9:18–26 The first two miracles are intertwined and show both similarities and contrasts. This story appears in all three Synoptics; Mark and Luke’s versions are much longer, with an array of details absent from Matthew’s. One difference between them requires comment. In Mark and Luke the girl is about to die when her father reaches Jesus; the report of her death reaches them as they walk home (Mark 5:23, 35; Luke 8:42, 49). In Matthew, the daughter “has just died” as the father reaches Jesus. The Gospels agree on the principal fact that the girl was dead when Jesus reached her. We have noted that Matthew’s reports are almost invariably the shortest. He achieves this brevity by omitting details, telescoping events, and omitting the role of intermediaries (cf. Matt. 8:5–8; Luke 7:1–6). That is his procedure here.153

When one story is embedded in another (called “intercalation”), they interpret each other (cf. Mark 3:20–35; 5:21–43; 11:12–25). Here Matthew describes two dire cases: a girl has died and a woman has hemorrhaged for twelve years. If the healing of the woman seems daunting, the restoration of the child is impossible. So the cure of the woman gives hope for the girl.

Matthew 9:18 describes how “a ruler” comes and kneels respectfully before Jesus as he speaks. Thematically, the link goes to verses 10–13, where Pharisees objected to Jesus’ meals with sinners. For Jesus, dining with sinners was policy and, besides, by his definition of “sinner,” he ate every meal with sinners. He told the Pharisees to “go and learn” this: “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice” (v. 13). Next Jesus shows mercy to females who are unclean by law and have no claim on him.

It is surprising that a synagogue ruler (Mark 5:22; Luke 8:41) should ask Jesus for help. But his situation is desperate, Israel’s leadership is not monolithically antagonistic toward Jesus, and Jesus is a known healer. Mark 5:42 notes the girl is twelve. Almost half of all children died before adulthood in that era, but the sting of death remained. Although the girl has just died, the father petitions Jesus, and he responds. The disciples go along as witnesses.

A woman with a chronic hemorrhage interrupts the journey. Her continual flow of blood renders her ceremonially unclean. She cannot enjoy normal family life, social relations, or public worship, since contact with her would make others unclean (Lev. 15:25–28). For that reason, she “came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, ‘If I only touch his garment, I will be made well’” (Matt. 9:20–21). The woman’s faith seems desperate, confused. She has tried everything to recover but has succeeded only in impoverishing herself (Mark 5:25–26; Luke 8:43). Her desperation drives her to wade through a crowd and touch Jesus even though she knows she will (ceremonially) pollute Jesus and everyone else she touches. She also seems to harbor the superstitious notion that power so resides in Jesus that contact with his clothing would heal her, apart from his will or any relationship.154 The word “fringe” (Gk. kraspedon; Matt. 9:20) is telling. It could mean the edge of Jesus’ cloak, but it probably signifies the tassel observant Jews wore, per Numbers 15:38–41, to remind them to observe the law. If so, we learn both that Jesus follows purity laws and that the woman is willing to disregard them to obtain Jesus’ blessing.

The woman’s action could be construed as disregard for Jesus’ well-being, but Matthew says that Jesus detects her touch, turns, sees her, and shows compassion, saying, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well” (Matt. 9:22). Jesus graciously judges her touch a sign of faith. Then he encourages the woman: “Take heart.” He restores her to society and brings her into his family, calling her “daughter.” He commends her faith, declaring that it has “made [her] well,” and then he makes her well. “Made well” translates the verb sōzō, often translated “save.” This verb has a lexical range similar to the English “save.” It can mean to save a soul eternally or to save by physical deliverance (Matt. 8:25; 14:30; Mark 6:56; Luke 17:19). In both English and Greek, one can say “The Lord saved me when I was eighteen” or “The lifeguard saved that child’s life.” In both languages, Jesus saves (sōzō) by granting eternal life and by healing from illness. Physical healing is the woman’s goal, and Jesus heals her, but Matthew hints that Jesus does more. By the instrumentality of her faith in him, Jesus also saves her eternally.

Luke 8:47 notes that the woman wanted to hide, probably because of the nature of her illness. But Jesus desires to speak to her face to face. If she nurtured magical thoughts, Jesus dispels them. If some in the crowd knew her, Jesus identifies with her, unclean as she is. If people knew her, Jesus’ declaration of health also signals her restoration to society.

Soon Jesus, the father, and the disciples arrive at the girl’s house. Matthew conveys the setting in a few strokes. The professional mourners have already arrived, including obligatory flautists and wailers. A poor family might have one or two paid wailers, but a noisy crowd meets Jesus (Matt. 9:23).

