Grace Thoughts
Teaching Notes: On Matthew’s Gospel (Part 1)
Teaching Notes are Bible studies we taught before GraceLife Ministries began publishing articles online in 1995. Some were presented as sermons, others as group studies.
Our hope is that these older studies will be a blessing to you in your life and ministry. Please use them in any way God leads you.
These teaching notes are from a series of studies about the Gospel of Matthew.
[These notes are from a study prepared 45 years ago.]
Outline of Matthew 9
I. Jesus heals the paralytic man. 1-8
A. He leaves Gadara for Capernaum. 1
B. He forgives the paralyzed man and heals him of sickness. 2-8
II. Jesus calls Matthew to be a disciple. 9
III. Jesus is questioned by the Pharisees and disciples of John.
A. He eats with sinners. 10
B. He rebukes the Pharisees for their wicked hearts. 11-13
C. He answers the question of the Baptist’s disciples. 14-15
IV. Jesus gives the disciples a parable of the cloth and wineskin. 16-17
V. Jesus continues to heal the sick. 18-26
A. He is approached by a dead girl’s father and goes with him. 18-19
B. He is touched by a sickly woman and heals her for her faith. 20-22
C. He goes to the home of the dead girl and raises her up by a touch. 23-26
VI. Jesus heals two blind men and a demoniac. 27-35
VII. Jesus is moved with compassion over the condition of His people. 36-38
Objective Summary of Commentary Material on Matthew 9
This chapter deals with the King’s power to forgive sin, heal the sick, and raise the dead. These were special signs to demonstrate Christ’s power and authority. His calling of Matthew and the eating with publicans demonstrated His mission to “save that which was lost.” (9-13) The new cloth and wineskin prefigured the contest of grace and the Law. (16-17) The ruler’s daughter is a picture of the raising of Israel after the Gentile reign. (18-26)
Unger’s Bible Handbook (p. 476)
It was the faith of the paralyzed man and his friends that brought the blessing of healing from Christ. (1-2) The Pharisees withstood Christ and claimed that He blasphemed when He forgave men their sins. (3) Jesus demonstrated His Divine authority in both healing and forgiving. (4-7) Matthew made the break with his past to follow Christ. (9) Matthew later invited his friends to come and meet the wonderful Savior who had so affected his life. (10) In answer to the Pharisees’ pious questions, Christ used their own estimate of themselves to answer the objection. (11-13) Christ recalled the words of John the Baptist in answering His disciples’ question on fasting. (14-17) The faith of the ruler saved his daughter and the faith of the woman healed her body. (18-26) Faith also was the medium for restoration of sight to two blind men. (27-31) The multitudes reacted strongly to the miracle of the healing of the demoniac. It may have been the impression gained over a period of time. (32-38)
Wycliffe New Testament Commentary, pp 28-30
“This chapter continues the concentration of miracles begun in the last chapter. He performs three types of miracles: 1. Physical (2-8, 18-35), 2. Supernatural (23-26), 3. Spiritual (32-34)
J. Vernon McGee’s Commentary on Matthew, p. 28
Personal Interpretation of Matthew 9
After His rejection in Gadara, Jesus went back to Capernaum. (1) He was well known for His mercy and healing power and when the people heard that He was back they brought their sick to Him.
There was a group of men who brought their friend to Jesus believing that Christ could heal him. Jesus saw their faith and the need of the palsied man and forgive his sins. (2) The Pharisees called Christ a blasphemer in their hearts, but Christ, being God, read their thoughts. To call Christ a blasphemer was evil and Jesus asked the scribes why they thought this. (3-4) He showed them that He had power to do whatever He wished. He could forgive sins and heal, so He did both. (5-7)
This portion of Scripture shows the method of salvation – Faith in Christ and Forgiveness of Sin. Faith must precede God’s pardon.
Most likely Matthew had heard Jesus before and had considered His teachings. When Christ called for Matthew’s obedience, he followed. (9) The conversion of Matthew made quite an impression on his publican friends. Matthew, desiring that his friends meet Jesus, held a dinner and invited the friends. (10)
The Pharisees were aghast at Christ’s conduct. How could He eat with sinners? Christ’s retort was cutting to the Pharisees. They thought themselves to be righteous and Jesus said that He had come to help the sick, not well. He spoke pointedly that He would not have sacrifices, but mercy. He repeated that He came to call sinners and not the righteous to repentance. This was a continuation of His basic message from the beginning of His ministry. (10-13)
In verses 14 and 15 Christ mixed a Kingdom teaching with a prophecy of His death, resurrection and ascension. Following this Christ moved into a parable dealing with the transition from Law to Grave. (16-17) While Jesus was still speaking a certain ruler came to Him and begged Him to come to the bedside of his daughter and raise her from death. Christ followed immediately and was touched by a diseased woman. Both the ruler and the woman had one thing in common — faith in Christ’s power. (18-26) After Jesus had left the ruler and His daughter, He went on His way and was approached by two blind men. It’s interesting to note that Christ healed them according to their faith. Their faith was strong for they both regained sight. (27-31)
After they left a demon-possessed man was brought to Christ. No details are given to how the demon was cast out, but the multitudes were genuinely moved by the power of Christ. (32-33) True to form the Pharisees had nothing good to say about this miracle. They claimed that Jesus’ power was of Satan. No reply from Christ is recorded in Matthew. He went out to continue His work. (34-35)
As He was preaching and healing, He saw the tremendous spiritual needs of the people and He was moved with compassion. Knowing that He would soon depart, Jesus turned to the disciples and called upon them to see what He saw — a harvest ready for reaping. (36-38)
Practical Usage of Matthew Chapter 9
Social Action:
I’ve been reminded that Christ was no respecter of persons and would help anyone no matter what their appearance or status in life. I want to be more like Christ in this matter.
Next Time
We will look at the outline for Matthew Chapter 10 in the next part of our special series.
[Thank you for reading these teaching notes from 45 years ago. My prayer is they will be a blessing to you and your ministry.]
Jesus ChristSin and SalvationBook of MatthewHealing
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