gospel. Just as a new patch would shrink and tear away from an old garment, causing more damage, so too would trying to fit the transformative message of Christ into the rigid framework of the Old Covenant result in spiritual ruin. Jesus was not offering a reform of Judaism but inaugurating a completely new covenant based on grace, not law—one that required a renewed heart and faith, not mere adherence to rituals like fasting. This parable warns against superficial fixes to deep spiritual needs and calls believers to fully embrace the new life found in Christ, leaving behind the old forms that cannot contain the power and freedom of the gospel QUESTION - What is the significance of the unshrunk cloth on an old garment (Matthew 9:16)? GOTQUESTIONS.ORG ANSWER - On one occasion, the disciples of John the Baptist approached Jesus with a question: “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” (Matthew 9:14, ESV). The Lord responded with this short parable: “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse” (Matthew 9:16). At first, Christ’s mention of a sewing technique may seem out of place and unrelated to the original question. Even more perplexing, Jesus follows the comment about an unshrunk cloth on an old garment with this statement: “Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved” (Matthew 9:17). The significance of both the “unshrunk cloth on an old garment” and the “new wine into old wineskins” lies in the incompatibility of the pairings. With His metaphor, Christ says that His teachings are radically different and cannot be simply superimposed on the old ways of religious ritual and observance. The Old Covenant and the New Covenant are incompatible. In ancient times, most garments were made of natural fibers such as wool or linen. An unshrunk cloth is a new piece of fabric that has not been pre-washed and, therefore, is prone to shrinkage after exposure to water, heat, and drying. Sewing such a patch onto an old, well-worn garment creates an inherent problem: once the new cloth shrinks, it strains and pulls at the older material, creating a tear. The “old garment” symbolizes the old established religious system of Judaism, particularly the Mosaic Law and the traditions upheld by the Pharisees. The “unshrunk cloth” represents the teachings and the transformative grace brought by Jesus. John’s disciples were Jews who still adhered to the rules of Judaism and lived by the obligations of the Old Covenant, including ceremonial rituals such as fasting (see Leviticus 16:29–31; 23:32; Luke 18:12). Christ was ushering in an altogether new era, inaugurating a new covenant relationship between God and His people. The message of salvation in Jesus was too fresh and vital to be slapped over the old system of Judaism. The gospel was never intended to be a mere patch on the existing framework but a revolutionary shift requiring complete renewal of faith, heart, and practice. Attempting to embrace Christ’s teachings while clinging to outdated traditions would only create friction and spiritual disaster. The new life in Christ cannot be contained within the old, empty forms of religion (see Matthew 15:8–9; 23:23–28). The Jewish followers of John would need to broaden their understanding of God’s mercy and grace to include Christ’s sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins, not just for Israel but for the entire world (Matthew 26:28; John 1:29; Hebrews 9:23–26; 10:14; 1 Corinthians 11:25). They would need to understand that salvation is God’s gift through faith (John 3:16–18; Ephesians 2:5, 8–9), that temple sacrifices were no longer needed (Hebrews 7:26–27; 10:1–18), and that all believers were united through the Holy Spirit into God’s temple (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). This new reality was difficult for the Jews to grasp—including those who became Christians after the death and resurrection of Jesus (see Acts 10:1—11:18). The metaphor of the unshrunk cloth on an old garment warns against superficial attempts to remedy a profound spiritual problem. True transformation cannot happen through adherence to the religious rules of our past. John’s disciples fasted to demonstrate their devotion to God, which was appropriate under the old, legalistic system but was no longer necessary under the new covenant of grace (Romans 3:20–24; 5:20; John 1:16–17; Galatians 2:16; 5:4). Jesus brought the good news of the gospel—the New Covenant—which is the message of salvation by grace through faith, and not works, obtained for us by the blood of Christ (Jeremiah 31:31–34; Luke 22:20; Hebrews 10:29). The principle of not sewing an unshrunk cloth onto an old garment remains relevant for Bible readers today. It challenges us to avoid rigid adherence to outdated traditions when confronted with the transformative power of Christ’s grace and truth. Instead of trying to patch up our “old garment” with an “unshrunk cloth,” we should wholly embrace our new identity in Jesus Christ: “The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT). The Broken Jeans Illustration - A man tried to fix his favorite old jeans with a bright new denim patch. After the first wash, the new fabric shrank and tore an even bigger hole than before. He realized—you can’t fix old, worn-out fabric with something new that isn’t made to fit it. In the same way, Jesus didn’t come to “patch up” our old life—He came to give us a completely new one. The Cracked Wall Illustration - A homeowner kept painting over a long crack in his wall. Each time, the crack reappeared—bigger than before. A contractor finally said, “Paint isn’t your problem. You need a new foundation.” Religion can paint over the cracks of our spiritual life, but only Christ gives a new heart and a new foundation. The Old Habit Notebook - A woman kept a journal promising she’d “try harder” to be better—pray more, sin less, obey more. But every page looked the same: “Failed again.” She realized she wasn’t meant to sew Christ onto her old self-effort. Jesus didn’t come to improve us but to transform us from the inside out. Galatians 3:3+ says "Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" The Sourdough Starter Story - A baker tried adding fresh, new starter to a batch of old dough that had already soured. The whole batch spoiled. She learned the hard way: New life can’t thrive inside old corruption. Likewise, Christ’s new life can’t be mixed with our old attitudes and sinful patterns. The Outdated Operating System - A man kept trying to install new software on a very old computer. (Boy have we all likely tried this one!!) Each attempt made the system crash and the software did not work! He finally realized the old operating system simply wasn’t designed for the new program. The gospel isn’t an upgrade to our old religious system—it requires a new heart, a new Spirit, and a new way of living. (See Ezekiel 36:26-27+) The Broken Vase Repair - A precious vase broke, and the owner tried gluing a pristine new ceramic piece onto the shattered area. The tension from the new piece cracked the vase further. God doesn’t glue grace onto our brokenness; He remakes us entirely (2Co 5:17+). Stress Buildup: Ceramics are rigid and brittle. When different materials (or even different ceramic types with slightly different compositions or firing histories) are bonded, changes in temperature or humidity can cause them to expand or contract at different rates. The Old Self vs. New Identity -- Trying to add Christ to an unchanged life is like sewing new cloth onto old fabric. The strain only exposes the weakness of the old. Jesus doesn’t stitch righteousness onto us—He clothes us in a new robe of righteousness entirely (Isaiah 61:10). SUMMARY - Jesus used the images of a new patch on an old garment and new wine in old wineskins to explain why His disciples did not follow the traditional fasting practices of Judaism. His coming introduced something entirely new—the New Covenant—not a mere extension or repair of the Old Covenant system of laws, rituals, and ceremonies. Just as an old wineskin cannot contain the expanding new wine, the rigid framework of the law cannot contain the transforming grace of the gospel. Jesus, the Bridegroom, had arrived, ushering in a time of joy, forgiveness, and spiritual renewal. Salvation would now come by grace through faith, not by works (it never came by works!), and this new reality required a new structure of understanding and practice. Mixing the old system with the new would destroy both; therefore, Jesus declared that the old must give way to the new life He brings. QUESTION - Why does no one put new wine in old wineskins (Matthew 9:17)? GOTQUESTIONS.ORG ANSWER - One day, the disciples of John the Baptist asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?” (Matthew 9:14, NLT). The Lord’s response included this parable: “No one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved” (Matthew 9:17, NLT). Jesus often taught with parables, using illustrations from everyday life to reveal spiritual truths. He did this so people could hear the truth without rejecting it, even if they couldn’t yet grasp the parables’ deeper meaning (see Mark 4:11–12; Luke 8:9–10). Before He introduced the concept of putting new wine in old wineskins, Jesus made a similar point using another familiar analogy: “Who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before” (Matthew 9:16, NLT). The problem with patching an old, pre-shrunk garment with a new, unshrunk cloth is something most of us can relate to even today. New fabrics that have never been washed or run through a dryer tend to shrink. Mending old clothing with an unshrunk piece of material would cause the new patch to pull away from the old in the wash, ruining the garment. The problem with putting new wine in old wineskins is similar. As wine ages, it ferments, releasing gases that pressurize an airtight container. In Jesus’ day, wineskins were leather pouches used for storing and fermenting wine. A new wineskin’s fresh, supple leather could expand and stretch as the wine fermented. But old leather from a previously used wineskin would have already been stretched to its capacity. Putting new wine into old wineskins would cause the leather to crack, burst, and be ruined. The parables reveal this truth: if we fail to understand that something new is needed, two valuable items—clothing and wineskins—risk ruin. But what does this have to do with the original question about fasting? What deeper message was Jesus conveying through these illustrations? Through the parables, Jesus emphasized that He was doing something new—inaugurating a new covenant relationship between God and His people. John’s disciples were Jews. They were still following the rules of Judaism and living under the obligations of the Old Covenant, with its ceremonial rituals and religious regulations, including fasting on certain days (see Leviticus 16:29–31; 23:32; Luke 18:12). Jesus asked John’s disciples, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15, NLT). Jesus had come to establish a new era. Now was a time for joy in the presence of the bridegroom. The disciples of Jesus would mourn and fast later. But while He was here among them, they would celebrate the forgiveness, fellowship, freedom, and new direction that His coming had ushered in. In other words, Jesus’ parables said, “Out with the old way of thinking and doing things, and in with the new.” If the Jews did not adjust their rigid religious mindset, they would experience a loss much like that of the ruined garments and wineskins. The problem with putting new wine in old wineskins is that the old skins of the law cannot contain the new wine of the gospel. The Jewish followers of John would have to expand their view of God’s provision of mercy and grace to include Christ’s sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin, not just for Israel but for the whole world (Matthew 26:28; John 1:29; Hebrews 9:23–26; 10:14; 1 Corinthians 11:25). They would need to understand that salvation comes by grace through faith and not works (John 3:16–18; Ephesians 2:5, 8–9); that the need for temple sacrifices had ended (Hebrews 7:26–27; 10:1–18); and that, through the coming of the Holy Spirit, all believers of all races on earth are God’s temple (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19) and His own beloved children (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1). This new reality was tough for the Jews to accept—including those who became Christians after the death and resurrection of Jesus (see Acts 10:1—11:18). Though strict and inflexible as an old wineskin, the Old Covenant of the law was solid, familiar and comforting to the Jews who resisted embracing the New Covenant. But Jesus had no intention of putting a patch on the old garment of Judaism. By ushering in a totally new covenant, Jesus didn’t try to fix up or even throw out the law, but rather to fulfill all of it (Matthew 5:17–18). No mere human can keep the law perfectly as God requires (Matthew 5:20, 48; Exodus 32:33; James 2:10). Only Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb of God could (and did) perfectly fulfill the law’s requirements (John 8:46; Hebrews 4:15; 10:12). So as comforting as having the law was for Jews, it was a heavy burden that no one could bear (Acts 15:10). The gospel of Jesus—the good news—represents the New Covenant of salvation by grace through faith, not works, obtained for us by the blood of Christ (Jeremiah 31:31–34; Luke 22:20; Hebrews 10:29). John’s disciples were fasting as an act of religious piety. Such actions may have been appropriate under a legalistic, works-based system, but they are no longer needed under the covenant of grace (Romans 3:20–24; 5:20; John 1:16–17; Galatians 2:16; 5:4). Just as we can’t put new wine in old wineskins or patch up old garments with new, unshrunk cloth, we can’t mix the law with grace. Just as we can’t put new wine in old wineskins or patch up old garments with new, unshrunk cloth, we can’t mix the law with grace. The old, lifeless religious rituals are done, and we have a new life of freedom in Jesus. Our faith is ruined if it’s based on dead works instead of on the saving grace of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:11–28). Matthew 9:17 "Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved. NET Matthew 9:17 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the skins burst and the wine is spilled out and the skins are destroyed. Instead they put new wine into new wineskins and both are preserved." GNT Matthew 9:17 οὐδὲ βάλλουσιν οἶνον νέον εἰς ἀσκοὺς παλαιούς· εἰ δὲ μή γε, ῥήγνυνται οἱ ἀσκοὶ καὶ ὁ οἶνος ἐκχεῖται καὶ οἱ ἀσκοὶ ἀπόλλυνται· ἀλλὰ βάλλουσιν οἶνον νέον εἰς ἀσκοὺς καινούς, καὶ ἀμφότεροι συντηροῦνται. NLT Matthew 9:17 "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved." KJV 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. ESV Matthew 9:17 Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved." NIV Matthew 9:17 Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." ASV Matthew 9:17 Neither do men put new wine into old wine-skins: else the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins perish: but they put new wine into fresh wine-skins, and both are preserved. CSB Matthew 9:17 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved." NKJ Matthew 9:17 "Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." NRS Matthew 9:17 Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved." YLT Matthew 9:17 'Nor do they put new wine into old skins, and if not -- the skins burst, and the wine doth run out, and the skins are destroyed, but they put new wine into new skins, and both are preserved together.' old - Jos 9:4 Job 32:19 Ps 119:83 Parallel Passages Mt. 9:14–17; Mk 2:18–22; Lk 5:33–39 Mk 2:22+ “No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.” Luke 5:37+ “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. 38 “But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 “And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is good enough.’” Nor do people put new (neos) wine into old wineskins - The question is what do new wine and old wineskins symbolize. The old wineskins are Judaism including all the added rules and regulations over the centuries. The new wine represents in essence Christianity, the new way to approach God. Jesus was saying that the old wineskins of ritualistic, legalistic Judaism could not contain His new wine of the Gospel of grace (Acts 20:24+). Legalism does not mix beneficaly with grace, and only results in ruin. Jesus "wine" would result in formation of a new entity, the church, which would bring Jew and Gentile together in one new body (Ephesians 2:16+). New (3501)(neos) signifies new in respect to time (contrast kainos = new in respect to quality) and describes that which has recently come into existence but for a relatively short time. Neos means recent in time, and kainos means a new kind. The Messianic kingdom would be new both in time and in kind. Wine (3631)(oinos - for more discussion of wine see oinos) means wine and is translated that way in all 32 uses in the NT with most having the literal meaning of wine for drink. Oinos describes recently pressed grape juice, either ready for fermentation or just having begun to ferment. The mention of the bursting of the wineskins (Mt 9:17; Mk 2:22; Lk 5:37), implies fermentation (see bubbling of fermentation). Distillation had not yet been developed, so wine could only achieve a certain level of alcoholic content, and it was always consumed with meals watered-down. The alcoholic content was a necessary antiseptic in the water of that day which was not always potable like modern treated drinking water. In a very clear spiritual analogy Paul compares being drunk with wine with being filled with (controlled by, "drunk with") the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18+). Old (3820)(palaios from pálai = in the past, long ago) antique, not recent, not new, old in the sense of worn out and decrepit. (see discussion of old self = old man -- "old self" in Ro 6:6+, Eph. 4:22+ and Col. 3:9+) Palaios means in existence for a long time, and in a number of contexts conveys the sense of being obsolete, antiquated or outworn. Worn out from use is the idea in the synoptic parallel parables in Mt 9:16, 17 Mk 2:21, Lk 5:36. Palaios is used in 2 Cor 3:14 to describe the "Old covenant." The related verb palaioo is used in Hebrews 8:13 to describe the Old Covenant "becoming obsolete (palaioo)." However Jesus did not come to destroy the Law but to fulfill it (Mt. 5:17-19+). Moreover, the apostle Paul explains that the law of God is righteous and good (Ro 7:12,16+). Wineskins (779)(akso) refers to an animal skin that forms a bag, usually for holding and dispensing wine or other liquids. Akso gives us the word ascidium, botanical term for pitcher-shaped plants or leaves. Wineskins were dehaired skins of small animals, such as goats, which were sewn together to hold water (Gen 21:15), milk (Judg 4:19), and wine (Josh 9:4, 13). See picture and description of ancient "skin bottle." See also ancient bottles. In the NT akso is used only in Jesus illustrations of new and old wine in Matt. 9:17; Mk. 2:22; Lk. 5:37; Lk. 5:38 Otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined - Luke's version adds "the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined." (Luke 5:37+) Burst (4486)(rhegnumi) means to cause to separate abruptly and in this context meaning to burst from internal fermentation, usually suddenly and with force. Ruined (622)(apollumi from apo = away from or wholly + olethros = state of utter ruin) basically describes that which is no longer usable for its intended purpose. Sadly this word describes every soul who rejects salvation by grace through faith in Christ (cf Mt 10:28 = destroy; Mt 16:25 = will lose; etc). They will NOT be annihilated (contrary to what even some "evangelical" teachers say)! The will exist forever and forever be unable to fulfill the purpose for which they were created which is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever! But they put new (neos) wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved - Luke's version adds a phrase not found in either Matthew or Mark's account - "And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is good enough.’”(Lk 5:39+) NET Note explains "The meaning of the saying new wine into new wineskins is that the presence and teaching of Jesus was something new and signaled the passing of the old. It could not be confined within the old religion of Judaism, but involved the inauguration and consummation of the kingdom of God."

