JESUS, ISRAEL’S KING, FULFILLS OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES, THUS PROVING HIS KINGSHIP
“While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. 19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. 20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: 21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. 23 And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, 24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. 25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. 26 And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.
27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. 28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. 29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. 30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. 31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.
32 As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. 33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. 34 But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.
35 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. 36 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. 37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”Matthew 9:18-38.
This section is a continuation of Matthew’s account of the miracles performed by Israel’s King. “ The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;” Isaiah 61:1. As we pointed out previously, the record of the miracles is not Matthew’s primary objective. His purpose is to show that Jesus fulfils those Old Testament prophecies their King would perform when He came.
This entire section is a record of one miracle after another. The first is that of a ruler who comes to Him, requesting that He come had heal his daughter who is at the point of death. He had complete faith that Jesus could heal her.
However, as Jesus starts to the man’s house, a woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years, said within herself, if I can touch the hem of His garment, I will be whole. She was made whole that very hour.
When Jesus arrived at the ruler’s house, those stand by informed Him that the child was dead. The minstrels and the people were making a noise, which they were hired to do. This is something the Western world has a difficulty understanding. In the East, there are professionals who are employed to play pipes, and wail at a death or a funeral (Jer. 9:17-21; 48:36; Amos 5:16). Jesus told them to be quiet, for the child was not dead. It should be noted that the child was dead. But her death was not hopeless. Their scorn was turned to amazement when He brought the child out alive. Obviously, this kind of miracle was not common in Israel, nor is anyone doing them today.
Verses 27-31 records the healing of two blind men. These men understand that He is the son of David, thus the Messiah. He touches their eyes, and they are healed. Although, they believed He was able to heal them, the only part their faith played, was that they came to Him. Those who think there is some healing power in their faith, miss the whole point.
Jesus opened their eyes, and charged them to tell no one. He was not seeking fame. His fame was already causing Him problems, and it would cause Him much more. This is seen in the following verse.
A man who was unable to speak because of a devil possessed him, was brought to Jesus. Jesus cast the devil out. The people marveled, and the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.
It was the Pharisees who were possessed of devils. They could not afford to give Him credit. To do so, would endanger their pride, position, power, and income. Thus, they blasphemed the Holy Spirit.
Verses 35-38 states that Jesus traveled from village to village, and from synagogue to synagogue preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven. (Note, this is not the gospel preached by Paul, or the gospel we preach today). Every sickness and disease was healed. No one was rejected. It ought to be evident that this is a Kingdom ministry. No one has this power or this gospel today.
If modern day healers were real, they would be going to the sick in the hospitals, and nursing homes, and healing people. Instead, they rent large building, and then screen those they pretend to heal. They are fake, and charlatans. Jesus had compassion on the people, nor did He take a “love offering” after healing them.
Jesus tells His disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest, and request that workers be sent into the fields. This is always the need. Many times, those who pray see the need, and go themselves. How about you, will you pray that God will send out workers to the harvest?
Pastor Ken Blue was born in Boswell, Ark. In 1955 he accepted Christ as his Savior. He and his wife Joyce were married in 1955. They have 5 children. He graduated from Midwestern Baptist Bible College in 1969 and started the Open Door Baptist Church in Lynnwood, Wa. where he pastored for 39 years. Because of health issues (ALS) he was forced to resign as pastor. It is his desire to continue to be used of God to help pastors and believers through this ministry.