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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 9:1-8

The first words of this chapter oblige us to look back to the close of that which precedes it, where we find the Gadarenes so resenting the loss of their swine, that they were disgusted with Christ's company, and besought him to depart out of their coasts. Now here it follows, He entered into a ship, and passed over. They bid him begone, and he took them at their word, and we never read that he came into their coasts again. Now here observe, 1. His justice?that he left them. Note, Christ will... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 9:1-34

We have repeatedly seen that in Matthew's gospel there is nothing haphazard. It is carefully planned and carefully designed. In Matthew 9:1-38 we see another example of this careful planning, for here we see the first shadows of the gathering storm. We see the opposition beginning to grow; we hear the first hint of the charges which are going to be levelled against Jesus, and which are finally going to bring about his death. In this chapter four charges are made against Jesus. (i) He is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 9:5

For whether is easier to say ,..... Christ proceeds to clear himself of the charge of blasphemy, and to prove his power to forgive sins, by putting a case to them, of which he makes themselves Judges, and is this: which is easiest to be said, thy sins are forgiven thee? or to say, arise and walk? Neither of them were easy to a mere creature, but both of them easy to God; and he that could say the one with power and efficacy going along with his word, could say the other as effectually:... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:5

For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? - Both are equally easy, and equally difficult; for both require unlimited power to produce them. And every thing is equally easy to that power which is unlimited. A universe can be as easily produced by a single act of the Divine will as the smallest elementary part of matter. The common punctuation of the above passage almost destroys the sense: the comma should be placed after easier, and to say, made... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:5

Verse 5 5.Whether is it easier to say? The meaning is, that, as it is not easier to quicken by a word a body which is nearly dead than to forgive sins, there is no reason to wonder that he forgives sins, when he has accomplished the other. The argument which our Lord uses may appear to be not well-founded: for, in proportion as the soul is more excellent than the body, the forgiveness of sins is a greater work than the healing of the body. But the reply is easy. Christ adapts his discourse to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 9:1-8

The paralytic forgiven and healed. Parallel passages: Mark 2:1-12 ; Luke 5:17-26 . (For connexion of thought, cf. Matthew 8:18 , note.) In the parallel passages this narrative follows our Matthew 8:1-4 . Matthew's account is shorter, as usual. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 9:1-8

The cure of the paralytic. I. THE SICK MAN BROUGHT TO CHRIST . 1 . His own city. It had been Nazareth; now it was Capernaum. The Nazarenes had rejected him. He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief; he marvelled at their want of faith. Now he was in Capernaum; he was well known there, but not as he had been known at Nazareth. The Nazarenes had known him from childhood—all through those thirty years of quiet, humble holiness; he had lived among them like... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 9:1-8

Soul-searching. At the request of the Gadarenes Jesus crossed over. He does not obtrude his blessings on the unwilling. We do not read that he ever after visited them. Coming to his own city, Capernaum, where residence gave him citizenship, "they brought to him," etc. ( Matthew 9:2-8 ). I. JESUS SEES THE FAITH OF THE CONTRITE HEART . 1 . He saw the faith of those who carried the paralytic. 2 . In the paralytic Jesus discerned a deeper faith. II. JESUS ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 9:1-17

At Capernaum. The choice of Capernaum as suitable centre justified by results. Rapid spread of our Lord's fame. Eager crowds gathering from far and near. Picture scene: Here, father carrying drooping child; there, little girl with blind father; camel bearing woman bowed with infirmity; sick of all kinds brought by friends; crowd ever increasing; silence broken only by occasional yell of a possessed one or moans of sufferers. Crowds waiting before daylight, but Jesus not there—gone to a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 9:1-26

The Lord of both lives. Notice in introduction one of the simplest instances of the way in which the three very various accounts of our Lord's life and works supply one another, add greatly to our information, and form a network of evidence of the authenticity of the narrative which it would seem impossible to gainsay. Observe— I. THE GRACIOUS ACTION TAKEN BY THE SAVIOUR SO PROMPTLY ON THE FIRST SIGHT OF FAITH . Notice the fact that the forgiveness of the... read more

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