Matthew 9:18-35

The four miracles mentioned in this section seem to have occurred in immediate succession. On the way to the house of the ruler, the woman with an issue of blood is cured; the ruler's daughter is raised; then two blind men receive their sight, and immediately after a demon is cast out of a dumb man, which occasioned the further opposition of the Pharisees (Matthew 9:34). In Matthew 9:35 we have either a general sketch of our Lord's ministry, as in Matthew 4:23 or the brief record of another circuit through Galilee. The faith of the Jewish ruler was not so strong as that of the Gentile centurion. ‘Not even in Israel,' etc. (chap. Matthew 8:10) was a later utterance. A man of the highest rank seeks Jesus in the company of publicans, driven by paternal anxiety. The deathbed of a child often the birthplace of faith. The Lord leaves the house of feasting to go to the house of mourning. The healing of the woman suggests: All believers do not show their faith in the same way (comp. the paralytic); retiring faith to be encouraged and brought to public confession; the timid, shrinking ones may be very near Christ; the many diseased women, whose sufferings must be kept concealed, have special need of Christ; faith is only a hand to lay hold of Christ, if it but touch the border of his garment He will strengthen it The delay on the way to the rulers house, to try and to strengthen his faith. The ruler of the synagogue witnesses the cure of one ruled out of the synagogue. Twelve years of sickness overcome, twelve years of health restored. The marked contrasts of the two miracles in Matthew 9:27-34: Two men, though blind, follow Christ, confessing Him, and are healed; a dumb man, who cannot confess, possessed of a demon (who might be encouraged by the blasphemy of the Pharisees), is brought and healed. ‘The first of these miracles was, so to speak, enacted on the threshold of the kingdom of heaven; the second at the gate of hell.' Lange.