Mat 9 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Matt 9:1-17: 9:1-17 Controversy ensued among Jesus’ opponents, the teachers of religious law and Pharisees (9:1-13 ), and among the disciples of John the Baptist (9:14-17 ). 9:1 His own town was Capernaum (Mark 2:1 ), where he apparently relocated from Nazareth after being rejected there (Matt 4:13 ; Luke 4:16-31 ).

Summary for Matt 9:1-17: 9:1-17 ^a Controversy ensued among Jesus’ opponents, the teachers of religious law and Pharisees (9:1-13 ^b), and among the disciples of John the Baptist (9:14-17 ^c). 9:1 ^d His own town was Capernaum (Mark 2:1 ^e), where he apparently relocated from Nazareth after being rejected there (Matt 4:13 ^f; Luke 4:16-31 ^g).
9:3 ^h Does he think he’s God? God alone could forgive sins (Ps 103:3 ⁱ; Isa 43:25 ^j; Jer 50:20 ^k). The teachers of religious law failed to comprehend Jesus’ mission as God’s incarnate Son (Matt 3:17 ^l; 11:25-27 ^m). As God’s Messiah (1:1 ⁿ; 11:2-6 ^o), he was saving mankind (8:17 ^p; 26:26-28 ^q).
9:5 ^r It is easier for Jesus to pronounce forgiveness, since that might have no verifiable effects; it is harder to enable a paralytic to walk. The miracle, visible to all, corroborates Jesus’ authority to forgive sins and forces all who witness it to decide about Jesus.
9:6 ^s So I will prove: Jesus performed the miracle to reveal his authority and identity as God’s Messiah (see 11:2-6 ^t; 12:28 ^u).
9:8 ^v The mixture of fear and praise in the crowd’s response corresponds to the awesome truth they perceived about Jesus. He is indeed the Son of God who has authority on earth to forgive sins (9:6 ^w).
Summary for Matt 9:9-13: 9:9-13 ^x Jesus, as Lord and Messiah, tore down the barriers that prevented righteous Jews from intermingling with those who were unclean or sinful. 9:9 ^y Matthew was also called Levi (Mark 2:14 ^z). Matthew might have had two names, or he might have been given a new name by Jesus.
9:10 ^aa The Jewish people despised Jewish tax collectors (5:46-47 ^ab; 18:15-20 ^ac), who cooperated with Roman oppressors and were considered betrayers of the Israelite nation. Many also considered them unclean because of their frequent contact with Gentiles and because of the idolatrous images on Roman coins. Tax-collection was a private enterprise. In each district, Rome granted the right to collect taxes to the highest bidder (cp. Luke 19:1-10 ^ad). Anything collected above the bid was profit for the collectors, who, driven by greed, often used extortion.
9:13 ^ae I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices: God’s desire is applied to the question of table fellowship with sinners; Jesus’ mercy in eating with sinners contrasts with the Pharisees’ separation from sinners (symbolized as sacrifices).

• Jesus revealed the true spiritual condition of the Pharisees, who think they are righteous; they failed to recognize that they were in fact unrighteous and in need of the Messiah’s salvation. See 7:1-5 ^af; 8:11-12 ^ag; 19:30 ^ah; 20:16 ^ai; 21:43 ^aj.
9:14 ^ak fast: Fasting expressed personal humility and repentance (2 Sam 12:16-23 ^al; Dan 9:3 ^am). It called attention to the national need for repentance (Lev 16:29-31 ^an; Neh 9:1 ^ao) and probably sought to hasten the arrival of the Messiah through purification. The fact that Jesus and his disciples did not fast (Matt 11:18-19 ^ap) subtly proclaimed that the Messiah had already arrived (see also 6:16 ^aq).
9:15 ^ar wedding guests ... groom: John the Baptist had also described the Messiah and his disciples in this way (John 3:29 ^as), drawing on Old Testament imagery to reveal Jesus’ status (see Matt 25:1-13 ^at; Isa 54:5-6 ^au).

• taken away: This is Jesus’ first prediction of his violent death (see Matt 16:21 ^av; 17:12 ^aw, 22-23 ^ax; 20:18-19 ^ay; 26:2 ^az, 26-35 ^ba; Isa 53:8 ^bb).

