The Promised King: He Forgives Sins, Calls Outsiders, Defeats Death

Matthew 9 continues the cascade of the King's deeds.

He forgives a paralytic — and proves the forgiveness by healing the body. He calls Matthew, a tax collector, from his booth. He defends His table fellowship with sinners. He heals a chronically bleeding woman and raises a synagogue ruler's daughter from death. He restores sight to two blind men. He casts out a demon from a mute man.

In every scene, the same pattern: the King moves toward the people the religious establishment wrote off, and exercises authority that only God can claim.

A paralytic forgiven

Getting into a boat, He crosses over and comes to His own city. Behold, some people bring to Him a paralytic, lying on a bed.

When Jesus sees their faith, He says to the paralytic:

"Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven."

The man came for healing. The King addresses the deeper wound first.

Some of the scribes say to themselves: This man is blaspheming. In their theology — correct theology — only God can forgive sins.

Jesus, knowing their thoughts, says:

"Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…"

He says to the paralytic: Rise, pick up your bed and go home.

The man rises and goes home. When the crowds see it, they are afraid, and they glorify God, who has given such authority to men.

The Promised King's healing of the body is the public proof of His authority over the soul. The miracle they can see verifies the miracle they cannot.

Matthew called

As Jesus passes on from there, He sees a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth.

"Follow me."

He rises and follows Him.

Matthew is writing his own Gospel. When he reaches this scene, he tells it in two short sentences. The Promised King speaks two words to a tax collector, and that tax collector follows. No drama. No protest. Just the obedience of grace.

Eating with sinners

As Jesus reclines at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners come and recline with Jesus and His disciples.

When the Pharisees see this, they say to His disciples:

"Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

When Jesus hears it, He answers:

"Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

This is the King's mission statement. He came for the sick. Those who think they are healthy will not come to the Physician. Those who know they are sick will run to Him.

A question about fasting

Then the disciples of John come to Him: Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?

Jesus answers:

"Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast."

He calls Himself the Bridegroom. His presence is the wedding. Fasting in His presence would misread the moment.

Then He gives two short parables — no one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; no one puts new wine into old wineskins. The King has not come to patch up the old religious system. He has come to inaugurate something new.

A daughter raised, a daughter healed

While He is saying these things, a ruler comes in and kneels before Him:

"My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live."

Jesus rises and follows him, with His disciples.

On the way, a woman who had been suffering from a discharge of blood for twelve years comes up behind Him and touches the fringe of His garment. She had said to herself:

"If I only touch his garment, I will be made well."

Jesus turns, and seeing her, He says:

"Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well."

Instantly the woman is made well.

He calls her daughter. The unclean woman becomes a daughter of the King.

When Jesus comes to the ruler's house and sees the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, He says:

"Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping."

They laugh at Him.

But when the crowd has been put outside, He goes in and takes her by the hand, and the girl arises. The report of this goes through all that district.

The Promised King has authority over chronic disease and over death itself. The same hand that touches a fevered brow raises a girl from her bed.

Two blind men and a mute

As Jesus passes on, two blind men follow Him, crying aloud:

"Have mercy on us, Son of David."

Son of David — the royal title. They are calling Him the Promised King.

When He enters the house, the blind men come to Him. Jesus says:

"Do you believe that I am able to do this?"

They say: Yes, Lord.

Then He touches their eyes:

"According to your faith be it done to you."

Their eyes are opened.

As they go away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who is mute is brought to Him. When the demon has been cast out, the mute man speaks. The crowds marvel:

"Never was anything like this seen in Israel."

But the Pharisees say:

"He casts out demons by the prince of demons."

The same act produces wonder in some and venom in others. The Promised King is the dividing line. People are revealed by how they respond to Him.

The harvest is plentiful

Jesus goes throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.

When He sees the crowds, He has compassion for them, because they are harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Then He says to His disciples:

"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

The Promised King sees harassed, helpless people — and His response is compassion. Not contempt. Not judgment. Compassion. He sees the crowd as a harvest that needs to be gathered, not as a problem to be managed.

The chapter ends with a prayer request from the King Himself — that we ask the Lord of the harvest for more workers. The work is more than any one person can do. The Father's house has many empty seats. The harvest is plentiful, and the laborers are few.

Closing prayer

Father, thank You that the Promised King forgives sins, calls outsiders, defeats death, and stops for the bleeding woman and the blind beggars. Make us those who, like Matthew, follow at the sound of His voice. Free us from religion that scorns sinners. And give us hearts of compassion when we see the crowds — and willing hands to be the laborers in His harvest. In Jesus' name, amen.