Matthew 9:33

And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(33) The verse is obviously intended to stand in contrast with that which follows. The “multitude” gave free expression to their natural wonder, which, though it did not actually amount to faith, was yet one step towards it. The Pharisees stood aloof, not denying the facts, but having their own solution of them.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:32-34 Of the two, better a dumb devil than a blaspheming one. Christ's cures strike at the root, and remove the effect by taking away the cause; they open the lips, by breaking Satan's power in the soul. Nothing can convince those who are under the power of pride. They will believe anything, however false or absurd, rather than the Holy Scriptures; thus they show the enmity of their hearts against a holy God.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake - The miracle is narrated in the briefest terms; but the effect was immediate and the restoration was complete.

It was never so seen in Israel - Never was there in our land - among the Jews - such a succession of wonders, so striking, so marvelous, so full of the power of God. This was literally true.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

33. And when the devil—demon.

was cast out, the dumb spake—The particulars in this case are not given; the object being simply to record the instantaneous restoration of the natural faculties on the removal of the malignant oppression of them, the form which the popular astonishment took, and the very different effect of it upon another class.

and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel—referring, probably, not to this case only, but to all those miraculous displays of healing power which seemed to promise a new era in the history of Israel. Probably they meant by this language to indicate, as far as they thought it safe to do so, their inclination to regard Him as the promised Messiah.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Ver. 32,33. Some think this the same mentioned Luke 11:14, as shortly as it is here. The word in the Greek signifies deaf as well as dumb, for all persons who are deaf from their birth are also dumb. But it is probable this man was only accidentally dumb, from the power of the devil, that had possessed him, and suppressed his speech. It is observed that Christ cured,

1. Some that came on their own accord to him, as the woman with her bloody flux.

2. Others that could not come, but were brought to him, as the paralytic, before mentioned in this chapter, who was willingly brought.

3. Others who neither came nor were willingly brought, but he occasionally met, Luke 7:12 John 5:5 9:1.

4. Others that were brought without their consent, as the demoniac before mentioned, and this in this verse.

His design was, by these operations, to show himself the Son of God, and therefore did not always stay for people’s voluntarily offering him occasions, but sometimes took them when they were not voluntarily offered, to show the freeness of his grace.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake,.... The cause of his dumbness being removed, the effect ceased, and the man spake as he did before, and as other men do; and this was done, according to the Persic version, "as soon as Christ saw him"; the devil not being able to bear his presence, much less withstand his power: but as soon as Christ had set his eyes upon the man possessed by him, and had given him orders to be gone, he immediately went out, and the man was restored to his speech again;

and the multitude marvelled, saying, it was never so seen in Israel. The vast crowds of people, who were alarmed with the former miracles of Christ, and came along with the friends of the dumb man, when they heard him speak so suddenly and plainly, and with so much freedom, nothing being said or done to him, were surprised; and declared very frankly, that though many wonderful things had been done in Israel, in times past, by Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and others, yet never were such things seen, or heard, or known of, as were done by Christ: referring not to this miracle only, but to all the rest he had just wrought; as curing the woman of her bloody issue, raising Jairus's daughter from the dead, restoring sight to the two blind men, and now casting out a dumb devil.

Geneva Study Bible

And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Matthew 9:33. ἐλάλησεν: that cured, speech followed.—ἐθαύμασαν: the crowd present wondered, hearing one speak whom they had so long known to be dumb.—οὐδέποτε ἐφάνη, etc.: thus they expressed their surprise; the like was never seen in Israel. ἐφάνη is impersonal, the reference being to the change in the man; the manner of expression is colloquial, and it is idle to discuss the precise meaning of οὕτως, and what nominative is to be supplied to ἐφάνη. It is more to the purpose to inquire why this seemingly minor miracle should make so great an impression. Perhaps we should not isolate it, but take it along with the other marvels that followed in quick succession as joint causes of admiration. The people were worked up into a high measure of astonishment which, at last, found vent in these words. So in effect Euthy., also Rosenmüller (“tot signa, tam admirabilia, tam celeriter, neque contactu tantum, sed of verbo, et in omni morborum genere”).

Bengel's Gnomen

Matthew 9:33. Ἰσραὴλ, Israel) In the nation in which so many wonderful things had been seen.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 33. - And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. In Matthew 12:23 they have advanced a stage further, and suggest that Jesus is Messiah (" the Son of David;" cf. supra, ver. 27). Matthew 9:33