Mateus 9

MacArthur - When as a young man D. L. Moody was called upon to preach a funeral sermon, he began to search the gospels to find one of Jesus’ funeral messages—only to discover that He never preached one. He found instead that Jesus broke up every funeral He attended by raising the dead person back to life. When the dead heard His voice, they immediately came to life. Arthur Brisbane has pictured the funeral of a Christian as a crowd of grieving caterpillars, all wearing black suits. As they crawl along mourning their dead brother and carrying his cocoon to its final resting place, above them flutters an incredibly beautiful butterfly, looking down on them in utter disbelief. Death can strike God’s saints in unexpected, painful, and seemingly senseless ways. Yet He does not promise to give explanations for such tragedies. Instead He gives the wondrous assurance that “he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies” (John 11:25). Matthew 9:27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" NET Matthew 9:27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, shouting, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" GNT Matthew 9:27 Καὶ παράγοντι ἐκεῖθεν τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἠκολούθησαν [αὐτῷ] δύο τυφλοὶ κράζοντες καὶ λέγοντες, Ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς, υἱὸς Δαυίδ. NLT Matthew 9:27 After Jesus left the girl's home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" KJV Matthew 9:27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. ESV Matthew 9:27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, "Have mercy on us, Son of David." NIV Matthew 9:27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" ASV Matthew 9:27 And as Jesus passed by from thence, two blind men followed him, crying out, and saying, Have mercy on us, thou son of David. CSB Matthew 9:27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, shouting, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" NKJ Matthew 9:27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" NRS Matthew 9:27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" YLT Matthew 9:27 And Jesus passing on thence, two blind men followed him, calling and saying, 'Deal kindly with us, Son of David.' two - Mt 11:5 12:22 20:30 Mk 8:22,23 10:46 Lu 7:21 Joh 9:1-12 Son of David! - Mt 12:23 15:22 20:30,31 21:9,15 22:41-45 Mk 10:47,48 11:10 Mk 12:35-37 Lu 18:38-39 20:41 Joh 7:42 Ro 1:3 9:5 have - Mt 17:15 Mk 9:22 Lu 17:13 Related Passages: Isaiah 35:5-6+ Then (WHEN IS "THEN?" CONTEXT STRONGLY SUGGEST THIS IS THE GLORIOUS MESSIANIC KINGDOM) the eyes of the blind will be opened And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. 6 Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. For waters will break forth in the wilderness And streams in the Arabah. Luke 4:18-19+ (JESUS PREACHES IN NAZARETH FULFILLING Isa 61:1-2a+) “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, 19 TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.” Luke 18:38-39+ And he called out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy (aorist imperative - command) on me!” 39 Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (See discussion below on men giving commands to God!) Luke 18:13+ “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful (NIV = Have mercy on me" - a command) to me, the sinner!’ Psalm 51:1+ For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy (command) on me, O God, because of your loyal love! Because of your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts! (Ps 51:1NET) SEEING WITH THE HEART: THE VISION OF THE BLIND As Jesus (Iesous) went on from (parago) there - Jesus had just raised Jairus’ daughter (Mt 9:25) and He moves on wasting none of the valuable time He had left on earth. 🙏 THOUGHT - Jesus is never idle! Jesus' continuous movement is a great example for all His disciples to follow, realizing that "the time has been shortened" (1Cor 7:29+) and "you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." (Jas 4:14+) We need to be intentional and redeem the time for the days are evil (Eph 5:16+)(Have you seen the news in 2025 where they call "evil good and good evil" and "substitute darkness for light and light for darkness" - Isaiah 5:20+ ? Rhetorical!) Two blind (tuphlos) men followed (akoloutheo) Him, crying out (krazo - present tense - continually), "Have mercy (eleeo) on us, Son (huios) of David! (note)" - For background, it is worth nothing that eye problems were common in Christ’s and some have estimated that one out of every five adults was afflicted with some kind of eye disease! Note the paradox that the blind men followed Jesus! How could they do this since they could not see? The text does not make it clear, but one thing is clear and that the presence of Jesus (within earshot) deeply motivated these two blind men. It is certainly an illustration of walking by faith not sight! (2Co 5:7+) Blind people often have excellent hearing and surely they had heard about this Man named Jesus Who had healed many diseases, including blindness. These blind men saw with the "eyes of their heart" what the religious leaders, the Pharisees, could not see with physical vision! 🙏 THOUGHT - If you are spiritually blind (a non-believer) or a believer and your "lamp is flickering low," are you watchful and ready when Jesus passes by? (cf. Lk 19:1–4+) Note the intensity of their prayer. First it was continuous for krazo is in present tense. Second, their prayer was passionate, for krazo means to cry out loudly, even screaming or shouting! Can't you hear them crying out? Finally, their prayer was in the form of a command. Have mercy is an aorist imperative, a command signifying "Do it now!" "Do not delay!" While commands are found in many prayers to God (e.g., Mt 6:11+), it is important to note that these commands (as in the present passage) do not mean to imply the creature has authority of His Creator, but instead convey a sense of dependence on God. Thus these are better seen as pleas, not demands, expressing urgency, intensity or desperation (depending on the context). It is also important to understand that God welcomes bold, fervent prayers (cf Lk 11:9+, Heb 4:16+), like children crying to their Father (Ro 8:15+). Such prayers show that the person takes God at His Word and trusts His promises. Commands are often a way of fervently pleading God's Word back to Him, expressing that person's faith in Him. This phrase became a foundational prayer of the early church (Kyrie eleison) “Lord, have mercy” which acknowledges our helplessness and our hope in one cry! This is a good way to begin our prayers each morning "Lord, have mercy on me!" 🙏 THOUGHT - Do I pray like these two blind men? True faith is not silent. These men did not whisper a request but shouted! Are you willing to cry out to God in desperation and dependence? Psalm 34:6+ says the "poor man cried, and the LORD heard him And saved him out of all his troubles." Take a moment and listen to the passionate cry for mercy sung by Ryan Ellis... O Son of David, have mercy on me My soul is broken, and my eyes can't see Can You hear me callin', callin' out Your name? O Son of David, have mercy on me Have mercy on me I'm blinded and I can't see And I'm broken without Your peace God, I need You To come and set me free, yeah Note also their cry Son of David implies they thought He was the Messiah, as this title was recognized at that time as Messianic (cf 2Sa 7:12–13+). In a Messianic passage in the OT, the coming of the Messiah was associated with restoring sight to the blind, Isaiah 35:5+ recording "Then the eyes of the blind will be opened And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped." Gotquestions.org adds "Jesus was addressed as “Lord, thou son of David” several times by people who, by faith, were seeking mercy or healing. The woman whose daughter was being tormented by a demon (Matthew 15:22) and the two blind men by the wayside (Matthew 20:30) all cried out to the Son of David for help. The titles of honor they gave Him declared their faith in Him. Calling Him “Lord” expressed their sense of His deity, dominion, and power, and calling Him “Son of David,” expressed their faith that He was the Messiah." Jamieson-Fausset-Brown agree writing that "The title which they here give him, shows that they believed him to be the Messiah; for, at this time, it was not only universally understood that the Messiah would be a descendant of David, but 'Son of David' was one of the names then ascribed to him by the Jews." SON OF DAVID - Matt. 1:1; Matt. 1:20; Matt. 9:27; Matt. 12:23; Matt. 15:22; Matt. 20:30; Matt. 20:31; Matt. 21:9; Matt. 21:15; Matt. 22:42; Mk. 10:47; Mk. 10:48; Mk. 12:35; Lk. 3:31; Lk. 18:38; Lk. 18:39 They were of one mind in reference to Jesus, and therefore they went one way, and used one prayer, to one and the same person.

