The Gospel of Matthew

More evidence of the power of Messiah

Chapter 9:18 -34

Restoration of the girl and the woman (verses 18 to 26)

Matthew now reports four other signs made by the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, showing His power in different ways.

The leader of the synagogue in Capernaum, named Jairus (Mark 5:22), knew the Lord Jesus, because he was already recognized as master, or Rabbi, and taught in his synagogue (Mark 1:21, 3:1, Luke 6:6). The twelve-year-old daughter of Jairus was dying, and he went seeking for the Lord Jesus to heal her: he already knew of the cures that He had operated, at least one of them having been done within his own synagogue (Luke 6:6), and he believed this Master was actually the Messiah, because he worshipped Him.

He ran the risk of suffering persecution by the Pharisees and Herodians, who were already plotting to kill the Lord Jesus, but his love for his young daughter and his faith in the Messiah exceeded any fears he might have had of them. The Lord Jesus agreed, got up and followed him, with His disciples and a large crowd (Mark 5:24).

Among the crowd was a woman who suffered from an incurable bleeding, for she had spent everything she had with the doctors uselessly, and her condition was getting worse (Mark 5:26). It is curious that the disease must have started about when the daughter of Jairus was born! A great multitude followed the Lord Jesus and thronged Him, and being amongst them, she decided that if only she could touch his clothes she would be made well. Therefore, she came up behind him and touched the cloak, being instantly healed. Mark and Luke go into more details, but Matthew only wrote that Jesus turned to her and said that she had been cured by her faith. This is saving faith, which is within the reach of every sinner (John 3:15,16, Acts 16:31).

While He spoke, some people arrived from the home of Jairus to say that his daughter had died and he no longer needed to bother the Teacher. The Lord Jesus warned, "do not be afraid; only believe" (Mark 5:36). It was sufficient to have the same faith as that woman had done a little earlier.

There was a great tumult in the ruler’s house, the flute players and a noisy crowd wailing, and the Lord Jesus had to order them to leave so that He and his disciples, James, Peter and John (Mark 5:37) could go in to where the girl was. He told them that the girl was not dead, but sleeping, yet they ridiculed Him.

Some people think the girl might have been in a state of deep coma, so it was not exactly the case of a resurrection. Such deep comas are known by modern science, but patients need to be kept alive with artificial features - which did not exist at that time. The girl had no pulse or breathing and her spirit had departed, but it appears that God allowed her spirit to await the arrival of the Messiah to return into her body and bring her back to life. So the death had not been completed and she slept as informed by the Lord Jesus.

When the crowd has been sent outside, the Lord and His companions entered, “He took her by hand, said: ‘Little girl, get up’ and the girl arose” (v. 25, Mark 5:41). The Lord commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and told them to give her some food.

There were two other similar cases later, and in both the Lord Jesus spoke to the corpse, causing him to get up out of death: the son of a widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-15) and Lazarus (John 11:14-44). In the case of Lazarus, the Lord Jesus effectively declared that he was dead, and his sister Martha said that he was already dead for four days when He arrived at the scene. Without doubt, the Lord Jesus had power over death, and the news spread throughout the country.

The miracle of the resurrection of the dead gives us a powerful illustration of the power of Christ to give eternal life also to those who are spiritually dead: all humanity lies dead in trespasses and sins. The death in this case is not separation of the spirit and the physical body, when this stops functioning and decays, but it is the separation between man and God because of sin committed by man. God is just and holy, and cannot have fellowship with sinful man.

However, God calls the sinner to leave his sins and to live in communion with Him, receiving the forgiveness that He gives freely through faith in the Lord Jesus, His Son, who voluntarily gave Himself on the cross of Calvary to take upon Himself the punishment for our sins. Having paid the price, He can redeem us.

Just as the Lord called those three dead, and they obeyed Him to have their lives back, God also calls the sinner, who is spiritually dead - it behooves him to obey the call to have a new life, and an eternal one this time because his communion with God can never more be broken.

Healing of two blind men (vv. 27-31)

When the Lord Jesus left the home of Jairus, two blind men followed Him crying out "son of David, have mercy on us". The blind men could hear conversations and no doubt they had been well informed about this man who did miraculous things.

It is remarkable how they were so well informed about his descent from David, which is another proof that he was the Messiah expected by Israel. Without being able to see Him, these blind men had come to believe in His identity through the testimony they heard from others, and now they clamoured for His mercy.

As these blind men, millions of people come to know the person of the Lord Jesus without ever having had the privilege of seeing Him in person. The evidence of His identity as the Son of God are plentiful, coming through the testimony of His disciples, those who believe in Him, the uncontested testimony of the Bible, which is the infallible word of God, and the clear message of the Gospel that can be understood even by a child. The Lord Jesus is accessible to any person who honestly seeks the truth, which He embodies.

The two blind men followed the Lord Jesus to His house, where He asked: "do you believe that I am able to do this?” Of course, He knew but wanted them to declare it openly, for all to hear.

Several times, we notice that He wished people to declare their faith openly. He desires this from all His disciples, because the public statement requires courage and conviction, and it is a proof that we are not ashamed of Him.

The two blind men answered "Yes, Lord!" The word Lord here is not simple courtesy, but it is the recognition of His supremacy as the Son of God.

The Lord Jesus then touched their eyes and granted their request: "according to your faith let it be to you." (v. 29). Several times the Lord Jesus granted benefits to people as a reward for the faith they demonstrated on His person. So is also saving faith: it is granted to all those who believe in Jesus Christ as the son of God, and on His willing and sacrificial death for all those who put their faith in Him, and receive Him as their Lord and personal Saviour.

Unfortunately, the two blind men could not contain their joy, and went spreading the news of their recovery throughout the region, in disobedience to the Lord's command to take care that no one knew it. It was not easy to keep silence...

Healing a demon possessed man (vv. 32-34)

The last "sign" of Jesus Christ in this series reported by Matthew, was the healing of a demon-possessed man who could not speak. There seems to be a sequence: life, sight (spiritual understanding), then speech (verbal testimony). This is the natural sequence for the sinner who converts. Someone took the demon-possessed man to Christ, which was commendable, and the crowd admired the cure.

However, the Pharisees, now bitter enemies of the Lord Jesus, were unwilling to believe Him because of this, and declared that He did it through the "ruler of demons". So they committed the terrible unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit, explained later in an identical situation (Matthew 12:32).

R David Jones

Mat 9:18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live."

19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.

20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.
21 For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well."
22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour.

23 When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing,
24 He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him.

25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.
26 And the report of this went out into all that land.

27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!"

28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord."

29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you."
30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, "See that no one knows it."

31 But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.

32 As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed.
Mat 9:33 And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, "It was never seen like this in Israel!"

34 But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons."

Gospel of Matthew, chapter 9, verses 18 to 34