Matt 9:36

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

The obvious word most worthy of attention is the word compassion. Compassion was an emotion felt by Jesus quite frequently between all four gospel narratives. It expresses His humanity and attitude toward sinners as He is consistently “moved” with compassion.

The uniqueness of Jesus’ ministry

·         Compassion for the people (they harassed and helpless)

o   The one word that is highlighted in many sermons and commentaries from this passage is the word, compassion. When you reflect on the person of Jesus, how often do you consider Him as one had great compassion? When He saw the crowds, He saw them for who they were as they were people in need. The English Standard Version describes these people as harassed and helpless meaning that they needed to be cared for by someone. How remarkable is it that the King of kings and Lord of Lords was the one who would demonstrate care and provision for such people?

o   Jesus’ compassion is often cited as the reason He healed and cared for so many people.

o   He pities them, and was concerned for them (v. 36); He was moved with compassion on them; not upon a temporal account, as he pities the blind, and lame, and sick; but upon a spiritual account; he was concerned to see them ignorant and careless, and ready to perish for lack of vision. Note, Jesus Christ is a very compassionate friend to precious souls; here his bowels do in a special manner yearn. It was pity to souls that brought him from heaven to earth, and there to the cross. Misery is the object of mercy; and the miseries of sinful, self-destroying souls, are the greatest miseries: Christ pities those most that pity themselves least; so should we. The most Christian compassion is compassion to souls; it is most Christ-like (MH).

§  Moved by the fact they were in need (MH)

o   Notable instances of Compassion in the Gospels

§  Matt 9:36 (This passage)

§  Matt 14:14 (compassion on crowd again)

§  Matt 15:32 (on the crowd again)

§  Mk 6:34 (Crowd/like sheep without shepherd)

§  Mk 8:2 (Crowd)

§  Mk 9:22 (Father of boy to Jesus)

§  Lk 7:13 (Compassion on widow)

§  Lk 10:33 (Parable of Good Samaritan)

§  Lk 15:20 (Parable of the prodigal son / Father had compassion)

·         “sheep without a shepherd”

o   Num. 27:17

§  Who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.”

o   Jer 23:1

§  Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord.

o   1 Kgs. 22:17

And he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master; let each return to his home in peace.’ ”

o   Eze 34:5

So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered;

o   Theophylact of Ochrid

§  They did not have a shepherd. For their rulers not only failed to correct them, but even harmed them. 

o   John Chrysostom

§ This is His charge against the rulers of the Jews, that being shepherds they acted the part of wolves.