Jesus clears the space, driving everyone out, insisting that the girl is asleep, not dead. The crowd laughs, probably in derision. They know the facts; the girl is dead. Sleep is a common euphemism for death in Scripture (1 Kings 1:21; John 11:11; 1 Cor. 15:6, 18). It seems apt here, for Jesus will soon raise her from her bed. Mark notes that Jesus takes five witnesses, goes to the girl, takes her hand, calls her by name, and raises her up, and she begins to walk. Spare as it is, Matthew’s account still names Jesus’ power over death and his tenderness with the girl: Jesus “went in and took her by the hand,” and she gets up (Matt. 9:25).

For Jesus, raising the dead is hardly more difficult than rousing a sleeper. Still, this is no common thing, and the report about it spreads (v. 26). On rare occasions, prophets also raised the dead (1 Kings 17:17–24; 2 Kings 4:17–37), but they did so with prayer, and not without difficulty. Jesus, by contrast, does not pray here. He touches and speaks, and it is done. At a minimum, Jesus’ unique authority, power, and compassion are at work for both women. One is young and one mature, one is poor and one born into prominence, yet Jesus immediately heals each woman.

9:27–31 The healing of the blind is the most common of Jesus’ miracles, but no one else heals the blind in Scripture.155 The Bible says God gives sight to the blind. Exodus 4:11 asks who gives men sight or removes it—“Is it not I, the Lord?” Psalm 146:8 declares, “The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.” The healing of the blind is also messianic. According to Isaiah 42:7, God’s servant will “open the eyes that are blind.” In antiquity, people regarded the removal of blindness as a great cure.156 So the restoration of sight is a crowning work that signals Jesus’ messianic identity.

One day, as Jesus is walking along, two blind men begin to follow him, crying out for mercy as they go. Since walking with Jesus while blind is no simple thing, and since they call Jesus “Son of David,” they seem like aspiring disciples (Matt. 9:27; cf. 8:18–22). They leave the street, where the title “Son of David” might inflame the crowds, and follow Jesus into “the house” (possibly the house where he stayed). Then Jesus questions them: “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” The question allows them to confess their faith, and they do so: “Yes, Lord” (9:28). For the fourth time (cf. 8:3, 15; 9:25, 29), Jesus heals with a touch.

“According to your faith” (v. 29) does not mean Jesus heals the men as much as their faith allows. Rather, they believe in Jesus and thus will receive what they have asked (v. 30). Jesus asks one thing in return: their silence. It is not time to reveal Jesus’ identity, and his miracles often get too much attention. But their obedience does not match their faith, and they tell everyone (v. 31).

9:32–34 The final miracle removes another major impediment to normal life, but this miracle contrasts sharply with the healing of the blind men. The blind men take all of the initiative and (mostly) act like disciples. The mute man is wholly passive, because he is “demon-oppressed” (v. 32). This is an exorcism. The principle problem is demonic control; the inability to speak and (most likely) to hear is a result.157 There is no touch, no conversation, and the miracle per se “is only a minor element” here. Matthew’s focus is on the response.158 The crowds marvel. When the scribes taught, “nothing happened,” but when Jesus spoke, “demons fled, storms were settled . . . , dead were raised.” This demonstrates that the kingdom has arrived.159 But the Pharisees have another perspective. They concede Jesus’ supernatural power but dispute its source, accusing Jesus of controlling demons by the power of their prince (cf. comment on 12:22–30).

9:35–38 Jesus replies in three ways. First, Jesus is not Satan’s ally; he proclaims and inaugurates the kingdom, manifested in instruction and healings (9:35; cf. comment on 4:23–25). Second, Jesus acts because he has compassion on the harassed crowds, whom he compares to sheep without the shepherd that the foolish and helpless desperately need (9:36). His terms suggest a dire situation: “helpless” translates rhiptō, which means “lying helpless,” and “harassed” translates skyllō, “torn” or “flayed.” The description alludes to Ezekiel 34:1–16, which declares “woe” on Israel’s failed shepherds, whom God will judge. At the end, God promises to shepherd his flock himself. While John 10 calls Jesus the Good Shepherd, in Matthew 9 he recruits teams of shepherds, even as the Pharisees, who should be shepherds, offer nothing but criticism (vv. 34–38). Israel’s religious leaders fail to care for the crowds, but Jesus raises up shepherding disciples (vv. 37–38).

Jesus describes the need and the opportunity: helpless crowds, a plentiful harvest, and a scarcity of laborers. He condemns the Pharisees, who have demonstrated that they will not shepherd the sheep. Then he urges prayer for the Father to raise up laborers for the harvest. The time has come to multiply forces by sending out disciples.