_CO-OPERATION IN RELIGION_ ‘And behold, they brought to Him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be for-given thee.’ Matthew 9:2 St. Mark and St. Luke give a much fuller account of the healing of the... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS_ ‘Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.… This man blasphemeth.’ Matthew 9:2 It is in _ this_ pronunciation of forgiveness that the most important part of the teaching of the passage is to be found. I. ATTITUDE OF THE MULTITUDE.—The Evangelist does not endors... [ Continue Reading ]
_GOOD CHEER_ ‘Be of good cheer.’ Matthew 9:2 This seems to be one of our Lord’s favourite expressions. Consider a few instances. I. BECAUSE OF SINS FORGIVEN.—‘_ Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee_’ (St. Matthew 9:2). These words were spoken to a man ill in soul and body. But our S... [ Continue Reading ]
_STEADY OBEDIENCE_ ‘And as Jesus passed forth from thence, He saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and He saith unto him, Follow Me. And he arose, and followed Him.’ Matthew 9:9 What is remarkable about Matthew is, not that he rose from his business and followed Christ, but... [ Continue Reading ]
_MERCY NOT SACRIFICE_ ‘Go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.’ Matthew 9:13 Let us look into the wonderful passage more closely. I. A STRANGE PASSAGE.—The passage is admittedly a difficult one, nor does the Christian at first gain comfort as he realises who it... [ Continue Reading ]
_RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES_ ‘Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.’ Matthew 9:15 Observances must be secondary. So St. Paul tells the Galatians that he is afra... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE RULER WHO PLEADED FOR HIS DAUGHTER_ ‘A certain ruler.’ Matthew 9:18 We have in this incident an instance of a pious and good man trained and chastened by the Father of Spirits. All the interest of the story is centred in the father. We read of what _ he_ said, what _ he_ felt and suffered, w... [ Continue Reading ]
_WORSHIP AND SUPERSTITION_ ‘If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole.’ Matthew 9:21 This story records a most remarkable instance of our Saviour’s treatment of ignorance and superstition. It was a poor conceit of this woman, says good Bishop Hall, that she thought that she might receive s... [ Continue Reading ]
_NOT DEAD, BUT SLEEPING_ ‘The maid is not dead, but sleepeth.’ Matthew 9:24 We have three great lessons from this history. I. A LESSON AGAINST DESPAIR.—The first is never to believe that we are utterly dead to God and Christ. It is a lesson against despair. Satan and the world are always trying... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE FAITH AND THE GIFT_ ‘According to your faith be it unto you.’ Matthew 9:29 The measure of our faith will be always the measure of the gift. But, as many and as different as are the benefits which God bestows on us, so many are the states of faith in a man’s soul. I. AN OVERCOMING FAITH.—If... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE GREAT PHYSICIAN_ ‘And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.’ Matthew 9:35 This feature of our Lord’s ministry was neither accidental or inevitable. No... [ Continue Reading ]
_SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD_ ‘When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.’ Matthew 9:36 The bearing of the Lord’s compassion and command here upon heathendom is divinely weighty. But its directest in... [ Continue Reading ]