Christ defendeth his disciples ST. MATTHEW, IX. for not fasting. 12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, | 12 sinners? But when he heard it, he said, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repent ance. 14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? 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. 16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. 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. 18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. They that are whole have no need of a 13 physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice: for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. 14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast 15 2 oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the sons of the bride-chamber 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. And no man putteth a piece of undressed cloth upon an old garment; for that which should fill it up taketh from the garment, and a worse rent is made. Neither do men put new wine into old 3 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. 16 17 18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand 19 upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus 1 Gr. strong. 2 Some ancient authorities omit oft. That is, skins used as bottles. Gr. one ruler. with a wicked Jew. Our Lord rebuked the over-righteousness (which overlooked their own sinfulness) by his practice, while at the same time he showed his holy purpose in communing with these well-known sinners. 12. They that are whole. This was an accommodation to the thoughts of the Pharisees. They thought themselves spiritually whole, while the gross sinners made no such pretensions. 13. I desire mercy, etc. Quotation from Hos. 6: 6, quoted again by our Lord in reference to the use of the sabbath (chap. 12:7). The sentiment as expressed by the prophet is put in the Oriental style, and means, "I desire mercy rather than sacrifice." God wishes a right heart before all things. External things are of second importance, and are to be conformed to the spiritual principles. The Pharisees looked upon externals as the soul of religion, and extended those externals beyond the divine law. 13. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. Luke adds (5:32), "to repentance." So the old version has it here, and in Mark 2: 17. The call of the Saviour is to repentance; that is, to a new life in him. 14. Fast oft. There was but one day of fasting ordained in the law, the tenth day of Tisri, the day of atonement (see Lev. 16: 29-34, 23: 26-32, and Num. 29: 7-11); but the Jews had added many fasts, until we find them fasting twice in the week (Luke 18: 12). The prophet Zechariah (chap. 10) virtually reproves them for their fasts. Our Saviour's reply on this occasion shows that fasts must be natural, and not mechanical. When a real time of sorrow comes, then let God's people fast. It is appropriate and helpful. The sons of the bridechamber are the bridegroom's friends. Jesus represents himself as a bridegroom, and his disciples as the sons of the bridechamber. Christ's new dispensation (" undressed cloth" and "new wine ") was not to be joined to Judaic rites ("old garment " and " old wineskins"). The ascetic side of the Jewish system, which had been exaggerated by the Pharisees, could not be assimilated to the liberty of the gospel. Fasting was not to be obligatory in the Church of Christ. 18. While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a ruler, etc. These words show that Matthew's order is chronological, while Mark's and Luke's are not. In Matthew we cannot separate the parts of the narrative. The paralytic was healed on Jesus' arrival from the Gadarene country. Matthew's call followed immediately (see verse 9). And immediately after the dinner at Matthew's house, he went with Jairus. Yet Mark puts between the dinner and Jairus the matter of several weeks; and so does Luke. But the language of neither Mark nor Luke demands chronological order as Matthew's 1. Gadarene cure. 19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. 20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: 21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. 23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, 24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. 25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. 26 And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land. 27 ¶ And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us. 28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. 29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. receive their sight. arose and followed him, and so did his 20 disciples. And behold, a woman, who had an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the border 21 of his garment: for she said within herself, If I do but touch his garment, I shall 22 be made whole. But Jesus turning and seeing her said, Daughter, be of good cheer; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from 23 that hour. And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and he saw the flute-players, 24 and the crowd making a tumult, he said, Give place: for the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when the crowd was put forth, he entered in, and took her by the hand; and 26 the damsel arose. And the fame hereof went forth into all that land. 25 27 28 And as Jesus passed by from thence, two blind men followed him, crying out, and saying, Have mercy on us, thou son of David. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They say unto him, Yea, 29 Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it done unto you. And their eyes were opened. And Jesus strictly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. But they went forth, and spread abroad his fame in all that land. 30 30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus strait-31 ly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. 31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. 32 T As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. 33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. 34 But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils. 35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 32 33 And as they went forth, behold, there was brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb man spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never 34 so seen in Israel. But the Pharisees said, By the prince of the devils casteth he out 7 devils. 35 And Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all 36 manner of sickness. But when he saw the Gr. demon. & Or, In. Gr. demons. 1 Or, saved. 2 Or, saved thee. 3 Gr. this fame. Or, sternly. does. Luke's phrase, "in order" (1:3), refers to order of subject. Luke combines like teachings in groups. A ruler. Literally, one ruler, one of several who belonged to the Capernaum synagogue (see Mark 5: 22). His name, we find from the other evangelists, was Jair (in Greek, Jairus). Worshipped. There is no divine worship implied. Jairus fell down at our Lord's feet, as to a superior. My daughter. An only daughter, twelve years old (Luke 8:42). Is even now dead; i.e., is so far gone, that we may say she is virtually dead. The other evangelists are more particular in describing these scenes. None of them, however, gives the disease of the child. 20. A woman who had an issue of blood. This incident, checking the progress of Jesus to the ruler's house, was a great trial to his faith; but it triumphed (see Mark 5:36). 21. If I do but touch his garment. This was not superstition. It was confidence in Jesus as a person. Her touch would be her application of faith in him. Hence Jesus says to her, "Thy faith hath made thee whole." 23. The flute-player. Hired to play melancholy music at a death. Making a tumult, or noise, from wailing, according to the custom at an Oriental burial, which occurs very soon after death. 27. Son of David. The name which the Jews used for the expected Messiah, by reason of such prophecies as Jer. 33:15. These blind men recognized Jesus as Israel's Messiah. Their spiritual eyes were clear. 28. To do this. To give sight. His words or his manner had announced his intention. 29. According to your faith be it done unto you. God's grace abounds, but man's faith is slow to receive it. 30. See that no man know it (see on chap. 8:4). This is the cardinal law of the Christian life. 32. A devil. A demon; not a devil (see on chap. 4: 24). 34. By the prince of the devils. The prince of the demons is called Beelzebub in chap. 12: 24, in which place we also see our Lord's answer to this base charge. 35. Such passages as this, and chap. 4: 24, give an idea of the immense number of cures which Jesus must have wrought in his three years' ministry. We have only a few of our Lord's miracles given in detail, while thousands are embraced in these concise phrases. A flood of evidence to his divine mission was poured on the Israelitish people. The gospel of the kingdom. Literally, the good tidings of the kingdom. The good tidings regarding |