Mateus 9

MacArthur notes that "Cripples have always suffered social stigma and neglect, but in the Jewish culture of Jesus’ day the stigma was made immeasurably worse by the belief of most Jews that all disease and affliction was the direct result of someone’s sin....Though it is true that affliction, pain, and hardship of every sort are the result of the presence of sin in the world, they are not necessarily brought on by some specific sin of the person who is suffering. Not all sickness is chastening, but all sickness is a graphic demonstration of the destructive power at work in the world because of sin. Like his fellow Jews, the paralytic no doubt believed his paralysis was direct punishment for his own sin or that of his parents or grandparents, and that thought must have added immensely to his suffering. In his own mind and in the minds of most of the people who saw him his paralysis was a vivid representation of his own sinfulness and of God’s judgment. That belief gave crippled and diseased people even more reason to shun crowds." (See Matthew Commentary - Page 50) Matthew leaves out several details found in the accounts of the other two evangelists - (1) paralytic was carried by four men (Mk 2:3+), (2) Mark 2:1+ says they were unable to get him in the house (Mk 2:1 "at home") unable to get to Him because of the crowd (cf Lk 5:19). (3) Mark 2:4+ says they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. Lk 5:19 is similar - they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. (4) Lk 5:17+ One day He was teaching; and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing Evans on seeing their faith - Matthew once again condenses Mark’s version of the story. However, in omitting mention of the digging through the roof and the lowering of the paralyzed man on a pallet (along with the omission of other details, such as how crowded room the room was; Mark 2:1–4), the Matthean evangelist has left his readers wondering what Jesus saw when he is said to be seeing their faith. Because we have Mark’s fuller version, we know. (See The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: Matthew - allows access to all notes on Sermon on the Mount) Seeing their faith (pistis) (Mk 2:5+, Lk 5:20+) - This phrase is surely important as it is found in all three synoptic accounts. NET says "The plural pronoun their makes it clear that Jesus was responding to the faith of the entire group, not just the paralyzed man." As an aside you do not bring people to Christ, if you do not have faith in Christ. How tragic that so many who have faith in Christ fail to bring their "spiritually paralyzed" friends to Him! (cf 2 Cor 6:2b+) What Jesus saw was their effort, their determination, the inconvenience, their sacrifice, their refusal to be deterred, the love of friends and the trust that Jesus alone could help. In short, Jesus saw their faith in their actions (James 2:18+). 🙏 THOUGHT - THESE 4 HAD VICARIOUS FAITH (SEE ADDITIONAL NOTE) -- BUT WHAT IS VICARIOUS FAITH? Obviously we as believers cannot take others to Heaven with us based solely on our faith. Each soul must express his or her own personal faith in Jesus? So what is vicarious faith as seen in these 4 men whose faith resulted in another man being brought to Jesus? Simply this -- they believed Jesus could heal their paralyzed friend if they could get him to Jesus. How is this vicarious faith manifested today? When we pray for others to believe in Jesus is that not vicarious faith. I prayed for my 2 youngest children for 20 years before they surrendered to Jesus! My father prayed for me for 20 years before I believed! A B Bruce (source) writing on the VICARIOUS FAITH portrayed in this story recorded in all three synoptic Gospels (Mt 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12+, Lk 5:17-26+) says "We have here a distinct recognition of the value of intercessory prayer, or, if I may so express myself, of VICARIOUS FAITH. God, we learn therefore, hears prayers of believing men offered up not for themselves but for others. (1) This doctrine is Scriptural. Abraham, Moses, &c. (2). This doctrine is reasonable. It can give a good account of itself before the bar of philosophy. It is a wise, God-worthy policy to encourage men to pray, live, and even die for one another, in the assurance that they pray not, live not, die not in vain. (3). The duty arising out of the foregoing doctrine is plain. It is without ceasing to desire and to pray for the well-being, spiritual and temporal, of all men, specially of those whose case Providence brings closest home to us. (Read the following passages and see if you can discern the principle of "vicarious faith." - Mk 5:25-34; Mk 7:24-30; Mk 10:46-52; Mt 8:5-13. And then practice "VICARIOUS FAITH." G Campbell Morgan on “Jesus seeing their faith.” That is the statement which first arrests attention on reading the story. Details are not given here, beyond that of the faith with which these men came. (Mark) tells us that they broke up the roof, and let the sick man down into the midst. The fact here standing out is, that “He saw their faith.” There has been a good deal of speculation as to whose faith is referred to, but of one thing we may be perfectly sure, it was not only the faith of the men who brought him. “Their faith” demands some other interpretation; it demands the faith of the man, as well as the faith of the men who brought him, because Christ said to him, “Thy sins be forgiven thee.” It would appear that our Lord saw that in his heart there was a desire for something deeper than physical healing; and that he was conscious that physical disability was the result of his own sin; and therefore with a great tenderness, in words thrilling with the music of the evangel He had come to create, He said to him, in effect: “Be of good cheer I am able to deal with the deepest matter; thy sins are forgiven.” That word was a response to faith. And yet, while we believe there was faith in the heart of the man himself, we must not miss the important fact here that there is such a thing as VICARIOUS FAITH. It is possible to help a man’s faith. “Jesus seeing their faith.” Jesus goes straight to the real paralysis — sin. Jesus said to the paralytic (paralutikos) Take courage (tharseo), son (teknon); your sins (hamartia) are forgiven (aphiemi) - The NAS says Take courage but I like the KJV "be of good cheer" because nothing brings so much "good cheer" as knowing one's sins are forgiven (cf David's "good cheer" in Ps 32:1-5). Notice Jesus calls him "Son" which is the Greek teknon, a word which speaks not only of Jesus authority (it was often used of a parent and child) but especially of his tenderness towards the paralyzed man. Healing of the soul precedes healing of the body! The former is eternal, the latter only temporal (although when we are glorified our new body will be eternal!) As an aside have you noticed how quick people are to request prayers for physical healing (and there is nothing wrong with that) but seldom request prayer for spiritual healing! Survey Paul's prayers for the churches and you will see they almost always deal with the spiritual rather than the physical (cf Col 1:9-12+, Eph 1:16-19+). What would happen in our churches if we prayed more like Paul? Just wondering! Here Jesus calls him son as in Mark 2:5+. Luke 5:20+ says Friend (NAS, NET, NIV) but it is literally "man" (anthropos). It is also notable that this is also the first time sins (hamartia) is uttered by Jesus and He says sins in the plural which is the essence of His Name. Matthew 1:21 records the angel's words to Joseph that Mary "will bear a Son; and you shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins (PLURAL).” Note Jesus is not saying "God has forgiven" but Jesus presents Himself at that very moment as the One Who is carrying out the forgiveness of the paralytic's sins, in effect sending them away, just as foreshadowed in the scapegoat being sent into the wilderness on the Day of Atonement in Lev 16:10+ (where "send" in Septuagint = aphiemi!). Jesus' words are forgiven is in the present tense, which A T

Mateus 9

MacArthur explains that "Blasphemy was the most heinous crime in Jewish thought, since it was a direct affront to the person of God. They defined three levels of blasphemy. First, one blasphemed God by speaking evil of His law, as Stephen (Acts 6:13) and Paul (Acts 21:27–28) were falsely accused of doing. A more serious form of blasphemy was to slander, speak evil of, or curse God Himself (Lev. 24:10–16; cf. Ex. 20:7). But the ultimate form of blasphemy was to assume the rights and prerogatives of God; to usurp the role of God and act as if one were God. It was this third and most severe type of blasphemy that the scribes and Pharisees accused Jesus of (cf. John 5:18; 8:58–59; 10:33; 19:7)." (Luke Commentary) Blasphemy was a frequent charge leveled against Jesus (Mk 14:64; Jn 5:18; 10:33, 36) and would eventually become the basis of Jesus’ conviction and crucifixion. Jesus would repeat this “crime” of declaring "Your sins are forgiven" in Luke 7:48–49+ (as He was dining with one of the Pharisees). Johann Bengel adds that "Blasphemy is committed when (1.) things unworthy of God are attributed to Him; (2.) things worthy of God are denied to Him; (3.) when the incommunicable attributes of God are attributed to others."

