Matthew 9

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:12

They that be whole need not a physician - A common proverb, which none could either misunderstand or misapply. Of it the reader may make the following use: - Jesus Christ represents himself here as the sovereign Physician of souls. That all stand in need of his healing power. That men must acknowledge their spiritual maladies, and the need they have of his mercy, in order to be healed by him. 4. That it is the most inveterate and dangerous disease the soul can be afflicted with to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:13

I will have mercy, and not sacrifice - Quoted from 1 Samuel 15:22 . These are remarkable words. We may understand them as implying, 1st. That God prefers an act of mercy, shown to the necessitous, to any act of religious worship to which the person might be called at that time. Both are good; but the former is the greater good, and should be done in preference to the other. 2dly. That the whole sacrificial system was intended only to point out the infinite mercy of God to fallen man,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:14

Thy disciples fast not? - Probably meaning that they did not fast so frequently as the others did, or for the same purposes, which is very likely, for the Pharisees had many superstitious fasts. They fasted in order to have lucky dreams, to obtain the interpretation of a dream, or to avert the evil import of a dream. They also fasted often, in order to obtain the things they wished for. The tract, Taanith is full of these fasts, and of the wonders performed thus by the Jewish doctors. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:15

Can the children of the bride-chamber - Νυμφωνος . Or, νυμφιου , bridegroom, as the Cod. Bezae and several versions have it. These persons were the companions of the bridegroom, who accompanied him to the house of his father-in-law when he went to bring the bride to his own home. The marriage-feast among the Jews lasted seven days; but the new married woman was considered to be a bride for thirty days. Marriage feasts were times of extraordinary festivity, and even of riot, among several... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:16

No man putteth a piece of new cloth - Ουδεις δε επιβαλλει επιβλημα ρακους αγναφου επι ιματιω παλαιω . No man putteth a patch of unscoured cloth upon an old garment. This is the most literal translation I can give of this verse, to convey its meaning to those who cannot consult the original. Ρακος αγναφον is that cloth which has not been scoured, or which has not passed under the hand of the fuller, who is called γναφευς in Greek: and επιβλημα signifies a piece put on, or what we... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:17

New wine into old bottles - It is still the custom, in the eastern countries, to make their bottles of goat skins: if these happened to be old, and new wine were put into them, the violence of the fermentation must necessarily burst them; and therefore newly made bottles were employed for the purpose of putting that wine in which had not yet gone through its state of fermentation. The institutes of Christ, and those of the Pharisees, could never be brought to accord: an attempt to combine... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:18

A certain ruler - There were two officers in the synagogue, הכנסת חזן chazan ha - ceneseth , the bishop or overseer of the congregation; and הכנסת ראש rosh ha - ceneseth , the head or ruler of the congregation. The chazan takes the book of the Law, and gives it to the rosh , or ruler; and he appoints who shall read the different sections, etc. Jairus, who is the person intended here, was, in this latter sense, the ruler or governor of one of the synagogues, probably at... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:19

Jesus arose, and followed him - Our blessed Lord could have acted as well at a distance as present; but he goes to the place, to teach his ministers not to spare either their steps or their pains when the salvation of a soul is in question. Let them not think it sufficient to pray for the sick in their closets; but let them go to their bed-sides, that they may instruct and comfort them. He can have little unction in private, who does not also give himself up to public duties. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:20

A woman which was diseased with an issue of blood - Γυνη αἱμοῤῥουσα . Mulier sanguinis profluvio laborans. Significatur hoc loco, fluxus muliebris, in Sanis, menstruus; in Hac perpetuus . It would be easy to explain the nature and properties of the disease here mentioned; but, when it is said that prudence forbids it, the intimation itself may be thought sufficiently explanatory of the disorder in question. There are some remarkable circumstances relative to this case mentioned by St.... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:21

She said within herself, If I may but touch his garment - Her disorder was of that delicate nature that modesty forbade her to make any public acknowledgment of it; and therefore she endeavored to transact the whole business in private. Besides, the touch of such a person was by the law reputed unclean. By faith in Christ Jesus, little things are often rendered efficacious to our salvation. What more simple than a morsel of bread, and a few drops of wine, in the Lord's Supper! And yet, they... read more

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:12

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:13

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:14

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:15

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:16

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:17

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:18

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:19

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:20

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 9:21

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