Matthew 9 - The Harvest is Plentiful But the Workers Are Few

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In chapter 9, Jesus continues to heal many different types of people.  Jesus also transitions from doing the ministry to calling his disciples to do the ministry. He will start equipping them to do the same things as he did. In Matthew's version, Jesus calls Matthew the tax collector first. Whereas, Mark and Luke start with Peter, his brother, and then James and John. John adds Philip and Nathanael. They are different because they are written from different vantage points and to different audiences. 

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man

In this first section of chapter 9, Jesus connects the healing of a paralyzed man to the forgiveness of his sins. Before he heals the man he says, "Your sins are forgiven!" This draws the ire of the Pharisees. Slowly Jesus is revealing that He is the Messiah, but not all at once lest his ministry be cut short too early. After he healed the man, the crowds were amazed and asked, "Where did Jesus get the authority to do this?" Authority is the right to exercise power. When Jesus showed his authority over sickness, the devil, and even nature, it backed up his claim to have the authority to forgive the man's sin. 

The Calling of Matthew

As you know the Jewish tax collectors were hated by their fellow Jews. They saw them as pawns used by the Roman government to get as much tax as possible. They could pay a certain amount to Rome and then pocket the overage. Matthew got up and followed Jesus, and even invited him to his home, where there were lots of other "sinners". When the Pharisees criticized him for hanging out with such reprobates, Jesus reminded them that it is only those who acknowledge their need for help who can be helped. This is the same principle in the 12 step program with a recovering alcoholic or addict. 

Jesus Questioned About Fasting

As we saw in the Sermon on the Mount, the Pharisees were very proud of themselves in terms of how they prayed long prayers and engaged in other spiritual disciplines. So when they thought Jesus was not "fasting" enough, they called him on it. Jesus made a couple of analogies. One, the scene of a wedding, where when the bridegroom was taken the people were disappointed so they tried to enjoy him while he was still there. Later, the church would be categorized as the "bride of Christ" illustrating another kind of marriage between God and His church. 

Jesus also used the metaphor of wineskins to illustrate that just as you won't put new wine into an old wineskin, he was representative of the new wine. The new wine was the gospel, which would replace the law. This new covenant would completely change how human beings related to God based on grace not on self righteousness.

Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman

In another instance of healing a synagogue ruler's daughter had died suddenly. In faith he said that if Jesus came, he could heal her. Sure enough when Jesus got to the house and placed his hand on her, she rose from the dead. This was one of two instances where Jesus healed someone from death. 

On the way, another woman subject to bleeding for 12 years grabbed a hold of Jesus' garment. This took great faith, as she would have been shunned in public for doing such a thing to a rabbi, especially given the nature of her disease. But Jesus recognized her great faith and healed her. 

You will see sometimes Jesus will heal people without any response of faith from them, but often it is in response to someone's faith. In another instance it was reported that Jesus could do "no miracles" because there was "no faith" in that town. 

Jesus Heals the Blind and the Mute

Jesus also healed two blind men and a man who was mute man, who was possessed by a demon. He healed both of them as a result of their faith. The crowd continued to be amazed by Jesus, whereas the Pharisees attributed his deliverance to the devil saying, "It is by the prince of demons Jesus did this." This was an illogical argument. The devil would never rebuke himself. 

The Workers Are Few

Matthew 9:35 begins a huge transition from Jesus doing the ministry, to his equipping the disciples to do all the things he did. You might call it "Phase 2". In "Phase 1" he did and they watched. And now in "Phase 2", they would do and he would watch. A great model for today!

Have you ever had someone "disciple" you? What I mean by this is someone who helped you to grow to be more like Jesus by doing ministry with you and being an example of a mature disciple. I had a guy named Jim Guth who did this with me, and those were some of the most growth filled years in my journey as a Christ follower leading me to become a pastor. Pray about someone who might play that role in your life!