Mateus 9

MacArthur adds that "The scribes and Pharisees knew well the Old Testament predictions that miraculous healings would accompany the Messiah when He came to earth, and the Son of Man (the title of His humiliation) was now about to give them a special, front-row view of one of those miracles....Many individuals and groups through the centuries have claimed the power to absolve sins, but they have had no proof. Any pretender can utter the words, “Your sins are forgiven,” but only God’s divine power can both tell a paralytic to walk and then make it happen." (Ibid) As Bock says "If the paralytic walks, the miracle talks about the Son of Man’s authority to forgive sin. If the Son of Man possesses such unique authority, then who is the Son of Man other than God’s unique agent of salvation? That is the question that the miracle raises." (And in effect answers for any who had eyes to see and ears to hear spiritual truth!) Authority (1849)(exousia) in simple terms means Jesus has both the right to do this and the might to accomplish it (the power to send the man's sins away)! Jesus had the privilege, the permission and the power! Authority is repeated in Mt 9:8 of the crowds but as discussed not in recognition of Jesus' authority as God. And recall at the end of the Sermon on the Mount the people recognized " He was teaching them as one having authority (exousia, and not as their scribes." (Mt 7:29+). The truth of Jesus' authority (exousia) is an important theme in Matthew's Gospel until the very end - see his uses in Matt. 7:29; Matt. 8:9; Matt. 9:6; Matt. 9:8; Matt. 10:1; Matt. 21:23; Matt. 21:24; Matt. 21:27; Matt. 28:18 Then He said to the paralytic (paralutikos) get up (egeiro), pick up (airo) your bed and go (hupago) home - Pick up or "Pack up at once (aorist imperative) the rolled-up pallet." (Robertson Matthew 9 Commentary) You can just imagine the tension in the room in this mili-second moment! The Cure Read: Mark 2:1-12 The Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins. —Mark 2:10 A man with a nagging cough tried all the over-the-counter remedies he could find, but none worked. Finally he went to a doctor, who quickly discovered that he was suffering from pneumonia. The man was trying to ease the symptoms when what he needed was a cure. The doctor treated the deeper, more serious problem and in a short time the cough was gone. When Jesus was in Capernaum, a large crowd came to the home where He was staying (Mk. 2:1-2). As He was teaching, some men made an opening in the roof and lowered a paralyzed man on a mat. Jesus initially responded not by healing the man but by saying, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (v.5). The deepest need of the man was not physical but spiritual. Then, to show His authority to forgive, Jesus healed the man and sent him on his way—not only with legs that moved but with a heart that was forgiven (v.12). The Great Physician holds the cure That kills the virus of our sin; It's by His own atoning blood That we're made whole and pure within. —DJD Sin is the disease, Christ is the cure. Actions Speak Louder My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. — Today's Scripture: Matthew 9:1-8 Irritated with a young athlete who had accomplished little yet boasted about his ability, a TV commentator said, “Don’t tell me what you’re going to do—tell me what you’ve done!” Actions speak louder than words. This principle is seen in Jesus’ life. In Matthew 9, a paralytic was brought to Him. Jesus’ response? “Your sins are forgiven.” When the religious leaders objected, He raised the question of the hour: “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’?” (v.5). The answer is obvious. To say He had forgiven the man’s sins was simple, because it couldn’t be proven or disproven. But, to say “Arise and walk” was different. It was instantly verifiable. So, to prove His authority to forgive sins, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house” (v.6). And he did! Reflect & Pray I’d rather see a Christian Than to hear one merely talk, I’d rather see his actions And behold his daily walk. --Herrell Our works and words should say the same thing. Matthew 9:7 And he got up and went home. IMMEDIATE OBEDIENCE And he got up (egeiro) and went home - He had a much easier time getting out of the house than entering! One can picture the awestruck crowd parting like the sea! The physical confirms spiritual. And yet this is about as matter of fact a statement as you will ever read, but it marks without a doubt the fact that God had come to earth in the form of the Messiah (for those who had eyes to see it)! And He has the authority to forgive sins! Luke 5:25+ adds that he "picked up what he had been lying on and went home glorifying God." Mark 2:12+ has that "he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone." Jesus' point is brought home in full force -- If His declaration to be healed proved true, would not His words about forgiveness also prove true? One can only imagine what evil (and confused) thoughts were going through the minds of the religious leaders in light of this miraculous healing! John Butler - The proof of the Deity of Christ was in the healing of the man. It was irrefutable proof, for the critics could not deny the miracle. The miracle manifested the forgiveness of the man's sins. But the critics still did not believe in Christ. Evidence does not always end unbelief. Evidence shames unbelief but does not always stop unbelief. That shows how belligerent unbelief really is. (Analytical Bible Expositor – Matthew) All Rise Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house. —Mark 2:11 Today's Scripture: Mark 2:1-12 When I asked my husband to buy eggs on his way home so I could make cornbread for supper, he said, “I’ve got something better than cornbread.” Coming from Jay, that was a surprising statement. But I learned what he meant when he walked into the house and handed me a fresh loaf of homemade cinnamon bread. A label on the wrapper said, “Thanks for the dough. We kneaded it.” The bread was made by Sue Kehr and given as a “thank you” for a donation to a youth organization. Sue started making bread after she had to quit her job as a nurse because of a head injury. Instead of letting circumstances pull her down when she could no longer help people in her usual ways, Sue rose to the challenge and created a unique expression of gratitude. She now makes and gives away delicious homemade bread to ministries that can then distribute the loaves to others. Although Sue did not receive complete physical healing like the paralytic Jesus healed (Mark 2), she did rise up and cause many to be amazed at the work of God in her life. Reflect & Pray When God asks you to lay aside Some cherished work you loved to do, Accept His choice of someone else And let Him give new work to you. —Fasick Step up to the tasks and do what God asks. Matthew 9:8 But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men. NET Matthew 9:8 When the crowd saw this, they were afraid and honored God who had given such authority to men. GNT Matthew 9:8 ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ὄχλοι ἐφοβήθησαν καὶ ἐδόξασαν τὸν θεὸν τὸν δόντα ἐξουσίαν τοιαύτην τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. NLT Matthew 9:8 Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for sending a man with such great authority. KJV Matthew 9:8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men. ESV Matthew 9:8 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men. NIV Matthew 9:8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men. ASV Matthew 9:8 But when the multitudes saw it, they were afraid, and glorified God, who had given such authority unto men. CSB Matthew 9:8 When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck and gave glory to God who had given such authority to men. when - Mt 12:23 15:31 Mk 2:12 7:37 Lu 5:26 7:16 and - Mt 15:31 Lu 5:25 17:15 23:47 Ac 4:21 Ga 1:24 AWESTRUCK BY AN AWESOME GOD But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck - Saw this begs the question saw what? Undoubtedly everything that had transpired in Mt 9:2-7. To this point only the scribes had been mentioned but we know there were crowds because the men had to come in through the roof not the crowded front door. Matthew says when they saw this, indicating they were not focusing on what they had heard Jesus say (your sins are forgiven) but on what they could see. Simply stated, by focusing on the man's healing, and making no mention of his forgiven state, they missed the greater work. Awestruck is phobeo which means they were filled with fear, not cringing fright, but reverential awe, but not enough to truly fear God, for such fear is the beginning of wisdom! As Solomon said "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction." These crowds would be in the latter category of fools because they missed the truth of what Jesus was trying to convey. Awestruck (5399)(phobeo from phobos = fear source of our English "phobia") means to be in an apprehensive state that can range from mild uneasiness to stark terror as when one is frightened, terrified or alarmed. (Mt 10:31). Phobeo can be a fear of man (Lk 20:19, Mt 2:22, Mt 21:26, 46) as when Peter feared "the party of the circumcision" (Gal 2:12) which motivated him "to withdraw and hold himself aloof." The most common use of phobeo in the New Testament represents reverential awe, not cringing fright and thus expresses the feeling of a person who is in the presence of someone infinitely superior. Phobeo in Matthew - Matt. 1:20; Matt. 2:22; Matt. 9:8; Matt. 10:26; Matt. 10:28; Matt. 10:31; Matt. 14:5; Matt. 14:27; Matt. 14:30; Matt. 17:6; Matt. 17:7; Matt. 21:26; Matt. 21:46; Matt. 25:25; Matt. 27:54; Matt. 28:5; Matt. 28:10; Notice that Matthew has the reaction of the crowds, whereas whereas Mark 2:12+ says "they were ALL amazed and were glorifying God." Luke 5:26+ says "they were ALL struck with astonishment and [began] glorifying God." The use of "ALL" in the other synoptic accounts at least suggests that some of the religious leaders joined in with this reaction. Compare the fact that Matthew earlier had said "SOME of the scribes" (Mt 9:3) but does not say ALL, which would also support that some of the scribes may have joined the amazed crowd in glorifying God. Interesting! TECHNICAL NOTE: Some manuscripts have thaumazo (thus KJV = "marvelled") instead of phobeo, but the NET Note says the reading of phobeo is "surely authentic." And glorified (doxazo) God, Who had given such authority (exousia) to men - Note the phrase authority to men indicates they viewed Jesus as a mere man who was given authority by God but they did not recognize or acknowledge Him as God. They missed the graphic lesson completely and failed to understand the linkage of Deity regarding physical and spiritual healing (forgiveness). As one writer says "The unmistakable divine character of Jesus in the Gospel does not yet entail the direct equation of Jesus and God." (Word Biblical Commentary – Matthew) Compare the crowd's reaction with the dinner guests in Luke 7:49+ "Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?”" Butler writes "That they "glorified" God simply means they believed it was Divine power that worked the healing. Because of the later rejection of Christ by the people, this reaction of the people to the miracle does not indicate they were converted, only that they were amazed. They were moved emotionally but not spiritually." (Ibid) Amazing! All were amazed and glorified God. —Mark 2:12 Today's Scripture: Mark 2:1-12 When Jesus healed a paralytic as proof of His authority to forgive the man’s sins, the people who witnessed the event were amazed, and they “glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this!'” (Mark 2:12). More than a dozen times in the gospel of Mark, we read accounts of people reacting in a similar way to the words and works of Jesus. The word translated as “amazed” or “astonished” carries the meaning of “being thrown into a state of surprise or fear, or both.” We may sometimes feel that way when we encounter Jesus Christ as we read God’s Word. Like the disciples, we may be amazed when we read of Jesus saying, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (10:23). So often we think that having lots of money would solve all our problems. Those who saw a man delivered from a legion of demons reacted with amazement (5:20). But why? Did they think he was beyond God’s power to save? Do we feel the same way when God saves certain people? Reflect & Pray I bow, O Lord, before Your throne In awed humility When I reflect on who You are And all You've done for me. —Sper Never measure God's unlimited power by your limited expectations. Matthew 9:9 As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector's booth; and He said to him, "Follow Me!" And he got up and followed Him NET Matthew 9:9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. "Follow me," he said to him. And he got up and followed him. GNT Matthew 9:9 Καὶ παράγων ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκεῖθεν εἶδεν ἄνθρωπον καθήμενον ἐπὶ τὸ τελώνιον, Μαθθαῖον λεγόμενον, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Ἀκολούθει μοι. καὶ ἀναστὰς ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ. NLT Matthew 9:9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector's booth. "Follow me and be my disciple," Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. KJV 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. ESV Matthew 9:9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. NIV Matthew 9:9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. ASV Matthew 9:9 And as Jesus passed by from thence, he saw a man, called Matthew, sitting at the place of toll: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. CSB Matthew 9:9 As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me!" So he got up and followed Him. NKJ Matthew 9:9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him. NRS Matthew 9:9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. YLT Matthew 9:9 And Jesus passing by thence, saw a man sitting at the tax-office, named Matthew, and saith to him, 'Be following me,' and he, having risen, did follow him. called Matthew - Mt 21:31,32 Mk 2:14-17 Lu 5:27,28, Levi, Lu 15:1,2 19:2-10 Follow - Mt 4:18-22 1Ki 19:19-21 Ga 1:16 Parallel Passages: Mark 2:13+ And He went out again by the seashore; and all the people were coming (GRAPHIC IMPERFECT = THEY KEPT COMING, ONE CAN SEE THE CROWD SWELLING) to Him, and He was teaching (ALSO GRAPHIC IMPERFECT) them. 14 As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him. Luke 5:27-28+ After that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me.” 28 And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him. MATTHEW SITTING COLLECTING TAXES As Jesus went on from there- Mark 2:13+ adds some additional detail that Jesus "went out again by the seashore; and all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them." Background - The messianic Jewish writer Alfred Edersheim has an interesting note on the call of Matthew - It is in the light of what we have just learned concerning the Rabbinic views of forgiveness and repentance that the call of Levi-Matthew must be read, if we would perceive its full meaning (Here is what Edersheim wrote as background for the call of Levi-Matthew). There is no need to suppose that it took place immediately on the cure of the paralytic. On the contrary, the more circumstantial account of St. Mark implies, that some time had intervened. If our suggestion be correct, that it was winter when the paralytic was healed at Capernaum, we may suppose it to have been the early spring-time of that favoured district, when Jesus ‘went forth again by the seaside.’ And with this, as we shall see, best agrees the succession of after-events. (Life and Times of the Messiah) MacArthur - Edersheim states that there were two categories of publicani. The first, whom the Jews called gabbai, collected general taxes, which included those on land and other property, those on income, and those referred to as poll, or registration, taxes. The basic land tax (the amount paid to Rome) was a tenth of one’s grain and a fifth of one’s fruit and wine. Income tax amounted to one percent of one’s earnings, and the amount of the poll tax varied. The second type of tax collector was called a mokhes, who collected a wide variety of use taxes—taxes similar to our import duties, tollway fees, boat docking fees, business license fees, and the like. The mokhes had almost unlimited latitude in their taxing powers and could attach a tax to virtually any article or activity. They could, for instance, levy a tax on a person’s boat, on the fish he caught with it, and on the dock where he unloaded it. They could tax a traveler’s donkey, his slaves and servants, and his goods. They had authority to open private letters to see if a taxable business of some sort might be related to the correspondence. There were two kinds of mokhes. One kind, called the great mokhes, hired other men to collect taxes for them and, by virtue of partial anonymity, protected at least some of their reputation among their fellow countrymen. The other kind, called small mokhes, did their own assessing and collecting and therefore were in constant contact with members of the community as well as with all travelers who passed their way. The gabbai were despised, the great mokhes were more despised, and the small mokhes were despised most. Matthew was obviously a small mokhes, because he himself was sitting in the tax office as Jesus passed through the outskirts of Capernaum. (Matthew Commentary) He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector's booth - Matthew uses horao for saw, but Luke uses a more descriptive word theaomai (from tháomai = to wonder, English = theatrical) which describes an intelligent beholding, a "careful and deliberate vision which interprets its object" and thus means that Jesus had an attentive, contemplative look implying that one is impressed by what he saw (e.g., use in Mt 22:11). Interestingly, Matthew (means "gift of God") does not give his name Levi here but both Mark 2:14+ and Lk 5:27+ have Levi in place of Matthew and Mark adds that he is the son of Alphaeus. Do not be confused for Matthew 10:3 mentions another disciple who was a son of Alphaeus, the disciple James, often called James the Less to distinguish him from James the brother of John. While Matthew does not specifically state that he was a tax collector clearly that would be the implication if he was sitting in a tax collector's booth. Lk 5:27+ leaves no doubt writing that Jesus "noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax booth." Someone has said that Matthew's account (he could have written "Jesus saw me") reflects his humility and authenticity in that he did not attempt to hide his past heinous occupation or make excuses for what he had done. In support of this thought is that even in the list of disciples in Mt 10:3 Matthew designates himself as "Matthew the tax collector!" And frankly who he HAD BEEN presents a striking testimony to the power of the Gospel of Jesus Who made him who he NOW WAS! As an aside it is good to be ready to tell others our "before/after" testimony, of course not giving defiling detail of our prior sins, but focusing on the divine deliverance from them! (My personal testimony to God's grace) Matthew is the name that Levi went by after becoming a disciple of Jesus (cf Mk 3:18+, Lk 6:15+). Two names were common in Jesus' day, one Jewish and one Greek, usually given at birth and so he was named Matthew Levi (however the name Levi does not suggest he was of the tribe of Levi). Notice that just as God had called Moses while he was tending his flock (Ex 3:1), so Jesus called Levi while he was at his regular occupation. 🙏 THOUGHT - Jesus calls men where they are. He called Peter, James and John while they were carrying on a successful fishing business and "they left everything and followed Him" (Lk 5:8+, cf Mt 4:18-20+). He called Martyn Lloyd-Jones as a medical doctor. You may be in business or some other professional occupation, so here is the question - if Jesus calls you, will you respond and follow His call? It might be a call to the mission field, to the pulpit or to some other place of strategic ministry. You might have a successful occupation in the world's eyes, but your "success" here will pale in comparison to the "success" you experience eternally because you were faithful to heed the Master's call! Dear reader, may God's Spirit give you ears to hear the Master's call. Amen Robertson on the tax collector's booth - The tax-office or custom-house of Capernaum placed here (sitting at the toll-gate on the Great West Road from Damascus to the Mediterranean) to collect taxes from the boats going across the lake outside of Herod’s territory or from people going from Damascus to the coast, a regular caravan route. They were detested because they practised graft. Even Gabinius the proconsul of Syria was accused by Cicero of relieving Syrians and Jews of legitimate taxes for graft. He ordered some of the tax-officers removed. Already Jesus had spoken of the publican (Mt 5:46) in a way that shows the public disfavour in which they were held...He was a publican (telōnēs]) who collected toll for Herod Antipas. The Jews hated or despised these publicans and classed them with sinners. (As Spurgeon so aptly phrases it Matthew "“was at this time busy taking, but he was called to a work that was essentially giving.”) Lane observes that "“When a Jew entered the customs service he was regarded as an outcast from society: he was disqualified as a judge or a witness in a court session, was excommunicated from the synagogue, and in the eyes of the community his disgrace extended to his family.” (Commentary on Mark) MATTHEW CALLED BY JESUS Follow Me is not a suggestion and not even an "invitation" per se (invitations usually don't come as commands!), but is actually a command in the present imperative. Follow Me and keep on following Me as a way of life, with the implication of doing so for the rest of your life. Given that our fallen human flesh does not seek after God, one has to propose that in some way the Holy Spirit was actively working in Matthew's heart to give him both the desire and the power to leave everything and follow Jesus. See discussion of the Need for the Holy Spirit to obey NT commands. As J I Packer said "Sinners cannot obey the gospel, any more than the law, without renewal of heart." And He said to him, "Follow Me!" - Can you imagine the shock on the faces of the other disciples at Jesus' command to a notorious tax collector? The parallel passage in Luke 5:28+ adds a significant detail that Levi (Matthew) "left (kataleipo = totally abandoned!) everything (How much? Greek = pas = no exceptions!) behind and rose and began to follow Him." "Matthew was probably very wealthy—tax collecting was a lucrative occupation; so when Matthew walked away from his booth, he snubbed Rome and a lifetime of potentially great wealth. Several of the other disciples could always return to fishing, but Matthew could never turn back....Levi, who left behind a material fortune in order to gain a spiritual fortune!" (Barton) Matthew's omission of mentioning the cost to himself underscores his modesty and humility. It would have been so tempting to say "Look what I gave up to follow Jesus!" In fact, in the very Gospel Matthew penned, he never records that he personally says anything (the only other disciples who never speak are James the Less and Simon the Zealot)! Matthew let's his light shine in his Gospel recorded in the New Testament! 🙏 THOUGHT - In truth, when we get a proper perspective on what we have forsaken or left behind in this temporal world and what we have eternally gained in Jesus, we realize there is simply no comparison when we have come to know the One "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Col 2:3+) Matthew left earthly treasures for the eternal treasures in Christ and gained an "inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven." (1 Pe 1:4+) And frankly, it simply does not get any better! Barton observes that "Following upon the discussion of Jesus’ ability to forgive sins (Mt 9:1–8), this episode dramatically demonstrated the range of sinners that Jesus could and would forgive." (LAC) As a despised tax collector Matthew would have fully understood Jesus' words that "the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Lk 19:10+) GET UP AND GO When Jesus called Matthew to be one of his disciples, Matthew got up and followed, leaving a promising career and a wealthy lifestyle. When God calls you to follow or obey him, do you do it with as much abandon as Matthew did? Sometimes the decision to follow Christ requires difficult or painful choices. Like Matthew, we must decide to leave behind those things that would keep us from following Christ. (Bruce Barton - Life Application Commentary) This call recalls the previous call of four other disciples in Mt 4:18–22+ who "Immediately left their nets and followed Him!" It is worth noting that that Jesus' call of Levi was slightly different than that of Peter, James and John in Luke 5:10-11+ for here in Matthew Jesus makes no mention of a promise as He did to the other disciples “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” Matthew was willing give up everything and go even without this promise! One is reminded of Jesus' words in Mark 8:34-38+ And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself (MATTHEW CERTAINLY DID AS DID PETER, ANDREW, JAMES AND JOHN), and take up his cross and follow (akoloutheo) Me. 35 “For (TERM OF EXPLANATION) whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 “For (TERM OF EXPLANATION) what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37 “For (TERM OF EXPLANATION) what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 “For (TERM OF EXPLANATION) whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” Follow (NLT paraphrases it "Follow me and be my disciple")(190)(akoloutheo from a = expresses union with, likeness + keleuthos = a road, way) means to walk the same road (Ponder that simple definition dear believer - Am I willing to walk the same road as Jesus?) Literally to follow (like the crowds followed Jesus BUT they were not truly committed to him. E.g., see Jn 6:66) and in a figurative sense to follow Jesus as a disciple. Akoloutheo in Matthew - Matt. 4:20; Matt. 4:22; Matt. 4:25; Matt. 8:1; Matt. 8:10; Matt. 8:19; Matt. 8:22; Matt. 8:23; Matt. 9:9; Matt. 9:19; Matt. 9:27; Matt. 10:38; Matt. 12:15; Matt. 14:13; Matt. 16:24; Matt. 19:2; Matt. 19:21; Matt. 19:27; Matt. 19:28; Matt. 20:29; Matt. 20:34; Matt. 21:9; Matt. 26:58; Matt. 27:55 MATTHEW FOLLOWED JESUS And he got up and followed Him - Edersheim that Matthew, “said not a word, for his soul was in the speechless surprise of unexpected grace." None of the synoptic accounts record even a suggestion of hesitation or things like "I will pray about that Jesus." While we should always bathe our life decisions (big and small) in prayer, there are times when the will of God is so clear that there is little question about how we should respond. Whether Jesus and Matthew had previous personal contact is not clear, but undoubtedly Matthew was not ignorant of this miracle Worker Who had made Capernaum His home base.

