PLEASE READ: Matthew 9:18-38
Associated Texts: Mark 5:20-43 and Luke 8:41-56
No one who came to Jesus Christ ever went away unchanged. He met the needs of those who sought Him in the simplest and sometimes the most surprising of ways. In this passage we see His readiness, willingness, and compassion toward those who followed and thronged Him. His heart was to meet the needs of everyone, regardless of who they were, what they had done, or how impossible that need may have been.
In this passage we have four accounts, each entirely different, of people who’s lives were changed by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He demonstrated His authority, His love, His compassion, and His fulfillment of the Law in every instance. He transcended every boundary of man. He connected personally with individuals, and He ministered to the masses. Our goal in this passage is to let Him reveal to us His heart. Because at the end of the chapter, it is manifest in this statement:
Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest,” (Matthew 9:37-38, KJV).
But before we get there, let’s look at each account and how Jesus responded. We can learn some valuable lessons here.
#1 — Jairus and His Daughter
We have a frantic parent on our hands here.
This man was desperate. And despite his daughter having already died, Jairus still came to Jesus. For anyone who has lost a child, I cannot imagine his frame of mind, or how emotionally messy this may have been. He asked Jesus to come and lay His hand on her. We need to understand the gravity of this request. According to the Law touching the dead made one unclean. There were strict rituals in how the dead were to be handled. And so we can ascertain from this context that Jairus’ faith was at a place where he needed Jesus tangibly present for his daughter, even if it meant becoming unclean or breaking the Law. Again, we have a frantic and desperate parent on our hands. But what is even more notable is that Jesus was willing to grant his request, meeting Jairus at that place in his faith readily.
As the story unfolds we see this mission briefly interrupted by a woman who had an issue of blood for twelve long years. More on that story shortly. At this point what I want to expound upon is how Jesus handled that interruption. Although that woman was healed just by touching the hem of His garment — and apart from His personal intervention — He still took the time to acknowledge her, bless her, and affirm her faith. Meanwhile, Jairus is waiting. I don’t know about you, but any interruption in the midst would have caused me great angst if I put myself in his shoes. But we see Jesus taking His time with those who needed Him. He was not anxious. He was not in a hurry. He was completely in control of the situation at hand, knowing full well that He would raise Jairus’ daughter.
But let’s not make light of, or neglect to address, the very human element here. This is where we need the ability to relate to these people, because they are just like you and I. Whether you’ve asked Jesus to raise up your child from the dead or not — chances are you’ve encountered situations when you needed Him on the fly. It was urgent. Immediate. It couldn’t wait. And for whatever reason, there is this delay of sorts. There’s some kind of interruption. And what about when it’s another who’s in need who is just like you? He’s taking longer than you think He should. He may even appear late. What we can learn here is that He is fully in control of the outcome, regardless of how urgent or emergent we regard the situation.
His answer to Jairus? Oh, she is just sleeping.
Really? C’mon. It’s like… “Whaaaa…?”
Can you picture this? It says they laughed Him to scorn — until He kicked them all out and raised her up. I see jaws dropping, eyeballs popping, and I even hear gasping and perhaps some screams of delight or fear. That news, we are told, spread like wildfire. According to the scriptures, this was the first account of Jesus raising anyone from the dead. But it certainly would not be the last. And according to Him, she was not dead at all. He called the final verdict. Did Jairus make some ignorant and embarrassing mistake? I don’t think so. Any parent knows if their child is dead. That is not a casual thing. I don’t believe Jairus was like, “Oops, I missed it.” Not a chance. The reality is this: Jesus Christ is able to transcend all the facts — because He is absolute Truth.
LESSON #1: Jesus will meet you where your faith is. He knows how to handle the interruptions of our lives. And because He is the Truth, He is able to transcend all the facts.
#2 — The Woman with the Issue of Blood
This poor woman.
For those of us who may not truly understand what was going on here, and how desperate her need really was, I’m going to explain. This woman’s “issue of blood” was undoubtedly related to a dysfunction in her menstrual cycle. Women today still have issues like this, and they are commonly related to diseases in their uterine lining or severe hormonal imbalances. This kind of dysfunction and disease can indeed be life-threatening if the bleeding is heavy, as there is no possible way to stop it. Women, as a rule, died from these kinds of problems. For her, however, this issue had gone on for twelve years. So from that alone we can know with some measure of certainty, the following:
1.) She was considered perpetually unclean according to the Law, and was therefore an outcast in society.
2.) She was not allowed to touch anyone; and no one was permitted to touch her.
3.) She was chronically anemic. She was probably very pale, weak, and had a very shallow reserve for any kind of stamina or strength.
4.) Due to this issue, it is very likely that she was alone — without a husband.
