THE HEALING OF THE PARALYTIC (Mark 2:1 * Luke 5:17). Mt. here resumes Mk.'s order; Matthew 8:18 *. As usual he condenses the narrative, saying nothing of the dense crowd round the house or of the device employed by the sick man's friends. For faith winning blessings for others _cf. Matthew 8:13_, Ja... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CALL OF MATTHEW. JESUS EATS WITH TAX-COLLECTORS (Mark 2:13 *, Luke 5:27). We need not doubt the identification of Matthew (= gift of Yahweh) and Levi; Peter had a double Jewish name, Simon and Kephas. Lk. notes how this disciple forsook all; he could not return to his old calling, as a fisherman... [ Continue Reading ]
FASTING. THE OLD AND THE NEW (Mark 2:18 *, Luke 5:33). Mt. makes the disciples of John (who were more numerous and important for two or three centuries than is usually recognized; _cf._ p. 797) put the question. Sons of the bride-chamber means, by a common Heb idiom, wedding-guests; John 3:29 has it... [ Continue Reading ]
JAIRAS-' DAUGHTER AND THE WOMAN WITH HAEMORRHAGE (Mark 5:21 *, Luke 8:40). Mt. records in nine verses what Mk. takes twenty-three to tell. He again forsakes Mk.'s order, postponing Mark 2:23 to Mark 4:34 till later (chs. 12, 10, 13). Despite his compression Mt. remarks that the woman (? Veronica) to... [ Continue Reading ]
TWO BLIND MEN HEALED. Mt. only; perhaps a doublet of Matthew 20:20, with reminiscences (in Matthew 9:30 f.) of Mark 1:43. See M-' Neile, 128f. Son of David first appears as a Messianic title in Ps. Sol. 17:23, but becomes frequent after A.D. 100. MATTHEW 9:30. JESUS STRICTLY CHARGED THEM: the verb... [ Continue Reading ]
A DUMB DEMONIAC HEALED. Mt. only (but _cf_ Luke 11:14); perhaps a doublet of Matthew 12:22 f.* MATTHEW 9:35. A summary of ministry (Mark 6:6_ b_) almost identical with Matthew 4:23; Mark 6:1_ a_ is deferred to the end of Matthew 13.... [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW 9:36 TO MATTHEW 10:4. THE SENDING OF THE TWELVE. Jesus sees the people distressed and scattered better, mishandled and lying helpless utterly unprepared, through lack of spiritual guidance and succour, for the Advent of the Kingdom. It was the hour of opportunity, and if there were enough he... [ Continue Reading ]