Matthew 9:8

And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. This incident appears to follow next in order of time to the cure of the leper (Matthew 8:1). For the exposition, see the notes at Mark 2:1....

8._And the multitudes who saw _Instead of _astonishment _which Matthew mentions, (511) the other two Evangelists employ the word ἔκστασις, or amazement: and Luke adds _fear _But the design of all the Evangelists is to show, that the power of God was not merely acknowledged, but that all were struck with _astonishment, _and compelled to give glory to God. _The fear, _which followed the _astonishment, _had the effect of preventing them from opposing Christ, and of making them submit to him with reverence as a Prophet of God. Matthew expressly says, _that they glorified God, who had given such authority to men _Here they appear to be partly mistaken: for, though they see a man with their eyes, they ought to have perceived in him, by the mind, something higher than man. They are no doubt right in saying, that the nature of man received great honor i

1-8 The faith of the friends of the paralytic in bringing him to Christ, was a strong faith; they firmly believed that Jesus Christ both could and would heal him. A strong faith regards no obstacles in pressing after Christ. It was a humble faith; they brought him to attend on Christ. It was an active faith. Sin may be pardoned, yet the sickness not be removed; the sickness may be removed, yet the sin not pardoned: but if we have the comfort of peace with God, with the comfort of recovery from sickness, this makes the healing a mercy indeed. This is no encouragement to sin. If thou bring thy sins to Jesus Christ, as thy malady and misery to be cured of, and delivered from, it is well; but to come with them, as thy darlings and delight, thinking still to retain them and receive him, is a gross mistake, a miserable delusion. The great intention of the blessed Jesus in the redemption he wr...

Verse Matthew 9:8. _WHEN THE MULTITUDES SAW_ IT, _THEY MARVELLED_] Instead of εθαυμασαν, _wondered_, the Codex _Vatic_. and Cod. _Bezae_, with several other MSS. and versions, have εφοβηθησαν, _feared_. In the _Gothic_, and one copy of the _Itala_, both readings are conjoined, thus: _And the multitudes seeing it, wondered and feared, and_ _glorified God. Wondered_ at the _miracle; feared_ to _offend_ against such _power_ and _goodness_; and _glorified God_ for the works of _mercy_ which he had wrought. That which to the _doctors of the law_, the worldly-wise and prudent, is a matter of scandal, is to the humble an occasion of glorifying the Most High. Divine things make a deeper impression on the hearts of the simple multitude than on those of the doctors, who, puffed up with

THEY GLORIFIED GOD - See the notes at Matthew 5:16. To “glorify” God, here, means to “praise him,” or to acknowledge his power. The expression, “which had given such power to people,” was a part of “their” praise. It expresses no sentiment of the evangelist about the nature of Christ, but is a record of their feelings and their praise....

EXPOSITION MATTHEW 9:1 _The_ _paralytic forgiven and healed. _Parallel passages: Mark 2:1; Luke 5:17. (For connexion of thought, cf. Matthew 8:18, note.) In the parallel passages this narrative follows our Matthew 8:1. Matthew's account is shorter, as usual. MATTHEW 9:1 AND HE ENTERED INTO A SHIP; _boat _(Revised Version). So completely did he grant the request of the Gadarenes. Obs

BUT WHEN THE MULTITUDE SAW IT,.... The miracle that was wrought; when they saw the man take up his bed, and carry it home, which was done by Christ, as a proof of his having power to forgive sin, THEY MARVELLED, AND GLORIFIED GOD: they were struck with amazement and astonishment at the sight, it being what was strange and unusual; the like to which they had never seen before, nor heard of: and concluding it to be more than human; they ascribed it to God; they praised, and adored the divine goodness, WHICH HAD GIVEN SUCH POWER UNTO MEN; of working miracles, healing diseases, and delivering miserable mortals from such maladies, as were otherwise incurable; still looking upon Christ as a mere man, by whom God did these things; not knowing yet the mystery of the incarnation, God manifest in the flesh....

Matthew 9:1. _And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith_ The faith of the bearers, and the faith of the palsied man himself, Matthew 9:2. _Said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee._ It was remarked, by a mediaeval writer, that we do not find Christ calling any of the apostles, not even the very chief of them, by the name that he gave to this palsied man, «Son.» This is the title that he gives to a sin-sick sinner, lying on a bed before him, waiting to be healed. Oh, the tenderness of Christ to sin and misery! He puts a kind of sonship upon this man which he had not possessed before....

MATTHEW 9:8 evfobh,qhsan {A} Superficial readers and copyists, failing to see the deep meaning of “were afraid” (i.e., people felt a profound sense of awe and alarm in the presence of One who had the right to forgive sins), substituted for evfobh,qhsan what seemed to be a more appropriate word, evqau,masan (“marvelled,” or “were astonished”). The external evidence supporting the more difficult reading is not only early but it includes representatives of both the Alexandrian and the Western text-types....

CHAPTER 9 1. A Man Sick of the Palsy Healed. (Matthew 9:1 .) 2. The Call of Matthew (Matthew 9:9 .) 3. With the Publicans and the Sinners. (Matthew 9:10 .) 4. The Question of John's Disciples. (Matthew 9:14 .) 5. The Ruler's Request.(Matthew 9:18 .) 6. The Woman Healed of an Issue of Blood. (Matthew 9:20 .) 7. The Maid Raised from the Dead. (Matthew 9:23 .) 8. The Two Bli