5.) Because she was alone, she was probably very poor, and at the mercy of those who gave charity.
6.) It is very doubtful she had any ability to bear children. And therefore, she was probably barren. To be barren was considered a curse among women according to the Law.
Now that we have a greater understanding of her “issue of blood”, the details of her story make sense. There was no way she was going to touch the Master. She dared just to touch the hem of His garment. More than likely this was the fringe of our Lord’s tallit — the knotted tassels which represent the Law and covenant.
Have you ever been in a throng of people? Have you ever tried to follow someone in a crowd of any size? It’s harrowing. It’s exhausting. You’re pushed, shoved, knocked down, and pushed back. Trying to keep up requires all your focus and strength — even when you’re hand-in-hand with someone. So we know she was wrestling just to get to Him.
The scriptures tell us that she speaks to herself. She’s not making any noise or calling out to Him like the others. She’s very quiet. She’s reserved in her manner toward Him. It’s quite possible actually that she does not want anyone noticing her, given the fact that she is unclean. Being in a crowd such as this would have been prohibited. In the Gospel of Mark, we find that Jesus felt power go out from Him apart from His knowledge! But she managed to touch Him just as she intended — and she received her miracle. Again, the Lord met her faith. She made a vital connection with Him in the Spirit, even more so than she did in the flesh.
And what does Jesus do? He stops and turns to her. And what do you think happened when He did that? Everyone stopped to find out why He’s stopping. In this moment, she’s no longer an outcast. He makes her the center of attention. He publicly blesses her. He publicly acknowledges her. He publicly affirms her faith. He calls her “daughter”. And she is made “whole”.
Are you crying yet? This is huge. This poor woman who was a complete outcast is completely restored not just physically, but socially. In one moment her entire life changed.
With that said, no issue in our lives is ever isolated. One broken area can create a lot of peripheral problems. Regardless of how long, it’s never too late for healing.
Lesson #2: This story is not just one of physical healing, but complete restoration. She was made “whole”. Powerful faith does not have to be loud. It can be very private, reserved, and quiet. We can make a vital connection in the Spirit that brings us our miracle without ever speaking a word. The Lord will meet us in that private place. Reach out and touch Him. No one else has to know. But be ready, because the honor, blessing, and affirmation He gives may be very public.
#3 — The Two Blind Men
I’ve often wondered if these men were brothers, or perhaps related somehow. It’s quite possible. But it was also common that the lame and blind kept company among one another. It’s therefore entirely possible they were not related at all, but knew one another by association.
Blindness was common in biblical times due to widespread diseases, especially from contaminated water sources. When we look at the many ways Jesus chose to heal the blind, such as with mud from His saliva, and washing in the pool of Siloam, it makes these stories all the more peculiar and miraculous. Blindness from birth was often caused by bacteria transient within the birth canal, hence the practice of modern medicine which places antibiotic ointments into the newborn’s eyes. In other instances, blindness was often considered a curse of darkness (see Deuteronomy 28:28).
Restrictions for the blind, according to the Law, were mostly those imposed by their blindness. There are, however, strict exclusions for the priests. They cannot enter the Temple or perform ritual sacrifices and priestly duties. As for laymen, it was not uncommon for the blind to be shut out of the Temple and local synagogue, along with the lame, and others who had deformities or deficits.
Unlike the last story, these men were loud. And they were just as persistent — following Him all the way into the house. The Law gives a specific charge not to put a stumbling block into the path of the blind. And to lead a blind man astray was forbidden. Therefore, we can safely assume they were assisted by the people, and even led by Jesus Himself.
And they are crying out after Him, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” But why did they address Him this way? This is where we need to understand the weight of that specific title. The Son of David was the promised Messiah. It was, therefore, a messianic title. David was promised a son who would forever rule the kingdom upon his throne. The Messiah had to come from the line of David, being born in Bethlehem, which Jesus fulfilled perfectly. So when they addressed Him as the Son of David, everyone knew they were acknowledging His deity. Let us also note that it is customary for the Jews to address a male by their first name followed by “son of ______”. So their crying out was entirely appropriate. In fact, it was respectful.
This story tells us they followed Him into the house. By inference, therefore, we know that Jesus led them there. We can only assume this house was where He was staying. And suddenly we come to understand this to be a private affair. Jesus addresses them and asks if they believe He can do this. And what do they say? “Yea, Lord.” We now see a confession of His Lordship. Despite their being blind, this has now become a face to face encounter. And He touches their eyes while saying, “According to your faith be it unto you,” (Matthew 9:29).
And their eyes were opened. What follows next may leave us scratching our heads. Jesus “straitly charges them” not to tell anyone. A “strait” charge is one that is very strict and sternly given. There is no room for argument or questioning.
