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Matthew 9

And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.

And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

And he arose, and departed to his house.

But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?

And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

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.

And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.

And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,

He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.

But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.

And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.

Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.

But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.

As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.

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

But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.

And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

What does Matthew 9:24 mean?

Explanation

In Matthew 9:24, Jesus is depicted entering the home of a synagogue ruler whose daughter has just died.

When he says, "Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth," he is asking for space and calm, as he was about to perform a miracle.

The crowd, however, reacts with scornful laughter, mocking Jesus’ claim that the girl is merely sleeping.

On a literal level, it shows Jesus’ authority over death, as he implies that he can reverse her state.

Figuratively, it may suggest that death is not final for those with faith in Jesus, and that with his power, what is seemingly the end can just be a temporary 'sleep' from which one can awaken.

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Historical Context

Matthew 9:24 is situated in the context of Jesus' ministry in Galilee, where he performed many miracles, often in the presence of crowds and skeptics.

The cultural understanding of death at the time was final and absolute; thus, the mourners likely found Jesus' claim absurd.

Laughter in this historical setting was a reaction to what was perceived as a ridiculous statement, since they knew the girl was dead.

This scenario underscores the contrast between Jesus' proclamation of the kingdom of God, which includes miracles, and the prevailing religious and cultural norms.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this text is rich with meanings.

From a Christian perspective, it highlights Jesus' divine power to give life and his mastery over death, which foreshadows his own resurrection.

It also can be seen as a demonstration of a lack of faith by the crowd and the transformative power of Jesus' presence.

For some, the idea that she is "not dead, but sleepeth" conveys a deeper truth about the Christian hope in life after death and the resurrection of the believers.

Practical Applications

This verse inspires believers to trust in Jesus’ power over life's most difficult circumstances, including death.

It suggests that followers of Jesus should not be swayed by popular opinion or skeptics when facing seemingly hopeless situations.

Instead, they should maintain faith and give room for God to work miracles in their lives.

It also encourages the faithful to approach death with a different perspective, viewing it as a temporary state before eternal life for those who believe.

Cross-References

John 11:11-14: "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep."
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14: "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope."
Acts 9:40: "But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise."

Language Study

Within the original Greek language of the New Testament:

"Giveth place" (Greek "χωρείτε": chōreite) means to make room, move aside, or withdraw.
"Maid" (Greek "κοράσιον": korasion) refers to a young girl.
"Dead" (Greek "θνήσκω": thnēskō) means physically deceased.
"Sleepeth" (Greek "καθεύδω": katheudō) indicates to sleep, and is often used metaphorically in the New Testament for death.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In various ancient cultures, sleep was commonly used as a metaphor for death. In Greek mythology, Hypnos was the personification of sleep and was often associated with Thanatos, the personification of death.

In ancient Jewish culture, the concept of "sleep" as a euphemism for death is seen in texts like Daniel 12:2, which speaks of those who "sleep in the dust of the earth."

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific standpoint, death is the cessation of biological functions that sustain a living organism.

The verse's assertion that the girl is "not dead, but sleepeth" has no direct scientific basis and is understood as a miracle within the biblical narrative.

However, it could be emblematic of a coma or other states where life signs are faint and might be mistaken for death without modern medical knowledge.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and commentators have various interpretations of this verse.

Some emphasize the faith required to see beyond physical death to the promise of life.

Others focus on Jesus' authority and compassion in restoring the young girl to life.

Still, others consider the social dynamic, painting the scene as a lesson in humility for the crowd who laughed, as they did not understand the power of Jesus.

Many agree that this passage is intended to provoke thought about faith, the finality of death, and Jesus' unique role in overcoming it.

Matthew 9

Matthew 9

What does Matthew 9:24 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 9:24 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?