NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER NINE

Part I

NOTE: In this chapter we find on display the whole gamut of human need and the power of God in Christ to supply the answer to those needs in every situation.

          Condition                                            Source                                            Remedy

          Sin                                                        Satan                                  Forgiveness of Christ

          Physical illness                                Nature                                Words of Christ

          Internal bleeding                            Illness                                 Touching Christ

          Being dead                                         Death                                  Touch of Christ

          Blindness                                           Disease                               Command of Christ

          Being possessed                              Demons                              Superiority of Christ

Verse 1: Jesus got into a boat and went back across the lake to His own town.

With His work completed in Gadara, Jesus now sails north some 12 miles across the Sea of Galilee to where He is living. By this time it was understood that Matthew was not referring to Bethlehem or Nazareth, but Capernaum.¹ The key factor is that the writer indicates this was now Jesus’ home town.² Even early church writer Chrysostom says: “By His ‘own city’ here he means Capernaum. For that which gave Him birth was Bethlehem; that which brought Him up, Nazareth; that which had Him continually inhabiting it, Capernaum.”³

There were several factors that went into someone claiming a town or city as the permanent residence in those days. In a discussion by Jewish Rabbis one asked: “How long must a man reside in a city to be considered a resident of the city and thereby be liable to participate in the aforementioned costs? Twelve months. If, however, he buys a house there, he is immediately regarded as a resident of the city”.⁴ Also, a Jewish teacher known as Raba was asked: “How long must [a stranger] stay in a town, that he may be as its citizen? Answered Raba, twelve months”.⁵ So it appears that by this time, Jesus had passed the one year mark in Capernaum.

Verse 2: Some people brought to Him a man who was paralyzed and was lying on a mat. Jesus saw that these people had much faith. So He said to the paralyzed man, “Young man, you will be glad to hear this. Your sins have been forgiven.”

It is remarkable that Jesus greeted the young man the way He did. How did Jesus know this man had committed any sins? Did He know what sins the man was involved in? The answer is found in the teaching of the Jews related to illnesses. We read that the Rabbis taught that many of the consequences of sin is physical punishment in the form of disease. After all, isn’t this what God threatened when He said to Moses, “How much longer is this people going to treat me with contempt? How much longer will they not trust Me, especially considering all the signs I have performed among them? I am going to strike them with sickness, destroy them and make from you a nation greater and stronger than they are!”⁶ Another Rabbi also taught: “There is no death without sin, and there is no suffering without transgression.”⁷ And Jewish commentators tell us that this is based on the words in Ezekiel where it says: “The person who sins is the one that will die — a son is not to bear his father’s guilt with him, nor is the father to bear his son’s guilt with him; but the righteousness of the righteous will be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked will be his own.”⁸

From this we get this picture: this man’s friends knew the man was dying as the result of some sinful behavior that had left him unable to move and having to be carried about. This could have involved alcoholism, venereal disease, or after having had a stroke. But the fact that Jesus calls his condition the result of sin, does not necessarily mean that our Lord agreed that all sickness is a result of sin, but because He knew what error the man had made. However, his friends believed that even though this young man may not have had any faith of his own, they were hoping that their faith in Jesus would be enough to find healing for him.

Early church commentator Peter Chrysologus had this to say on what happened here. He writes: “Note in this regard, my brothers, that God does not inquire into the wants of those who are deliriously ill. He does not wait to see the faith of the uneducated or probe the senseless wishes of the sick. Yet He does not refuse to help the faith of another, so that by grace alone He confers whatever is proper of the divine will. In fact, my brothers, when does a doctor ever inquire into or examine the wishes of those who are ailing, for a patient is prone to be confused in his wishes and demands.”⁹ In other words, when someone is in need of healing and they are mentally unable to petition God in prayer, God will recognize the faith of those who bring their request to Him, just like Jesus responded to the faith of those who brought this paralyzed man to Him.

Verse 3: Some of the teachers of the law heard what Jesus said. They murmured among themselves, “What an insult to God for this man to say such a thing!”

