Matthew 9:9-13;18-26 - Jesus Shocks Everyone
Matthew 9:9) As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 10) And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. 11) When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12) But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13) Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners…..18) While he was saying these things to them. Suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19) And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. 20) Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, 21) for she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” 22) Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. 23) When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24) he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25) But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26) And the report of this spread throughout the district.
Background: This story comes in a long section of healing and miracle stories following the Sermon on the Mount. They are intended to demonstrate what life looks like when the message of the Mount is lived out. Both Mark and Luke record similar incidents. The details vary but the astounding implications are similar. Here Matthew is concerned with highlighting Jesus’ authority and the power of his word to bring life, especially to the marginalized and outcast. Even though these events occur prior to the cross and resurrection, Matthew and his community see them with resurrection eyes. Jesus makes everything new and different. He changes the way people look at the world. He turns expectations upside down, even the expectation that sinners should be shunned and that the dead must remain dead. Remember, too, that Matthew’s community was terribly alienated from the synagogue. They were, themselves, outcasts. In these incidents they see Jesus pulling together an inclusive community in which the prejudices of those in power do not apply.
Social Implications of ‘righteousness’: Righteousness in Scripture is understood on two levels. First, it refers to living in a particular way, doing certain things and not doing others things. Those ‘things’ were defined in the Biblical Law, which for Jews also defined secular life. Actually the division between religious and secular law would have made no sense to them at all. All of life in every context is to be guided by God’s values. Second, underneath that understanding lay the understanding that righteousness had to do with a vision, or perspective of the heart, that resulted in these right behaviors. That perspective was rooted in the desire to love God with all of one’s heart, soul, mind and strength. By the time of Jesus, these two perspectives were sometimes separated. Doing rightly was separated from the deep quest to love. In that case, righteousness became self-righteousness and was often condemned. There were dire social consequences for being deemed out of righteousness or unclean. For example, tax collectors were considered enemies of God because they consorted with, supported and grew wealthy from their work with the Roman oppressors. Many of the tax collector’s themselves, raised rates in order to increase their personal shares. It was unheard of to eat with such people. In Jesus day, with whom one ate was a matter of grave import. To share a meal with someone was very intimate behavior and a way of including that person in the deepest levels of life. A woman shedding blood was just as bad. In the Torah such a one’s uncleanness was considered contagious. She could not touch another person without making that one unclean as well. There were elaborate rituals performed to decontaminate people who had contact with bodily discharges. It was also forbidden to touch a dead body. The resulting uncleanness would mean social ostracizing and being barred from worship in the community of faith.
Word Study and Commentary
Vs. 9 – Matthew sitting at the tax booth – Jesus sees Matthew in the very act of tax collecting. He is at his ordinary job. There is no way he could not have known.
Follow me – Jesus immediately tells him to leave behind the way of life he has known and to come with him. The word follow in Greek implies urgency. It means to move quickly and to accompany another. It is distinguished from an occasional or temporary following. This is a lifelong life style commitment.
He got up and followed – the power of Jesus’ word compelled him to leave everything to go with him
Vs. 10 – sat at dinner – indicates intimacy and acceptance.
In the house – we don’t know what house or where.
Many – apparently Jesus’ acceptance of Matthew has drawn many other outcasts and sinners to be with him as well.
Disciples – This word refers to learners, pupils but with a twist. Disciples are those who learn and adhere and accept the teachings in such a way that they live them out daily. This word does not refer to the 12 Apostles, but to all those who dedicated themselves to Jesus’ teaching.
Vs. 11 – Pharisees – the political party within Judaism that was most concerned with the keeping of the letter of the law. These were the religious lawyers.
Vs. 12 – when he heard this – Jesus overhears the Pharisees question and answers for himself.
Vs. 13 – Go and learn – a specific and direct command.
Those who are well….- This little proverb reverses the customary order of things. The Pharisees believed that behavior resulted in access to God.
I desire mercy – a quote from Hosea 6:6. This comes from a section in which God is described as the healer of Israel.
Vs. 18 – a leader – the Greek does not contain the phrase “of the synagogue”. Matthew’s estrangement from the synagogue was so complete that he never records a healing or miracle done for a leader of the religious establishment. Still, most commentators believe that this person was indeed a religious official.
Just died – as opposed to Mark’s version where the girl is at the point of death.
This is another glimpse at the depth of Matthew’s resurrection faith.
Vs. 20 – touched the fringe – she was very respectful and careful not to touch his person and risk rendering Jesus unclean.
Vs 22 – your faith has made you well – Jesus highlights the role of faith in healing. Remember that it is not the faith itself that heals, but rather Jesus’ word. When he speaks, she is healed. Faith is the avenue through which healing comes.
Vs 23 – flute players and commotion – when he arrives a full wake is in progress (without the father!). These services included paid musicians and professional mourners and waiters.
Vs. 24 - The girl is not dead but sleeping – this is not to be taken literally, but through the eyes of Matthew’s resurrection faith. Death is nothing more than a brief nap to Jesus.
Laughed at him – mocked and derided him
Vs. 25 – took her by the hand – the rules of uncleanness have no power over Jesus. Love and mercy always have the last word.
Questions for Personal Reflection
1. Has there ever been a time in your life when you dramatically changed course? Did you somehow sense a call from God in that change? Can you identify one looking back?
2. Has there ever been a time in your life when you felt so compelled by the word or experience of the presence of Jesus, that you dropped what you were doing and would then do anything you could to get closer and learn more?
3. Has there ever been a time in your life when you felt like an outcast either as a result of choices you made or because of something over which you had no control? What was that experience like? Can you identify the feelings associated with it?
4. Have you ever reached the end of your rope in dealing with a problem, like the bleeding woman, and felt that you had nowhere to turn? What did you do? Might it have been different if you felt you could turn to Jesus, and it would actually help?
5. Have you ever felt that you were just dead inside or that the life force was all gone from you? Think back on a moment like that. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine Jesus coming to you and taking your hand. See what happens.
6. Who do you think in our day are considered the outcasts and sinners that no one wants to associate with? How do you react to those people? In what ways do you draw near and nourish them? Looking at this text and at your community, if you were looking for Jesus, where would you find him?