• then they will fast: Jesus may be referring to the disciples’ sorrow immediately after his crucifixion, or to the disciples’ lifestyle after his death and resurrection (see Acts 9:9 ^bc; 13:2-3 ^bd; 14:23 ^be; 27:9 ^bf, 33 ^bg).
Summary for Matt 9:16-17: 9:16-17 ^bh These riddle-like parables contrast the new covenant that Jesus has established (26:26-29 ^bi) with the old covenant, especially in relation to such rituals as fasting. Jesus consummates, but does not abolish, the law (5:17-20 ^bj; see Gal 2:21 ^bk; 5:4 ^bl). Yet the new covenant requires new practices.
Summary for Matt 9:18-34: 9:18-34 ^bm Jesus is the Messiah whose power knows no boundaries. He calls people to have faith in him. 9:18 ^bn lay your hand on her: The laying-on of hands is a visible symbol of prayer for God’s power to flow into someone, often resulting in new life or ministries (19:13 ^bo; Num 27:18-23 ^bp; Deut 34:9 ^bq).

• The man believed that Jesus had the power to raise the dead (cp. 1 Kgs 17:8-24 ^br; 2 Kgs 4:18-37 ^bs).
9:20 ^bt The woman’s constant bleeding rendered her always ceremonially unclean and made whoever she touched unclean as well (Lev 15:25-30 ^bu). But instead of rendering Jesus unclean, her touching him made her clean, a stunning reversal that illustrates Jesus’ power to redeem and sanctify (see Matt 14:36 ^bv; Mark 3:10 ^bw).

• fringe: The tassels at the bottom of a tunic (Matt 23:5 ^bx; Num 15:37-41 ^by) reminded Jews to live in accord with God’s law.
9:22 ^bz Your faith has made you well (literally has saved you): Physical healing demonstrated her spiritual salvation (see 8:17 ^ca).
9:23 ^cb noisy crowd ... funeral music: Sorrow over the death of a family member was publicly expressed, with musical accompaniment and dirges by professional mourners. “Even the poorest in Israel should hire not less than two flutes and one wailing woman” (Mishnah Ketubbot 4:4 ^cc).
9:24 ^cd Though she was physically dead, from Jesus’ perspective the girl was just asleep—she would soon be raised back to life (see Isa 26:19 ^ce; John 11:11-14 ^cf, 25 ^cg; 1 Thes 4:14 ^ch).
9:27 ^ci Eye diseases were common in the ancient world. Blindness was often considered to be divine punishment (see Exod 4:11 ^cj; Deut 28:28 ^ck; 2 Kgs 6:18 ^cl; John 9:2-3 ^cm). The Old Testament predicts that the Messiah’s coming would bring restoration of sight for the blind (Matt 11:4-5 ^cn; Isa 29:18-19 ^co; 35:5-6 ^cp).

• Son of David is a messianic title particularly associated with miraculous healings (see Matt 1:1 ^cq; 12:23 ^cr; 15:22 ^cs; 20:30-31 ^ct; 2 Sam 7:12-16 ^cu).
9:28 ^cv Jesus intended his question to elicit confessions of faith from the two men.
Summary for Matt 9:32-34: 9:32-34 ^cw The Messiah’s acts invoke faith, astonishment, and derisive rejection. 9:32 ^cx Enabling the deaf to hear and the mute to speak is a sign of the Kingdom of God (11:4-5 ^cy; Isa 35:5-6 ^cz).
Summary for Matt 9:35-11:1: 9:35–11:1 ^da Jesus here extends his ministry (shown in 4:23–9:34 ^db) to others within Israel through his disciples (10:5-6 ^dc). Jesus’ instructions to his disciples (10:5-42 ^dd) focus on missionary activity and its consequent opposition and hardship. 9:35 ^de This verse connects with the section begun at 4:23 ^df. Matthew has presented Jesus to his readers as the Messiah who teaches, preaches, heals, casts out demons, and calls for a decisive response of faith.
9:36 ^dg like sheep without a shepherd: Jesus lamented the Pharisees’ pastoral negligence (see 12:11-12 ^dh; 18:12 ^di). Their attacks against Jesus were a clear indication of their hard-hearted rejection of God. The crowds languished due to pastoral neglect and mistreatment (10:5-6 ^dj; 15:12-14 ^dk; 23:4 ^dl; Zech 11:16 ^dm).
Summary for Matt 9:37-38: 9:37-38 ^dn Harvest refers to the multitudes (see also 13:24-30 ^do, 36-43 ^dp; Mark 4:26-29 ^dq; John 4:35-38 ^dr; Rev 14:15-20 ^ds).

• the Lord who is in charge of the harvest: All ministries are ultimately under God’s call (see Matt 23:8-10 ^dt, 13 ^du), so Jesus urges his disciples to pray for God himself to call more workers.