When Jesus voluntarily turned to this man and told him that his sins had been forgiven, you would have thought that the teachers of the law might rejoice with the words of David, “It is a great blessing when people are forgiven for the wrongs they have done, when their sins are erased. It is a great blessing when the Lord says they are not guilty, when they don’t try to hide their sins.”¹⁰ But instead, they became critical. Possibly for two reasons: Bible scholars tell us that such paralysis in ancient days was cause by over drinking which brought on a stroke or palsy. So the scribes may have been upset for that reason. And of course the second reason, was that Jesus was playing God, in their eyes. As far as the man was concerned, certainly Jesus’s words were like what Isaiah heard God say to Israel, “Your sins were like a big cloud, but I wiped them all away. Your sins are gone, like a cloud that disappeared into thin air.”¹¹ It is also remarkable that Jesus uses an indicative verb “have been” which is a statement of fact. Perhaps that also upset the scribes because it took away any need for Temple sacrifices.

But what upset them most was a violation of the law whereby they could accuse Him of misusing the name of the Lord.¹² In other words, it wasn’t Jesus who was forgiving this man, but Jesus used God’s prerogative to do so. What strikes me, however, is how many other cities could have had the honor of being known as Jesus’ “home town?” Was He not born in Bethlehem; raised in Nazareth; ministered throughout Galilee, and ended up in Jerusalem? But He chose Capernaum instead. Perhaps that is because there was no room in Bethlehem; Nazareth simply could not believe in the carpenter’s son being the Messiah so they drove Him out; and Jerusalem would reject Him once too often. How many hearts have also been visited by Christ, but they too have turned Him away. Oh soul! Have you also been equally as uninviting to the Lamb of God? Don’t you know He wants to make your heart His home?

Chrysostom makes this comment on what the scribes where thinking here. He writes: “It belongs only to God to know men’s secrets, hear what saith the prophet, ‘Since you know their hearts (for you alone know the human heart);’¹³ and again, ‘You, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts;’¹⁴ and Jeremiah too says, ‘The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?’¹⁵ and, ‘People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’¹⁶ And by many things one may see, that to know what is in the mind belongs to God alone. Implying therefore that He [Jesus] is God, equal to Him as His Son; what things they were reasoning in themselves (for through fear of the multitude, they dare not speak their mind), but He unveils and makes manifest their opinion, evincing herein also His great gentleness. And yet if there was any cause for displeasure, it was the sick man who should have been displeased, as being altogether deceived, and should have said ‘One thing I came to have healed, and You add another. Why, how is it manifest that my sins are forgiven?’ But for his part he utters no such word, but gives himself up to the power of the healer; but these critics being curious and envious, plot against the good deeds of others. Wherefore He rebukes them indeed, but with all gentleness. ‘Why, if you did not believe what I said first [about his sins being forgiven], and though it was boasting, at least consider that I am added to it that I can reveal your secret thoughts.”¹⁷

It is also noteworthy to focus on the fact that Jesus did not say: “I forgive you your sins,” but rather, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” This is the same phrase He used for the woman who came and anointed His feet with oil.¹⁸ This may have led the critical onlookers to conclude that since only God the Father can forgive sins, Jesus was assuming power that did not belong to Him. But even on the cross He would cry out, “Father forgive them.” But Jesus did say: “Take up your mat and walk.” He did so with the same authority by which He told the demons to come out. No doubt our Lord saw this as critical in their understanding of Him as well as His own disciples. So our Lord chose this occasion to teach a very valuable lesson.

Verse 4: Jesus knew what they were thinking. So He said, “Why are you thinking such grievous thoughts?”

Surely these scribes knew what God said to Isaiah: “I, the I AM wipes away all your sins. I do this to please Myself. I choose not remember your sins.”¹⁹ So we can see why it offended them that Jesus would presume He had such a divine privilege. How could He exalt Himself that way when the prophet Micah had said: “There is no God like you. You take away people’s guilt.”²⁰ This ability of Christ to read man’s thoughts should not be interpreted as some display of power to validate His divinity. Coupled with His other acts of power however, it does give it a supreme essence for revealing and recognizing Jesus as the true Son of God. His ability to order that sins be forgiven is truly marvelous; His healing virtue is absolutely magnificent; but to realize that He knows the secrets of our hearts and minds is awesome. To the sinner it is debilitating, but to His children it is a delight. To know that He forgives me is unspeakable joy; to know that He can heal me is undefinable happiness; and to know that He understands just what I need brings unutterable peace.