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MacArthur adds "Because of his position as an agent of Rome, he knew that once he forsook his post he would never be able to return to it. He knew the cost and willingly paid it. Of all the disciples, Matthew doubtlessly made the greatest sacrifice of material possessions; yet he himself makes no mention of it. He felt with Paul that “whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ” (Phil. 3:7). When a person is truly converted, he cannot leave his old life fast enough. His old habits, standards, and practices no longer appeal to him and he gladly longs to leave them behind.”" (Ibid)

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MacArthur comments that "Their “ministry” was not to help but to judge, not to restore but to condemn. They wanted no part of a Man who, contrarily, condemned their self-righteousness and offered forgiveness to obvious sinners." Disciples (3101)(mathetes from manthano = to learn which Vine says is "from a root math, indicating thought accompanied by endeavor". English = "mathematics"; cf matheteuo - make disciples) describes a person who learns from another by instruction, whether formal or informal. Discipleship includes the idea of one who intentionally learns by inquiry and observation (cf inductive Bible study) and thus mathetes is more than a mere pupil. A mathetes describes an adherent of a teacher. As followers of Jesus we are to be, first of all, learners. We are to learn from Him by listening to Him, learn the truth that will set us free (John 8:32) and keep us from error. But we are also to learn from Him by looking at Him‑ learn how to live a life of beauty and blessing. Matthew's uses of disciple - Matt. 5:1; Matt. 8:21; Matt. 8:23; Matt. 9:10; Matt. 9:11; Matt. 9:14; Matt. 9:19; Matt. 9:37; Matt. 10:1; Matt. 10:24; Matt. 10:25; Matt. 10:42; Matt. 11:1; Matt. 11:2; Matt. 12:1; Matt. 12:2; Matt. 12:49; Matt. 13:10; Matt. 13:36; Matt. 14:12; Matt. 14:15; Matt. 14:19; Matt. 14:22; Matt. 14:26; Matt. 15:2; Matt. 15:12; Matt. 15:23; Matt. 15:32; Matt. 15:33; Matt. 15:36; Matt. 16:5; Matt. 16:13; Matt. 16:20; Matt. 16:21; Matt. 16:24; Matt. 17:6; Matt. 17:10; Matt. 17:13; Matt. 17:16; Matt. 17:19; Matt. 18:1; Matt. 19:10; Matt. 19:13; Matt. 19:23; Matt. 19:25; Matt. 21:1; Matt. 21:6; Matt. 21:20; Matt. 22:16; Matt. 23:1; Matt. 24:1; Matt. 24:3; Matt. 26:1; Matt. 26:8; Matt. 26:17; Matt. 26:18; Matt. 26:19; Matt. 26:20; Matt. 26:26; Matt. 26:35; Matt. 26:36; Matt. 26:40; Matt. 26:45; Matt. 26:56; Matt. 27:64; Matt. 28:7; Matt. 28:8; Matt. 28:13; Matt. 28:16 Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners? - Here is the crux of the criticism - Jesus is the friend of sinners! NLT is quite vivid paraphrasing it as "Why does your teacher eat with such scum?" Eating in the present tense by which they are implying this was Jesus regular routine (and in fact it was).

