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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 9:31 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 9:31 refers to the reaction of those who had been healed by Jesus Christ. After Jesus had performed miracles, in this case, giving sight to the blind (Matthew 9:27-30), he often instructed those he healed not to tell anyone about what had happened.

However, in this particular verse, we see that the people did not keep this miracle a secret.

Instead, they disobeyed Jesus' command and "spread abroad his fame in all that country." Literally, the individuals who had experienced the miracle could not contain their excitement and told others about Jesus and his miraculous power.

This verse encapsulates both human nature's impulse to share good news and the extraordinary impact of Jesus' miracles on people's lives.

On a deeper level, the dissemination of Jesus' fame, even against his wishes, indicates the irresistible nature of the truth and goodness he embodied. It also serves as an early indication of how the message of Jesus would eventually spread far and wide, beyond the immediate geographic confines.

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Historical Context

Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament that narrates the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Matthew was written primarily for a Jewish audience, as indicated by numerous references and appeals to Jewish customs and prophecies from Hebrew Scriptures.

The verse in question occurs within the context of Jesus' ministry in Galilee where he performs a series of miraculous healings.

The historical context is the first-century Jewish society under Roman occupation, where messianic expectations and miraculous healings were powerful signs for the Jewish community.

Theological Insights

Different theological viewpoints give us various insights into this verse.

From an orthodox Christian perspective, Matthew 9:31 is often viewed as reflecting on the divine nature of Jesus and his miracles, which testified to his messianic identity.

The departure from Jesus' instruction not to tell anyone is sometimes interpreted as the uncontrollable spread of the Gospel and the inability of humanity to remain silent about divine truth.

Liberation theologians may emphasize that the act of spreading Jesus' fame is a natural response to experiencing liberation, be it physical, as in healing, or spiritual.

Progressive Christian theology might consider the verse as sanctioning disobedience when it is in service of a greater good, in this case, broadcasting the benevolent works of Jesus.

Practical Applications

The verse teaches various lessons that could be applied in daily life:

When we experience something transformative or perceive divine intervention in our lives, sharing that experience with others can spread hope and encouragement.
Witnessing to good deeds and miracles can help bolster community faith and solidarity.
Sometimes, the right action might involve civil disobedience or going against an instruction when it means promoting a greater good.

Cross-References

Matthew 9:27-30 - "And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us..."
Mark 7:36 - "And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;"
Luke 5:15 - "But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities."

Language Study

The key words in Matthew 9:31 in the original Greek text are:

"spread abroad" (Greek: "διαφημίζω", diaphēmizō): To spread widely or publish, to make something widely known.
"his fame" (Greek: "ἡ φήμη", hē phēmē): Report, rumor, fame, or public opinion.
"all that country" (Greek: "ὅλην τὴν γῆν", holēn tēn gēn): The entire land or region.

The use of these words underscores the wide impact and the compelling nature of Jesus' deeds.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In various ancient cultures, miraculous healings and deeds would attribute heroic or divine status to individuals – similar to figures in Greek mythology like Asclepius, the god of healing. In religious texts, such occurrences were often meant to signify the deity's favor or presence.

Therefore, the spreading of Jesus' fame aligns with cultural expectations at the time that exceptional works be declared and celebrated.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientifically, miracles such as the healing of the blind without medical intervention are not supported by empirical evidence.

However, the phenomenon of individuals spreading news of remarkable events can be studied under the domain of sociology and psychology, which examine how beliefs and experiences are communicated within a society.

commentaries

Traditional biblical commentary on this verse usually emphasizes the fulfillment of prophecy and the Messianic secret, where Jesus is depicted as not seeking fame but nonetheless being recognized for his miraculous works.

John Calvin suggests that the spread of the fame of Christ, even against his injunction, demonstrates the irresistible power of God's works.
Matthew Henry comments on the disobedience of the healed, suggesting that it reflects the difficulty of containing the truth of such profound experiences.

Contemporary biblical scholars often discuss the tension between Jesus' desire for secrecy and the inevitable spread of his fame as a key theme in the gospels, characteristic of the Messianic Secret motif prominent in the synoptic gospels (Mark, Matthew, and Luke), where Jesus often instructs those healed by him to be silent about the miracles he performs, only for the news to spread unabated.

Matthew 9

Matthew 9

What does Matthew 9:31 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 9:31 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?