Once some Rabbis were discussing the characteristics of the Messiah to come and one of them said: “It is written of the Messiah: And the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge of the fear of the LORD. And will give him quick discernment with reverence to the LORD.”²¹ In the same place it goes on to say that a man named Bar Koziba²² reigned two and a half years, and then said to the Rabbis, “I am the Messiah.” They answered, “Of Messiah it is written that He discerns and judges: let us see whether Bar Koziba can do the same.” When they saw that he was unable to judge by discernment, they killed him for being a false messiah.

Certainly our Lord’s discernment of what they were thinking should have given these teachers of the law pause to think that maybe this Jesus could in fact be the Messiah. Someone may be able to initiate any of these phenomenon of healing, discerning of thoughts, and announce the forgiveness of sin has been attained one at a time, but it takes the Son of God to do all three at once. This three-fold ministry of Christ has been largely neglected and missing in our churches today.

In any Catholic church you can go to confession and hear a priest or say, “The priest will now absolve you of your sins,” but seldom, if ever, will you hear him say to a paralyzed person, “Take up your bed and walk.” In most Evangelical churches you will rarely hear, “I will now absolve you of your sins,” and most likely will also not hear “Your faith has brought you healing.” And in many Pentecostal churches you may hear a prayer for divine healing, but seldom will you hear a word of discernment or word of knowledge given such as: “The Spirit tells me that you are suffering this because of something wrong you have done.”

It is what I call “The Empty Egg” condition of the church. That’s like breaking open an egg only to find out that it is empty inside. Likewise, we have everything it takes on the outside to look like a church that represents the power, the presence, and the perception of the Lord Jesus Christ, but inside His power, presence and perception is missing. In this instance, Jesus was ready to give an answer for what He had done, but not before teaching His critics a lesson.

Verses 5-6: “The Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins. But how can I prove this to you? Maybe you are thinking it was easy for me to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ There’s no proof that it really happened. But what if I say to this man, ‘Stand up and walk’? Then you will be able to see that I really have this power.” So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Stand up. Take your mat and go home.”

Here our Lord was asking a rhetorical question because He was about to prove the point that He was making. If our Lord’s ability to discern was not enough, certainly this display of divine power should have been convincing. If there was any doubt that when Jesus told this man, “Your sins are forgiven,” that He had the authority to do so, He removes all doubt by claiming such power. It is conjectured therefore, that since Jesus told His disciples that all the power given to Him by the Father He was passing on to them, then certainly the authority to forgive sins on behalf of the Father was included.²³

The reason why, is because He ended by saying, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”²⁴ The Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church and Lutheran Church have also trained their priests and pastors to exercise this same authority through the sacrament of penance, confession and reconciliation. According to one Catholic writing it says: “He exercised this power in His human capacity as the Messiah or Son of man, telling us, ‘The Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’²⁵ which is why the Gospel writer himself explains that God ‘had given such authority to men.’²⁶”²⁷

In most Protestant churches, the Pastor’s authority to declare that one’s sins have been forgiven, is more of a confirmation when the Biblical requirements of repentance and confession of sins has been done sincerely by the individual seeking forgiveness. And such confirmation is based on the finished work of Christ on Calvary. However, we notice that Jesus had not yet died as the Lamb of God, therefore some believe that our Lord was talking about the sin, or error, that brought on the paralysis in the first place, and that this would be proven by the healing he would receive.

In other words, Jesus was not going to allow this young man’s carelessness to keep Him from receiving healing for his malady. The same goes for the woman mentioned earlier that came and anointed His feet with ointment. She was known to be a woman of ill repute, so Jesus was willing to overlook her moral failure and accept her veneration as the Son of Man. This then would put the forgiveness of the original sin inherited from Adam out of reach for any pastor or priest, since only God can forgive that sin. Although it may not have had that effect on the scribes, it certainly did on this young man, because Matthew has more to tell us.