Spiritual blindness incurable? This section closes with a statement from the Pharisees that makes the reversibility of the condition improbable. Jesus healed two blind men. He said, ‘According to your faith let it be done to you.’ Again as in the last scene, there is a desperation associated with this faith, a sense of ‘nowhere else to turn.’ For effective …
Desperate Circumstances Reveal the Need for God: Matthew 9:18-26
Desperate circumstances will reveal my need for God. The synagogue ruler broke rank and chose to reach out to Jesus because he was desperate. His daughter was far more important than his position or reputation, and in her death he recognized how empty, pointless and worthless was everything in which he had trusted. He was empty and in desperate circumstance. …
A Real Life Not a Patched Up Religion: Matthew 9:14-17
A real life promised by Jesus, in this section, he compares reasons for fasting. He implies to his disciples that he will give them a deeper relational purpose for fasting in the future. In contrast, he will not impose fasting on them as an ascetic, traditional, religious practice. Again his focus in on the inner life, not on adhering to …
Follow Me: Matthew 9:9-13
‘ Follow me’, Jesus says to Matthew. Matthew immediately follows him without excuse or delay, and with no indications of regret. It is likely Matthew already knew of Jesus by reputation. Jesus knew his heart, and knew he was ready to give up the life he had known. Unlike fishing, tax collecting was not a profession to which he could …
A Paralyzed Man Forgiven and Healed: Matthew 9:1-8
The paralyzed man is first forgiven and then healed. The purpose of the miracles was to serve as a testimony to the identity of Christ, and it is interesting that forgiveness has priority in the discussion. Forgiveness of the paralyzed man most bothers the teachers of the law. The teachers of the law represented the religious people of the day …
Demon Possessed Men Healed and a Plea to Leave the Region: Matthew 8:28-34
Demon possessed or Jesus? Demon possessed or Jesus? These people later in the chapter appear to prefer the demon possessed. With just a few words, Jesus annihilates their known and familiar. They pleaded with him to leave their region because they were afraid. They feared him more than the demon possessed men he healed. The real God terrified them. With …
He Took Up Our Infirmities, Matthew 8:1-17
‘ He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases,’ verse 17, closes this section and is a reference to a portion of the prophecy about Jesus in Isaiah 53 where in verse 4 it says, ‘ Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering.’ These miracles of Jesus foreshadow something greater than physical healing. The physical healing …
Counterfeit Christianity, How to Avoid: Matthew 7:21—29
Counterfeit Christianity might have an outward appearance of the real thing, but it is really just appearance or form theology. Counterfeit Christianity lacks the depth of a relationship with Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. In this passage is the essential difference between religion and Christianity. Religious people stand before Jesus and point at the things they have …