But Why? Isn’t that the obvious question we all ask when reading this story? We will explore that answer in the next story.
Have you ever witnessed someone receiving their sight for the first time? No one who receives their sight needs to say anything. It’s evident. I’ve seen it a couple of times in documentaries. It’s pretty loud. There’s a lot of emotion. There’s a lot of excitement. There’s a lot of shock. There’s a lot of everything.
Know this: Whatever the blind see first is very significant.
And so we come to understand that when their eyes are finally opened the first thing they see is the person of Jesus Christ— Face to face. This just makes my head spin. I can’t imagine it. And do you think they heard His “strait charge”?
Um… no.
New neurons are firing. They are far too overwhelmed with what they’re seeing to hear anything. That last thing He said? It went in one ear and out the other. And they do what anyone who received their sight would do — they tell everybody — and it spreads throughout the whole country. Unstoppable. In fact, it is entirely probable that they made their way to the temple. If I was a Jew I’d want to go to the temple, especially if I was forbidden entry. And where are the Pharisees? In the temple.
So, who’s next? They fetch Him a demon-possessed man. Which brings us to our next story.
Lesson #3: Jesus Christ will lead us into places with Him that are clandestine where we see Him face to face. He does what we ask explicitly according to our faith. He makes it intensely personal. Finally, there are testimonies He gives us that are meant to be evidenced and discovered instead of spoken and proclaimed. There are reasons for His limitations, which we may not always understand. We must be obedient. Souls depend upon it (as we will later see).
#4 — The Demon Possessed Man
As the blind men went out another is brought to Him. We can only infer that “they” in this context are those who are without the house, or perhaps His disciples. It may have even been the two blind men. We really do not know who “they” are. But it stands to reason it’s in reference to those outside the house.
This man is not blind. He is dumb (mute). The deaf or mute, by Jewish Law, have many legal and civil restrictions because they cannot witness or attest to anything. Blindness was considered normal. But to be deaf or dumb was considered abnormal.
Very simply, we are told the demon is cast out and the dumb man speaks. Unlike the blind men, this was done publicly and the crowds marveled.
And now here come the Pharisees. And what do they say?
He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils,” (Matthew 9:34, KJV).
This is a clear blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, which is the unpardonable sin. There really are no words for how gross this statement is. This accusation is purely demonic in origin. It comes from the accuser of the brethren, Satan himself. Jesus Christ later addresses this issue of blasphemy with the Pharisees. But for now, let us understand that no devil is cast out by Satan.
And where is this man who was delivered? We don’t know. Did he hear the Pharisees say this? We don’t know. And if he did, how did their statement affect his faith in Jesus Christ? We don’t know. Yet all of these questions are worth asking. If I were standing in the midst of this as a firsthand witness, these are the kinds of questions I would be prompted to ask. My immediate concern would be for the faith of this precious man.
In this text we do not see Jesus Christ making a direct reply. But let it be known that He does address this issue in Mark 3:28-30. Jesus Christ will go to great lengths to protect our faith and the souls of mankind. On that note we must consider the testimony of the blind men and their lack of obedience to the Lord’s strait charge “not to tell anyone”. Having been prevented by Law before, did they now go into the temple? Did the Pharisees and priests turn their heads at them? Could it have been that Jesus gave them a strait charge to keep the Pharisees at bay? Perhaps to even protect the Pharisees from making their own damnable statement?
Could this outcome have been prevented had the blind men obeyed Him? It’s possible.
What we do know is that Jesus Christ set this man free. He was dumb. He’s now speaking. And that says enough.
Lesson #4: There is no spirit (human or otherwise) that is not subject to the Holy Spirit. He has authority over all. Jesus Christ demonstrated that authority. To attribute the work of the Holy Spirit to that of Satan is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, which is damnable. There is no forgiveness for this sin.
Summation
And so we come to the conclusion of the matter:
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd,” (Matthew 9:35-36, KJV).
He went about teaching, preaching, and healing. There was nothing left outstanding. There were no outliers. And in this we see His heart for the people. His compassion was perfect.
In stark contrast, the Pharisees were not shepherds. They cared nothing for the people. So we see the dire need here. We see the multitudes. We see the desperation. We see the weakness, brokenness, and suffering. And finally, we see His response:
Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest,” (Matthew 9:37-38, KJV).
His kingdom work must continue: the teaching, preaching, and healing. You don’t need to travel distant lands. God has given each of us a specific sphere of influence. We can continue His work right where we are. There are people everywhere everyday who desperately need Jesus Christ. As His disciples, we are all laborers. Not only can we pray asking Him to send us, but we can be the ones who answer saying, “Send me.”
Church, we can do this. If only we’ll let Him use us.
Cheers & Shalom,
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