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MacArthur explains the last phrase wisdom is vindicated by her deeds noting that "Corrupt human wisdom produces corrupt human deeds, such as the false accusations against John and Jesus. On the other hand, the righteous, divinely empowered wisdom of John and Jesus produced righteous deeds that resulted in repentance, forgiven sin, and redeemed lives." (Ibid) Teacher (1320)(didaskalos from didasko = teach to shape will of one being taught by content of what is taught <> cp didaskalía) is one who provides instruction or systematically imparts truth. The teacher teaches in such a way as to shape will of one being taught by content of what is taught. Someone has said that "The great teacher is the one who turns our ears into eyes so that we can see the truth." Henry Brooks added that "A (Bible) teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." Richards observes that "Jesus’ teaching focused on shaping the hearers’ perception of God and God’s kingdom, and thus it dealt with the implications of a personal relationship with God. In John’s Gospel, much of Jesus’ public instruction focused on himself and his own place as Son of God." Tax collectors (publicans) (5057)(telones from telos = tax + onéomai = to buy) means a reaper of the taxes or customs, tax-collector, one who pays to the government a certain sum for the privilege of collecting the taxes and customs of a district. The public revenues of the Greeks and Romans were usually farmed out. Among the latter, the purchasers were chiefly of the equestrian order and were distinguished as being of a higher class because they rode horses, or they were at least persons of wealth and rank like Zacchaeus who is called the chief tax collector (architelones in Lu 19:2). These farmers also had subcontractors or employed agents who collected the taxes and customs at the gates of cities, in seaports, on public ways and bridges. These, too, were called telomnai (pl.), publicans, or eklégontes (n.f.), (ek = out of, + légo = in its original sense meaning to collect), those who collected out of the people. Such publicans in countries subject to the Roman Empire were the objects of hatred and detestation so that none but persons of worthless character were likely to be found in this employment.“The publicani were tax-gatherers, and were so called because they dealt with public money and with public funds.” (Barclay) John

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MacArthur says "Those who claimed to be well proved themselves to be sickest of all!"

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MacArthur comments "Without compassion, all the rituals, ceremonies, and sacrifices of the Pharisees were unacceptable to God. Without compassion they proved themselves to be more ungodly even than the despised tax-gatherers and sinners, who made no pretense of godliness....God had divinely instituted the sacrificial system, and when the prescribed offerings were made to Him in a spirit of humility, penitence, and reverence, they were pleasing to Him. But when offered insincerely and in a spirit of self-righteousness and self-satisfaction, they became instead an abomination. The rituals and ceremonies were only as valid as the contriteness of the worshiper. And the person who sacrificed to God in genuine reverence would serve his fellow man in genuine compassion. Conversely, the person who is cold toward other people proves he is also cold toward God, no matter how orthodox his theology and how impeccable his external moral standards. The person who sees obvious sinners as those only to be condemned proves himself to be a greater sinner than they. Those who are furthest from giving mercy are furthest from receiving it (see Matt. 6:15; 18:23–35).God is never pleased with religious routine and activity that does not come from sincere love of Him and of other people. Ritual separated from righteousness is a sham and an affront to God." (See Matthew Commentary - Page 65) I desire (Want, Will, Wish) (2309)(thelo) is a very common NT verb which primarily refers to exercising of one's will with the underlying sense of doing so from a motive of desire. Compassion (1656)(eleos) is the outward manifestation of pity and assumes need on the part of those who are recipients of the mercy and sufficient resources to meet the need on the part of those who show it (which the Pharisees did not do!) The idea of mercy is to show kindness or concern for someone in serious need, to give help to the wretched, to relieve the miserable. The essential thought is that mercy gives attention to those in misery.

