The King’s Touch

Evil is real, and death and disease are coming for every one of us.

“The stress in Matt. 8–9 on the authoritative deeds of Jesus (8:8–9; 9:6) corresponds to the stress in Matt. 5–7 on the authoritative teaching of Jesus (7:28–29). Matthew 5–9 presents Jesus as the authoritative Messiah of Israel, whose words proclaim and whose actions actualize the rule of God…The most important theme of Matt. 5–9 in general and of 9:35–38 in particular is christological. As Immanuel, God-with-us, Jesus’s words and deeds epitomize the character and compassion of his Father in heaven. His ethical teaching and his compassionate acts exemplify the values and power of the kingdom of heaven. But Jesus speaks of the need for additional workers for the harvest. The previous emphasis on discipleship (8:18–22; 9:9–17) indicates the kind of workers for whom the disciples are to pray in 9:38. Judging from the sobering instructions in the mission discourse in Matt. 10, these workers will need to endure much opposition.”

Matthew 9:18–38 ESV

18 While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. 23 And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went through all that district. 27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” 31 But they went away and spread his fame through all that district. 32 As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. 33 And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.” 35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

“Matthew now presents the third and final set of three miracles stories (9:18–34), followed by a focus on discipleship in mission (9:35–10:4). This prepares the reader for Jesus’s mission discourse (10:5–42). In this section Jesus again responds to faith by healing people in physical need.”

“They conclude that the exorcism story placed at the end furthers the theme of the religious leaders’ increasing animosity toward Jesus and their attribution of his miracles to the prince of the demons.”

“The two miracles in this double story address two basic issues of human existence: the depths of parental love and the pain of chronic disease (in this case, resulting in social ostracism due to ritual impurity). The synagogue ruler’s love for his little girl confronts the power of death when he takes the initiative to plead for Jesus to touch and heal her. Jesus defeats death, and a family is spared the shattering loss of a child. In light of Matthew’s already/not-yet conception of the kingdom, the raising of the little girl points to the ultimate resurrection of the dead by Jesus’s power.”

“As touching as these human needs are, the major stress of Matthew’s narrative is christological, not anthropological”

This passage is about Jesus!

“Miracles therefore are not so much about immediate human felt needs as they are about God’s ultimate deliverance from the sin that is at the root of disease.”

“The synagogue ruler felt Jesus’ touch had special efficacy, but his faith was not as great as that of the centurion who believed that Jesus could heal by his word”

“Tassels (Heb. ṣîṣiṯ) were sewn on the four corners of every Israelite’s cloak (Num 15:37–41; Deut 22:12) as reminders to obey God’s commands. While the tassels could easily become mere showpieces (Mt 23:5), Jesus himself, like any male Jew, doubtless wore them.”

In the Mishnah, rabbinic literature Ketuboth 4:4, required even a poor family to hire two flute players and one professional wailing woman for a Funeral.

“But Matthew says that Jesus touched the corpse; and the body, far from defiling him, came to life.”

Are You living your life in view of the reality of death and/or long term illness?

How Does Jesus Change your perception of what’s to come?

Is your life’s story about you, or about Jesus?