THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
INTRODUCTION
There is no reason to doubt that this Gospel was written by Matthew. It presents the narrative of our Lord’s life from the standpoint of the pious Jew; and the evident design of the writer is to show how completely and continually our Lord fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures. No other Gospel contains so many quotations from the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms. In it the predominant aspect of our Lord’s character and work is the Messianic. He was great David’s Greater Son. The keyword of the book is “Behold your King.” As King, His line is traced through the kingly race. As King, He proclaims the kingdom of heaven. As King, He promulgates the laws, describes the subjects, and announces the rewards of the Kingdom. When describing His own action at the last, when He sits on His throne and all nations are gathered before Him, He speaks of Himself as King, Mat_25:40. It was on His avowal of kingship that He was condemned to die. From every viewpoint this Gospel is one of the most precious documents in the world.
By F.B.Meyer
{e-Sword Note: The following material was presented at the end of Matthew in the printed edition}
Find the outline of our Bible study on The Gospel of Matthew at the link below.
OUTLINE OF THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
The King of the House of David
3. Miracles of Healing, Mat_8:1-34; Mat_9:1-35
NB !Note:
The Judean ministry of Jesus, which lasted almost one year, is not discussed by Matthew. This one year period is covered in John 1;1 to the end of John 4: and fits between Mat_4:11 and Mat_4:12. Matthew takes us from the temptation directly to the Galilean ministry.
Today we will look at the following question in the outline.
30. To what agency did the Pharisees attribute Jesus’ power to work miracles? Why?
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.
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.
Then touched he their eyes, saying,
According to your faith be it unto you.
And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying,
See that no man know it.
But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.
Jesus Heals a Man Unable to Speak
The answer to question 30; to what agency did the Pharisees attribute Jesus’ power to work miracles? Why?
As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.
And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.
But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.
Comments by F.B.Meyer
on
THE MERCIFUL DELIVERER
It is thus that the Master speaks to us: Believe ye that I am able to make you happy, though you are cut off from the light and gladness of the world? Believe ye that I am able to enrich you in poverty, strengthen you in weakness, and raise you even out of death itself, so that the barren rod may bear blossom and fruit? Believe ye that I am able to give a knowledge of God which eye hath not seen nor the heart of man conceived?
It may be with a trembling faith that we answer, Yea, Lord. But how blessed is the soul that dares to say Yea to the Master’s challenge. Understand that there is no limit to what He will do for you, if only you will trust Him. The measure of His giving is according to the measure of your faith, and the measure of your faith will be according to the measure of your abandonment to Him. Spread abroad His fame.
Pharisees hate Him, but demons flee.
Believer’s Bible commentary
Book by William MacDonald
L. Power to Give Sight (9:27-31)
9:27, 28 As Jesus departed from the ruler’s neighborhood, two blind men followed Him, pleading for sight. Though dispossessed of natural vision, these men had acute spiritual discernment. In addressing Jesus as Son of David, they recognized Him as the long-awaited Messiah and rightful King of Israel. And they knew that when the Messiah came, one of His credentials would be that He would give sight to the blind (Isa_61:1, RSV margin). When Jesus tested their faith by asking if they believed He was able to do this (give them sight), they unhesitatingly responded, “Yes, Lord.”
9:29, 30 Then the Great Physician touched their eyes and assured them that because they believed, they would see. Immediately their eyes became completely normal.
Man says, “Seeing is believing.” God says, “Believing is seeing.” Jesus said to Martha, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see?” (Joh_11:40). The writer to the Hebrews noted, “By faith we understand … ” (Heb_11:3). The Apostle John wrote, “I have written to you who believe … that you may know … ” (1Jn_5:13). God is not pleased with the kind of faith that demands a prior miracle. He wants us to believe Him simply because He is God.
Why did Jesus sternly warn the healed men to tell no one? In the notes on Mat_8:4, we suggested that probably He did not want to foment a premature movement to enthrone Him as King. The people were as yet unrepentant; He could not reign over them until they were born again. Also, a revolutionary uprising in favor of Jesus would bring terrible reprisals from the Roman government on the Jews. Besides all this, the Lord Jesus had to go to the cross before He could reign as King; anything that blocked His pathway to Calvary was at variance with the predetermined plan of God.
9:31 In their delirious gratitude for eyesight, the two men spread the news of their miraculous cure. While we might be tempted to sympathize, and even to admire their exuberant testimony, the hard fact is that they were crassly disobedient and inevitably did more harm than good, probably by stirring up shallow curiosity rather than Spirit-inspired interest. Not even gratitude is a valid excuse for disobedience.
M. Power to Give Speech (9:32-34)
9:32 First Jesus gave life to the dead; then sight to the blind; now speech to the dumb. There seems to be a spiritual sequence in the miracles here—life first, then understanding, and then testimony.
An evil spirit had stricken this man with dumbness. Someone was concerned enough to bring the demoniac to Jesus. God bless the noble band of the anonymous who have been His instruments in bringing others to Jesus!
9:33 As soon as the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. Surely we may assume that he used his restored power of speech in worship and witness for the One who had so graciously healed him. The common people acknowledged that Israel was witnessing unprecedented miracles.
9:34 But the Pharisees answered by saying that Jesus cast out demons by the ruler of demons. This is what Jesus later labeled the unpardonable sin (Mat_12:32). To attribute the miracles which He performed by the Holy Spirit to the power of Satan was blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. While others were being blessed by the healing touch of Christ, the Pharisees remained spiritually dead, blind, and dumb.
WE ARE STUDYING THE FOUR GOSPELS MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN TO KNOW THE LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.
TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM.
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