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MacArthur - The person who is sinful but thinks he is righteous shuts himself out from God’s mercy, because he refuses to acknowledge his need of it. He rejects Jesus’ call to salvation because he rejects the idea of his lostness....Jesus did not come to call the self-righteous to salvation for the same reason He did not call the Pharisees to recline with Him at the dinner in Matthew’s house. They were too good in their own eyes to condescend to such humiliation. And because they would not identify themselves with fellow sinners, they could not be identified with Christ, who offers salvation only to sinners who willingly acknowledge they are sinners....The scribes and Pharisees had badly misunderstood God’s purpose in giving the law. He did not give the law as a means of achieving self-righteousness, but to provoke self-condemnation, awareness of sin, conviction, repentance, and pleading to God for mercy (Read 1 Ti 1:9,10). (See Matthew Commentary - Page 66) Call (invite, name, summon) (2564)(kaleo from root kal-, whence English “call” and “clamour”) literally means to speak to another in order to attract their attention or to them bring nearer, either physically or in a personal relationship. Kaleo was often used of inviting a guest to one’s home for food and lodging. In this context the call is not given to those who consider themselves worthy but to those who recognize they are in desperate need, to them the invitation to salvation is extended. Righteous (1342)(dikaios from dike = right, just) defines that which is in accordance with high standards of rectitude. It is that which is in right relation to another and so in reference to persons defines the one who is morally and ethically righteous, upright or just. In this context Jesus uses it to refer to self-righteous and thus falling short of God's demand for perfect righteousness found only by believing in the Righteous One, Jesus Christ. MacArthur gives an excellent summary of this section...The kingdom of God is for the spiritually sick who want to be healed, the spiritually corrupt who want to be cleansed, the spiritually poor who want to be rich, the spiritually hungry who want to be fed, the spiritually dead who want to be made alive. It is for ungodly outcasts who long to become God’s own beloved children. QUESTION - What is the meaning of “I desire mercy and not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13)? GOTQUESTIONS.ORG ANSWER - When Jesus called Matthew to become a disciple (Matthew 9:9–13), the Pharisees were scandalized. Matthew, an unscrupulous tax collector, had been part of the corrupt Roman system that cheated and oppressed its citizens. The Jews passionately hated tax collectors, classifying them among the worst of sinners. When the Pharisees saw Jesus having dinner with a band of these notorious crooks at Matthew’s house, they asked, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Matthew 9:11, ESV). Jesus responded unapologetically: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:12–13, ESV). Jesus was quoting from Hosea 6:6, in which God rebuked Israel for focusing on the letter of the law while ignoring its spirit. God desires faithfulness, love, and mercy from His people more than their procedural observance of the law. The word sacrifice in Matthew 9:13 and Hosea 6:6 represents all the obligations and rituals that religious people perform but are void of meaning. Jesus charged the Pharisees with being just like the ancient Israelites. They were faultless in their adherence to religious tradition and ritual sacrifice but had no compassion for needy sinners. Later, in Matthew 12:1–8, Jesus cites Hosea 6:6 again to the Pharisees. They had scolded Jesus because His hungry disciples plucked some heads of grain and ate them as they passed through the fields. The disciples had done nothing wrong (see Deuteronomy 23:25), but because they had picked grain on the Sabbath, the Pharisees accused them of breaking the law of the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8; Jeremiah 17:22). These religious hypocrites had turned the Scriptures into an oppressive list of rules and regulations instead of understanding what the law meant and why it had been given. Jesus reminds them of Hosea in Matthew 12:7: “If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.” Jesus, the Master Teacher, had given the Pharisees “homework” in Matthew 9; they had not completed the assignment and so had not learned their lesson in Matthew 12. God intended for the Sabbath to be a day for worship and rest, not a legalistic burden. The Old Testament laws, including the Sabbath laws, were all given to lead Israel into a loving, devoted relationship with God. The disciples had not broken God’s law. Instead, they had transgressed the hypocritical regulations laid down by the Pharisees. Jesus is the authority and can override any human tradition: “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8). God’s true righteousness flows from our fellowship with Him in Jesus Christ and involves demonstrating mercy to outcasts and sinners. The Lord won’t tolerate cold-heartedness from His people. James informs, “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27, NLT). Some Christians tend to be judgmental toward sinners and take pride in their own perceived goodness instead of remembering and replicating the mercy Christ offers. But Jesus taught us to forgive as we have been forgiven and show the same kind of mercy that was shown to us by God (Matthew 6:12; 18:33). Jesus spent time in the company of sinners and welcomed those who repented and followed Him, and so must we. The self-righteousness of the Pharisees prevented them from seeing their spiritually sickened condition and their need for God and His mercy. Without an intimate relationship with the Lord, all the sacrifices in this world won’t change our hearts so that we are moved with compassion for the lost, broken, and dying people around us. But if we have been transformed through God’s forgiveness and healing and filled with His love and mercy for people in need, our righteous deeds—our sacrifices—are no longer empty gestures but authentic spiritual offerings (Matthew 6:1–18). Our lives become “a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him” (Romans 12:1, NLT). When God says, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice,” He is calling us to an inner circumcision of the heart that “is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit” (Romans 2:29, NLT). If God does not have our hearts, He does not have us at all. QUESTION - Why did Jesus say, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:13)? GOTQUESTIONS.ORG ANSWER - When the Pharisees saw Jesus eating and socializing easily with tax collectors and sinners in Matthew’s home, they were scandalized. They questioned why Jesus would hang out with the most despised “lowlifes” of society. According to their self-righteous standards, no truly godly teacher would fellowship so intimately with the world’s “scumbags.” Unashamedly, Jesus responded to their hypocrisy by saying, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Matthew 9:12–13, NKJV). Jesus presents Himself as a doctor and healer of those who are spiritually sick (the unrighteous sinners of the world). God loves sinners (Romans 5:8) and sent His Son into this world to save them (1 Timothy 1:15). Repentance is the treatment plan, and forgiveness is the cure Jesus offers. “Those who are well” or “the healthy” (NIV) don’t need a doctor. Jesus’ critics thought they were healthy and saw no need for a doctor, but, in reality, they were deceived. Jesus is not implying that the Pharisees were righteous. Removing all sarcasm and irony from Christ’s statement, the verse might read, “I haven’t come to call on those who think they’re righteous, but to treat those who know they’re sinners.” Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6—“I desire mercy and not sacrifice”—as an indictment against the Pharisees. They do not understand the verse’s true meaning and therefore do not perceive their own spiritually reprobate condition. The Pharisees observe the letter of the law perfectly. They are flawless in their execution of religious rituals and sacrifices. But, if they were truly righteous, they would appreciate the spirit of the law by demonstrating God’s kindness, compassion, and mercy toward the outcasts of society. When doctors call on sick people, they must get up close and personal with them to have any hope of helping and healing them. So, too, Jesus calls sinners to Himself. His love for the lost compels Him to come down to where they are and get mud on His feet with them (Hebrews 2:9; Philippians 2:7; 1 John 3:16). “The Pharisees prove their religion by keeping clean. Jesus proves his love by getting dirty” (Knowles, A., The Bible Guide, Augsburg, 2001, p. 419). Jesus came “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). He did not leave heaven to pat self-satisfied religious people on the back and ignore everyone else who fails to measure up to the Pharisees’ meticulous standards. Jesus came to call “all who are far off” (Acts 2:39) and bring them near by His blood shed on the cross (Ephesians 2:13). Tax collectors and sinners know they are spiritually sick. They long for God’s healing forgiveness. They are “the poor in spirit,” “the meek,” and “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matthew 5:3, 5–6). On the other hand, the Pharisees are blind to their own neediness. They think they are healthy but are instead “blind fools” (Matthew 23:16–17, 23–24; see also Luke 6:41). Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” The “righteous” are respectable people in the eyes of the world and those who are righteous in their own eyes. “Sinners” are the outcasts of the world. If we are to follow in Christ’s footsteps and not be like the Pharisees, we will get our hands dirty, too. We will reach out to the rejected, the homeless, addicts, prostitutes, criminals, afflicted, diseased, abused, and marginalized in our society. We’ll love the unlovable, dine with the undesirable, and befriend the forsaken of the world. Like Jesus, we’ll have compassion for the single parent, the widow, the divorcees, and the elderly (Matthew 9:36)—compassion that moves us to act on their behalf (Matthew 15:32; Luke 7:11–17). Like the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), we’ll show mercy with deeds of kindness by walking “in the way of love, just as Christ loved us” (Ephesians 5:2). Come As You Are Read: Luke 5:27-32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. —Luke 5:32 (cf Lk 5:27-32, Mk 2:13-17, Mt 9:9-13) There’s a story about an artist who wanted to paint a picture of the prodigal son (described by Jesus in Luke 15:11-32). He saw an unkempt beggar on the street and asked him to come to his studio and pose. The man showed up the next day, but he was neatly shaven and clean. When the artist saw him, he exclaimed, “Oh no, I can’t use you as you are now!” God asks us to come to Him just as we are, admitting that we are sinners who deserve nothing but judgment. This is humbling, but it is the only way we can receive the forgiveness Christ paid for on the cross and be accepted and used by God. The scribes and Pharisees were scrupulous lawkeepers. They thought God was pleased with them because they were all “cleaned up.” So when they saw Jesus eating with people who had bad reputations, they complained. But Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Lk. 5:32). This was a rebuke to their self-righteous attitude. They needed to admit their sin. Then Jesus could receive them too. Sinners are the only people who can be saved. An Eye-Opener Read: Matthew 9:9-13 Go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy and not sacrifice.. —Matthew 9:13 A man left his house for church one Sunday just as his neighbor was loading his golf clubs into his car. “Henry,” the neighbor called, “come play golf with me today.” Henry answered firmly, “I always go to church on the Lord’s Day.” After a pause the golfer said, “You know, Henry, I’ve often wondered about your church and I really admire your faithfulness. But I’ve invited you to play golf with me seven or eight times, and you’ve never once invited me to go to church with you.” What an eye-opener! To all the “Henrys” in today’s church, Jesus gives the same challenge He gave to the Pharisees: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice” (Mt. 9:13). In other words, He wants us to show mercy and love to those who need salvation, not just go through the motions of our own religious beliefs. Jesus further explained His mercy by saying, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (v.13). We need to see through Jesus' eyes Our neighbors who are lost; For then we will reach out to them, Regardless of the cost. —Sper We are to be channels of God's truth, not reservoirs. What Does God Require? Go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy and not sacrifice.. —Matthew 9:13 Today's Scripture: Isaiah 1:13-17 The mother of four growing children went to a counselor because she felt that she was a failure. She had trained for ministry and had hoped to serve the Lord as a missionary overseas. But instead, she fell in love and married a widower with four children. Barely able to keep her household functioning, she was not able to engage in any formal ministry. She wrongly concluded that God was subjecting her to well-deserved chastisement. A Christian counselor pointed her to Micah 6:8, which asks, “What does the Lord require of you?” Immediately that question is answered, “To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Those requirements she could meet without going to a foreign mission field. And meet them she did! Her experience calls to mind Martin Luther’s advice to people who believed they could please God by journeying to a sacred shrine: “Let anyone go on a pilgrimage who feels compelled to do so; but let him remember that God can be served a thousand times better at home by giving the money the journey would cost to his own wife and children and bearing his cross with patience.” Reflect & Pray O Master, let me walk with Thee In lowly paths of service free; Tell me Thy secret, help me bear The strain of toil, the fret of care. —Gladden What God requires, God provides. Eyes Of Mercy I desire mercy and not sacrifice. —Hosea 6:6 Today's Scripture: Matthew 9:9-13 A new member often came late to an adult Sunday school class. She was not well-dressed. She seemed tense and unfriendly, and each week she left as soon as the teacher began the closing prayer. It wasn’t long before the teacher began hearing others make judgmental remarks about her. One Sunday the teacher had someone else close the class in prayer so that he could talk with the newcomer as she walked out. He found out that her physically abusive husband had abandoned her and their two children. He had left an enormous debt and no forwarding address. She was desperate, and she was searching for God. The teacher began to see her through new eyes, eyes of mercy, and he alerted the class to her plight. Some of them opened their hearts to her in personal and practical ways. In time she began to relax and become friendlier. She soon turned to Jesus, the One she needed most. Reflect & Pray Looking, Lord, through eyes of mercy, I see those who need Your care; May Your Spirit work through me, Lord, Binding up the wounds they bear. —Fasick We can stop showing mercy to others when Christ stops showing mercy to us. Matthew 9:14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, asking, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast? NET Matthew 9:14 Then John's disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don't fast?" GNT Matthew 9:14 Τότε προσέρχονται αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ Ἰωάννου λέγοντες, Διὰ τί ἡμεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι νηστεύομεν [πολλά], οἱ δὲ μαθηταί σου οὐ νηστεύουσιν; NLT Matthew 9:14 One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, "Why don't your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?" KJV 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? ESV Matthew 9:14 Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" NIV Matthew 9:14 Then John's disciples came and asked him, "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" ASV Matthew 9:14 Then come to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? CSB Matthew 9:14 Then John's disciples came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?" NKJ Matthew 9:14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?" NRS Matthew 9:14 Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?" YLT Matthew 9:14 Then come to him do the disciples of John, saying, 'Wherefore do we and the Pharisees fast much, and thy disciples fast not?' NAB Matthew 9:14 Then the disciples of John approached him and said, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast (much), but your disciples do not fast?" NJB Matthew 9:14 Then John's disciples came to him and said, 'Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?' GWN Matthew 9:14 Then John's disciples came to Jesus. They said, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often but your disciples never do?" BBE Matthew 9:14 Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees frequently go without food, but your disciples do not? the disciples - Mt 11:2 Joh 3:25 4:1 Why - Mt 6:16 11:18,19 Pr 20:6 Mk 2:18-22 Lu 5:33-39 18:9-12 Parallel Passages Mt. 9:14–17; Mk 2:18–22; Lk 5:33–39 Mk 2:18+ John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they came and said to Him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” Luke 5:33+ And they said to Him, “The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same, but Yours eat and drink.” Another way to look at Matthew 9:14-17 is three illustrations using pairs of things that do not mix, all pointing out that the old way of Judaism does not mix with the new way of the Gospel. First Illustration -- Feasting and Fasting (Mt 9:14-15) Second Illustration -- New patch on Old garment (Mt 9:16) Third Illustration -- New/old Wine in new/old wineskins (Mt 9:17) FIRST YOU PARTY WITH SINNERS NOW YOU DON'T FAST Blomberg quips "The flip side of the objection to Jesus’ partying with the disreputable is the complaint that he does not fast." (NAC) Then - When is "Then?" While we cannot be dogmatic, this event would seem to logically follow the preceding description of the banquet at Matthew's house, where the disciples of Jesus were eating and clearly not fasting. This context would be a perfect segue leading to the question of why Jesus' disciples not fast? Luke's parallel version also suggests that their question follows the banquet. In other words, immediately after Jesus' declaration in Lk 5:32+ “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” Luke writes "And they said to Him, “The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same, but Yours eat and drink.” (Lk 5:33+). In addition, some writers have proposed that the banquet at Matthew's house occurred on one of the weekly fast days which were usually the second and fifth days of the week for the stricter Jews. If that is the case, it helps explain why they immediately question Jesus about why His disciples were not fasting. The disciples of John came to Him - The disciples of John refers to those men who followed John the Baptist. Disciples (3101) see note above on mathetes Asking, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast? - Fast is in present tense depicting their fasting as a habitual practice which fits with Luke's phrase that they "often (occurring at frequent intervals, frequently) fast and offer prayers" (Lk 5:33+). Only Luke mentions "offer prayers." In fact, zealous Jews (like John's ascetic disciples and the rigid ritualistic disciples of the Pharisees) fasted twice a week, usually on Monday and Thursday. All three synoptic accounts include the fact that the Pharisees were fasting, which is very important in interpreting this section. As we have seen, the Pharisees were practicing a religion of ritual, a religion of externals, a religion based on law, a religion of works aimed at promoting self-righteousness, all of which was in diametric contrast to the "religion" which Jesus brought, which was one of relationship (with God), of internals (heart change) , of grace (not law), and of faith in Jesus (not works) trusting in imputation of His righteousness. The Pharisees ceremonial practice was "bad news," while Jesus had come to introduce a "religion" of "good news." One is reminded of the statement in Hebrews 8:13+ "When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear." The ritualistic practices of the Pharisees were about to disappear! It might seem surprising to see the disciples of John on the same side as the Pharisees in criticizing Jesus. Why do I say that? Clearly John was no favorite of the Pharisees, for he had sternly castigated the Pharisees calling them a "brood of vipers" (Mt 3:7+), commanding them to "bear fruit in keeping with repentance," (M 3:8+) and not to think they were safe from hell because they had Abraham as their physical father (Mt 3:9+)! And yet here we see these two somewhat discordant groups of disciples seem to be "strange bed-fellows" so to speak! Even though John's ministry was preparatory for Jesus' ministry, it was still different from that of Jesus, as Jesus Himself alludes to declaring that "John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ 19 “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.” (Mt 11:18-19) Craig Blomberg explains this difference between John and Jesus this way noting that "Preparation for the Messiah’s coming required repentance and a certain austerity, but now the time for joy has arrived. Neither the Pharisees nor John’s disciples were wrong in fasting as a prelude to the reception of spiritual blessings, but now those blessings are present. Jesus’ inauguration of the kingdom stimulates celebration and rejoicing, as at wedding festivities." (NAC) A T

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MacArthur adds that "The daughter was twelve years old (ED: ONLY IN Luke 8:42+), in the first year of her womanhood according to Jewish custom. The day after his thirteenth birthday a Jewish boy was recognized as a man, and a day after her twelfth birthday a Jewish girl was recognized as a woman." (MNTC-Mt) But come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live - What does this statement describe? Clearly this influential Jewish leader was humbling himself to the point of simple but sincere belief that Jesus had the power to resurrect his dead daughter. What is interesting is that there is no record of Jesus having previously given life to a dead person, which if true, makes Jairus' faith all the more remarkable. Jairus knew no human remedy would suffice to meet his desperate need. THOUGHT - O, how all men born in Adam, all born with the deadly "sin virus" (Ro 5:12+) need to come the same realization, that there is no human solution (including no man made religion, for all religion is man-made and based on works righteousness - cf self-righteousness) to raise them from the "walking dead" (Eph 2:1+)! So Jairus demonstrates very simply the way to come to Jesus - first recognize your need and second come in faith, believing that Jesus Alone has the resources (His precious blood - 1 Pe 1:19+), to meet your need (sin - Ro 3:23+, Ro 6:23+, Ro 5:8+, Ro 10:9-10+). Notice Jairus comes to Jesus without hesitation or qualification, and dear reader if your are still a member of the "walking dead," you are in grave danger of eternal death and must come immediately to Jesus for salvation by grace through faith.

