Matthew 9:18-26 While he spoke these things to them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead… While Jesus discoursed upon consistency in diversity, and the concessions of love, an occasion arose for the exemplification of his teaching. "While he yet spake," etc. Note here the gracious concessions of Jesus to the weakness of the ruler's faith, and. learn - I. THAT JESUS RESPECTS THE FAITH WHICH, THOUGH WEAK, IS YET TRUE. 1. The ruler's faith was halting. (1) His was not at the first a faith for the raising of the dead. Had it been so, it would have been remarkable; for, up to this time, Jesus had not raised the dead. The words, "even now dead," conveyed the sense of "at the point of death" (cf. Mark 5:23; Luke 8:42; see also Bloomfield, in loc.). (2) His faith had respect simply to the recovery of the sick. Jesus had abundantly established the fame of his power to work miracles of healing. To have doubted here would have been unreasonable and criminal unbelief. How far is our unbelief unreasonable and criminal? (3) The ruler's faith cannot be compared with that of the centurion (see Matthew 8:5-13). The centurion did not consider himself worthy that Jesus should come under his roof. Discerning the Divinity of the Miracle-worker, he saw no need for his corporeal presence. The ruler's weaker faith required that Jesus should enter his dwelling and lay his hand upon his little daughter (cf. 2 Kings 5:11). (4) When the centurion believed, there were no examples of miracles of healing wrought at distance. The ruler had the centurion's example. 2. Yet the ruler's faith was true. (1) His coming to Jesus evinced this. Trouble, it may have been, drove him to Jesus; but he came. Many there were who, notwithstanding the fame of Jesus, yet came not to him. Still there are many who remain in their moral maladies rather than come to Jesus for salvation. (2) His appeal also evinced it. His worship was more than the customary Eastern manifestation of respect. He knelt to him, and pleaded importunately for his dying child. Those who would receive mercy from the Lord must give him honour. 3. Jesus respected this sincerity. (1) Jesus could have healed the damsel at a distance (cf. John 4:46-53). The ruler had not faith for this. So, in concession to his weakness, Jesus went with him to his house. In like manner Jesus honours the sincerity of the penitent sinner, meeting him on his way. (2) Note here the principle that grace is through faith. "According to your faith, so be it unto you." Had the ruler a firmer faith, it would have prevented the death of his child. Yet did not Jesus resent this halting by abandoning his case. Never will Jesus forsake the seeker who does not first forsake him. II. THAT JESUS WILL STRENGTHEN THE WEAK, TRUE FAITH. 1. By the stronger faith of others in his company. (1) The ruler saw the noble faith of the poor woman who "said within herself, If I do but touch his garment, I shall be made whole." The conception was creditable. She believed in that fulness of his grace presaged in that oil of gladness which flowed down to the skirts of Aaron's robe (cf. Psalm 133:2; John 1:16). (2) Her faith was admirable in action. She made her way through the crowd and touched the fringe of his garment. Yet it was her spiritual contact with Christ that saved her. The physical, however, was a sign of the spiritual (see Ephesians 2:8). (3) In that touch there is a sermon. The poor woman, through her malady, was ceremonially unclean, and whoever she touched was made unclean (see Leviticus 15:25). The doctrine of salvation through the vicarious sin-suffering of Jesus is set forth. The same was set forth again when Jesus took the dead hand of Jairus's daughter (ver. 25). The Levitical priesthood leave the dead in their uncleanness. The unclean are not forbidden to come to Jesus. (4) How encouraging is his commendation! "Daughter, be of good cheer; thy faith hath saved thee." The believer is comforted in the assurance of adoption. 2. By encouragements personally given. (1) Messengers of discouragement came to the ruler from his house. The report was, "Thy daughter is dead." The advice accompanying it was, "Why troublest thou the Master any further?" (see Mark 5:35). "A man's foes " - often unwillingly, however - "are they of his own household." When Jesus works Satan counterworks. (2) "But Jesus, not heeding the word spoken, saith to the ruler of the synagogue, Fear not, only believe" (Mark 5:36). Jesus had not raised the dead before this. But the dead had been raised by the old prophets in the Name of the Lord. Why should not the Lord also raise the dead in his own Name? (3) Thus by works and by word was the faith of the ruler strengthened by Jesus that it might also be honoured. How faith may turn calamities into blessings! III. THAT JESUS YIELDS NO CONCESSIONS TO UNBELIEF. 1. He discovered the unbelief of the professional mourners. (1) He found these in the ruler's house. Flute-players and wailers were making a tumult. The true mourners were silent. Deep grief is still. How unseemly are many of the customs of society! (2) The professional weepers were ready to laugh. When Jesus said, "Give place" - you are out of place here - "for the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth," they "laughed him to scorn." They had no doubt that the damsel was dead. This fact was strongly testified in the professional scorn. (3) The laughter of scorn is the reasoning of unbelief. The senseless can laugh when they cannot reply. The professionals were too carnal to apprehend the spiritual meaning of the Saviour's words. 2. He ordered that the unbelievers should be turned out. (1) He would not have his miracle-working hindered by their unbelief. It would be the first step to a revival in some Churches if the unbelievers could be expelled. (2) He would not have unbelievers honoured as witnesses of glorious works. Pearls should not be east before swine. (3) In the resurrection at the last day the wicked will be treated with ignominy. The sceptical scorners will then awake out of the dust to "shame and everlasting contempt" (cf. Daniel 12:2). 3. The faithful only shall have honour from Christ. (1) The witnesses chosen were the ruler and his wife, and the three favoured disciples - Peter, James, and John (see Mark 5:37-40). These disciples were afterwards chosen sole witnesses of the Transfiguration, and of the agony in the garden. (2) To them Jesus verified his deep words, "The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth." Bodily death is not essential death, but in his hands is sleep. To sleep is a common euphemism for death, and in Scripture points to a resurrection. (3) From the bed the daughter of Jairus was raised; the widow's son from the bier (Luke 7:14); Lazarus from the grave (John 11:44). "An ascending scale of difficulty, which has one stage more - the final summoning of all the dead by the same voice of quickening" (Trench). (4) The faithful will not only be witnesses, but also partakers of the better resurrection. - J.A.M. Parallel Verses KJV: While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. |
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