In this episode we conclude the last five of the ten miracles that Matthew incudes to indicate that Jesus is the New Moses. Moses came with ten plagues and now Jesus is the New Moses with ten miracles that validate his ministry as the Messiah who delivers his people from the grasp of the enemy. As we conclude the episode we review the many times Matthew includes the statement that Jesus on multiple occasions healed everyone that was brought him. What a powerful indication that God had come to rescue his people, all people from the enemy.
SHOW NOTES
6. Jesus Restores Two Demon-Possessed Men
28 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29 “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”
30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31 The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”32 He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 33 Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.
The demons recognized Jesus as divine which the disciples did not do until after the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The demons know they cannot destroy Jesus, but they can minimize Jesus’ influence in this area if they destroy the pigs. The demons destroy the pigs as a demonstration of their demonic characters. They also misstate the character of God by suggesting that they will be tortured by him in th future. They are the torturers and thus project themselves onto God to demean him. They succeed in minimizing Jesus’ influence but Jesus leaves his ambassadors there in the form of the exorcised men (Mark 5:18-20). The inhabitants prefer demon possessed men and pigs rather than inspired men. It is the convoluted logic of sinners.
7. Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man
9:1 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”
Jewish thought taught that if one was ill or diseased it was because they had sinned (John 9:2). For healing to be conceivable the man had to believe he was forgiven of the sin which had caused this affliction. The man himself had to believe this had happened before he could believe he could be healed. Hope had to be born in his heart. Jesus meets him where he is in his heart and gifts him with hope to enable the healing which followed.
3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”
In Jewish teaching only God could forgive sin and this happened at the temple after the prescribed sacrifice. For Jesus to make the claim the man’s sins were forgiven at his command was to claim he was God.
4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk?’ 6 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7 Then the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.
This is a healing, but it is more than a healing. It is about the authority of Jesus to unilaterally forgive sin. Jesus’ authority to forgive sin is mentioned in 10:1, 12:38, 16:1, 19, 28:18. When Jesus says to his disciples, “All authority has been given me.” He is not talking in generalities but specifically about his authority to forgive sin. This was the central issue about Jesus’ divinity in Matthew. The Jews did not expect the Messiah to be divine but an empowered human leader like king David and king Solomon. Jesus is revealing his divinity by forgiving sin.
The Calling of Matthew
9:9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
To call a tax collector to be a disciple implies that the tax collector was forgiven. Jewish custom meant avoiding unclean people like Gentiles, Tax Collectors and Sinners. This included avoiding any form of social contact with them as illustrated in the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). To avoid a good meal provided by a tax collector was to sacrifice a pleasure. The devout Jews were willing and happy to make such a sacrifice and would have refused to attend. Jesus, in accepting the invitation, showed mercy to the host and demonstrated the heart of God for the marginalized of earth.
Jesus Questioned About Fasting
14 Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”15 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.”
While Jesus is with his disciples they will rejoice. When he is arrested, tortured and executed they will fast. Now Jesus shows the futility of fasting. It is like sowing a patch of new clothe on a worn garment, it is like preserving new wine in old rigid wine skins. Neither of these practices work. Nor does fasting change God’s heart.
16 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17 Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
Fasting is a form of sacrifice in that one gives up the pleasure of eating. Fasting is seen as a way of persuading God to do our will. This implies that when fasting is used to persuade God to heal or bless someone that those praying are kinder than God. They must persuade him to do the kindness they want done. It is arrogant ignorance. No one loves the worst of sinners more than God (John 3:16-17).
Jesus is challenging this idea with his statements on patches and wine. When it is believed that God is a reluctant healer or unmoved carer the teachings of Jesus will be misunderstood. Jesus is making the point that God is more compassionate than anything we have ever heard about him. Jesus is the only eyewitness of God (John 1:18) and he is THE authority on the mercy and compassion of God. Mercy includes the forgiveness of sin which Jesus is distributing to those he meets.
8. Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman
18 While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”
22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.23 When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, 24 he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. 25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. 26 News of this spread through all that region.
Jesus miraculously blesses two women. It is important to notice that Jesus does not limit his miracles to men. He also does not limit his healing or blessings to Israelite’s. He loves and cares for all.One could separate these miracles into 2 distinct miracles but then Jesus would not parallel Moses with 10 miracles which is Mathew’s intention.
9. Jesus Heals Blind men
27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”28 When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”“Yes, Lord,” they replied.29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; 30 and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” 31 But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.
Notice that the blindmen do not recognize the divinity of Jesus. They recognize him as a son of David. This does not detract from Jesus’ desire to bless all those he meets. His blessings are unconditional which confirms the unconditional love of God.
10. Jesus Heals the Mute man
32 While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. 33 And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”34 But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.”
There are non-so blind as those who will not see. The Pharisees have eyes and ears, but they are blind and deaf to the miracles happening in their presence. This is another one of the messianic tests. The Jews could cast out a demon if they knew the demon’s name. Since the demon possessed man was mute the demon could not tell its name. In this case the Jewish exorcists were stymied, but Jesus casts out the demon. It is a miracle on steroids, but the Pharisees attribute the work of God to demons. They are reversing the Old Testament practice of attributing the evil work of Satan to God. The Jews are attributing the good work of God/Jesus to the devil.
Matthew has demonstrated in these ten miracles that Jesus is the New Moses. But he has demonstrated more. This new Moses is also the divine Messiah. While Moses brought ten plagues, Jesus brought ten blessings in healings.
The Workers Are Few
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without ashepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Jesus wants followers who will replicate his ministry of teaching, announcing and healing. To do this Jesus chooses the 12 apostles and sends them out to replicate his ministry which is what follows in Matthew’s narrative (10:1, 8). In Acts 4:29 to the end the Believers pray for this ability. It is seldom prayed for today and so never occurs. Christians have multiple reasons why it does not happen rather than admit they do not have the desire to do the will of God through the ministry of the Spirit.
This passage, verses 35 to 36, is almost identical to the ending of chapter 4 which reads as follows:
23 Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 24 News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed—he healed them all. 25 Large crowds followed him wherever he went—people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River.
This is a literary device used by writers of the time to bookmark a section in their document. Chapter and verse divisions were only added over a thousand years later. These bookmarks enabled the speaker to reference a section in the document.
These bookmarks also draw attention to the incredible mass healings that have never been replicated before Jesus or after Jesus. They attest to the divinity of Jesus incontrovertibly. There is no other explanation. While a single miracle now and then light be a coincidence these mass healings are of a different order. Here the references are: 4:23, 8:16-17; 9:35-38; 10:1, 8; 11:5; 14:14-15; 14:34-36; 15:30- 31; 19:1-2; 21:12-14. God had come to earth and there resulted a flood of mercy and forgiveness. His glory was seen, not in earthquakes, wind and fire but in mercy, forgiveness and compassion.
Ian Hartley, September 2024.
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