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MacArthur - Jesus marveled at the faith of the centurion who believed that He could heal the man’s servant by simply saying the word. “Truly I say to you,” Jesus said, “I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel” (Mt. 8:9–10+). But Jairus even believed that a touch of Jesus’ hand could raise his daughter from the dead. His faith also surpassed that of Martha, who believed Jesus could have kept her brother Lazarus from dying but gave up hope once he was dead (John 11:21). Even when Jesus said, “Your brother shall rise again,” she thought the promise could only be fulfilled in “the resurrection on the last day” (Jn 11:23–24). With such great faith in Jesus’ power to restore life, it is hard to believe that Jairus did not also trust that Jesus was as able to forgive his sins and raise him to spiritual life as He was able to raise his daughter to physical life. (MNTC-Mt) ILLUSTRATION - The Canadian scientist G. B. Hardy one time said, “When I looked at religion I said, I have two questions. One, has anybody ever conquered death, and two, if they have, did they make a way for me to conquer death? I checked the tomb of Buddha, and it was occupied, and I checked the tomb of Confucius and it was occupied, and I checked the tomb of Mohammed and it was occupied, and I came to the tomb of Jesus and it was empty. And I said, There is one who conquered death. And I asked the second question, Did He make a way for me to do it? And I opened the Bible and discovered that He said, ‘Because I live ye shall live also.’ ” Matthew 9:19 Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples. NET Matthew 9:19 Jesus and his disciples got up and followed him. GNT Matthew 9:19 καὶ ἐγερθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ. NLT Matthew 9:19 So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him. KJV Matthew 9:19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. ESV Matthew 9:19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. NIV Matthew 9:19 Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples. ASV Matthew 9:19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. CSB Matthew 9:19 So Jesus and His disciples got up and followed him. NKJ Matthew 9:19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. NRS Matthew 9:19 And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. YLT Matthew 9:19 And Jesus having risen, did follow him, also his disciples, Mt 8:7 Joh 4:34 Ac 10:38 Ga 6:9,10 Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples - Note that in this section we see not just a miracle but also a beautiful picture of Jesus’ responding to people in need and beloved as Hebrews says "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Heb 13:8) Joining Jesus in the short trip to Jairus’ house were His disciples, along with a large crowd (Mark 5:24). Began to follow (190)(akoloutheo) is the same word Jesus commanded to Levi "Follow Me" (Mt 9:9). Here is a point to keep in mind. Clearly akoloutheo does not imply discipleship as it did in the case of Levi. This usage serves to illustrate a very important point in doing Greek word studies. One must always carefully examine the surrounding context to determine the true meaning of the Greek word, and not simply insert or substitute meanings from a Greek lexicon which can lead to a marked misinterpretation! MacArthur - We see the dual portrayal of His power and His sensitivity, His authority and His gentleness, His sovereignty and His openness, His majesty and His lovingkindness. We see in particular that Jesus was accessible, touchable, and impartial as well as powerful.

Mateus 9

MacArthur- The stigma and humiliation of such a hemorrhage were perhaps second only to those of leprosy (Read Lev 15:25-29+). Such affliction was not uncommon, and the Jewish Talmud prescribed eleven different cures for it. Among the remedies, most of them superstitious, was that of carrying the ashes of an ostrich egg in a linen bag in the summer and in a cotton bag in the winter. Another involved carrying around a barleycorn kernel that had been found in the dung of a white female donkey. (See Matthew Commentary - Page 80) A TASSEL (tzitzit) Came up behind Him and touched (haptomai) the fringe of His cloak - Some feel the fringe she touched was one of the four tassels that the Jews wore on the four corners of their cloaks to remind them to obey God’s commands (Nu 15:37–41; Dt. 22:12; cf. Mt. 23:5). The fact that Jesus wore a cloak with a fringe shows us that He dressed like other people of His time and felt no need to distinguish Himself by the clothes He wore. Regarding her touching Jesus' garment, it is very possible the woman believed this in a somewhat superstitious way. In either event, she believed Jesus had the power to heal her! As

Mateus 9

MacArthur on fringe - According to biblical requirements, Jewish men were to “make for themselves tassels on the corners of their garments” and “put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue” (Num. 15:38; cf. Deut. 22:12). The threads of the tassels and cords were woven in a pattern that represented faithfulness and loyalty to the Word of God and holiness to the Lord. Wherever a Jew went, those tassels reminded him and testified before the world that he belonged to the people of God. Consistent with their typical hypocrisy and pretension, the Pharisees lengthened “the tassels of their garments” in order to call attention to their religious devotion (Matt. 23:5). In much later times, persecuted Jews in Europe wore the tassels on their undergarments for the very opposite reason—to avoid identification and possible arrest. Modified forms of the tassel are still sewn on the prayer shawls of orthodox Jews today.

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MacArthur writes "Throughout His earthly ministry thousands of people came in contact with Jesus, and many hundreds of them talked with Him and touched Him; but many of them were not touched by Him. Throughout the history of the church, countless others—such as Mahatma Gandhi, mentioned above—have also come in close contact with Jesus; and many of them, too, have remained untouched by Him. He knows the difference between the person who approaches Him out of mere religious curiosity or a sense of adventure and the one who comes to Him in desperation and genuine faith." (See Matthew Commentary - Page 81) COMMENT ON COMING IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH JESUS - Perhaps no man in modern times has seemed before the eyes of the world to have been more at peace with himself and others than Mahatma Gandhi. He was the image of a tranquil soul who possessed perfect inner harmony. Fifteen years before he died, he wrote, “I must tell you in all humility that Hinduism as I know it entirely satisfies my soul. It fills my whole being and I find a solace in the Bhagavad and Upanishad that I miss even in the Sermon on the Mount.” But just before his death he wrote, “My days are numbered. I am not likely to live very long, perhaps a year or a little more. For the first time in fifty years I find myself in the slew of despond.” (ED: THE VERY PHRASE USED BY JOHN BUNYAN IN PILGRIM'S PROGRESS. GANDHI'S USE IS NOT ACCIDENT! HE KNEW WHAT THESE WORDS MEANT AND THAT HINDUISM COULD NEVER DELIVER HIM FROM THE "SLEW OF DESPOND!" HOW TRAGIC! HOW CLOSE GANDHI CAME TO TOUCHING JESUS!) Even the tranquil Gandhi had to face the reality of death and the inability of his man-made religion to give him answers or comfort in face of it. (SEE Who was Gandhi? ) Some commentators feel that the context indicates that Jesus was talking about the woman’s faith resulting in her physical deliverance, but was not an expression of soul salvation (Constable, NET Notes). I would respectfully disagree as do most other writers including John MacArthur, Warren Wiersbe, D Edmond Hiebert, Spurgeon, Matthew Henry, Albert Barnes, R C H Lenski, David Guzik, et al. The language Jesus uses, the grammar Matthew records, and the parallel accounts in Mark 5:34+ and Luke 8:48+ affirm saving faith, not merely miraculous trust. Here is John MacArthur's note on the parallel phrase (your faith has made you well) found in Luke 8:48+: The phrase made you well translates a form of the verb sozo, which is the common New Testament word for salvation. This same phrase in the Greek text appears in Luke 7:50+, where it clearly refers to salvation from sin. It is also used in Luke 17:19+ to describe one of the ten lepers who returned to worship Jesus. While all ten were healed, he alone was saved. Further, the Lord’s calling her daughter indicates that He received her as a child of His kingdom (John 1:12+). She was restored, physically, socially, and spiritually through the grace and personal power of the Lord Jesus Christ. (See Luke Commentary - Page 24) In a related comment, MacArthur writes 'When the blind beggar Bartimaeus asked Jesus to restore his sight, Jesus replied, “Go your way; your faith has made you well” (Mark 10:52). Here sōzō (“has made you well”) is also used in connection with the healed person’s faith. Bartimaeus had repeatedly called Jesus the “Son of David” (Mk 10:47–48), a common messianic title. It therefore seems probable that his being made well, like that of the woman with the hemorrhage, included spiritual salvation as well as physical healing. After Jesus forgave the sins of the prostitute who washed His feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair, He spoke to her exactly the same words (hē pistis sou sesōken se) that He spoke to the woman with the hemorrhage and to Bartimaeus, although the English translations of that phrase are not always the same. In Luke 7:50+ it is rendered, “Your faith has saved you,” clearly indicating that the restoration was entirely spiritual (because no physical healing was involved) and that it resulted from the forgiveness of sins based on trust in the Lord (Lk 7:48+). In his account of the ten lepers who pleaded with Jesus to cure them, Luke reports that all ten “were cleansed” (from katharizō; Luke 17:14+) but that it was only to the one man who glorified God and returned to give thanks that Jesus said, “Your faith has made you well” (hē pistis sou sesōken se; Lk 17:19+). Ten men were cleansed, but only one was saved. It is unfortunate that most English translations do not make clear that all of the renderings of “made well” and “saved” just mentioned—which in each case the Lord Himself specifically said resulted from the person’s faith—come from the same Greek verb (sozo). That fact strongly implies that a redemptive aspect was involved in each of those incidents. In the gospel accounts we read of multitudes of people being healed completely apart from any faith on their part or the part of another person. Jesus performed His miracles of healing by His sovereign will, often in response to faith, but not conditioned by it. The centurion’s servant was healed without having any contact with Jesus and perhaps even without being aware that he might be healed. Jairus’ dead daughter obviously could not have had faith. But no one is ever saved apart from faith, and there seems reason to believe that the woman who touched Jesus’ garment that day trusted Him for spiritual as well as physical healing." (See Matthew Commentary - Page 82) Heaven will be a most interesting place primarily because of Jesus but also because we could be surprised (if such an emotion exists in Heaven) by who we see there and also (sadly) surprised (shocked if such an emotion can exist in Heaven) by who we do not see there!

Mateus 9

MacArthur - In great contrast to those in the western world of our day, funerals in most ancient cultures, including that of Israel in the time of Christ, were not occasions for quiet whispers and soothing music. They were instead characterized by the loud wailing of voices and the harsh dissonance of musical instruments such as those of the hired flute-players on this occasion. The result, not unintended, was great noisy disorder. (See Matthew Commentary - Page 84) The end result was a cacophony of confusion. -- John MacArthur Charles

Mateus 9

MacArthur asks an interesting question - Now, why don’t they conclude that He’s just insane? Because they have to explain the supernatural. Insanity doesn’t explain the supernatural. It doesn’t tell you anything....They knew He had power over disease. They had to explain the supernatural power. No getting around it. And it was either God or Satan, because those are the only two supernatural persons who have that kind of power....And they’re unwilling to say it’s the power of God, which was the logical thing to say, which is what the sort of popular opinion was, and they had to change that, “No man could do this except God be with Him.” But they had to make people think it was satanic, so that was their mantra, “He’s possessed by Beelzebul.” (The Unforgivable Sin)