Matthew 9 | Daily Bible Reading & Reflection

Matthew 9 Devotional: Witness the authority of Jesus to forgive sins and heal the broken. Explore the calling of Matthew the tax collector and the compassion of the Savior for the "harassed and helpless" crowds.

Dear brothers and sisters, peace in Christ. Welcome to Matthew Chapter 9. Today, we see Jesus in constant motion—crossing lakes, entering towns, and touching lives that the world had discarded. As we read, let us pay close attention to the authority in His voice and the tenderness in His heart. He is not just a miracle worker; He is the Physician of our souls.

Matthew Chapter 9 Introduction:

The Authority to Forgive and the Call to Mercy

Matthew 9 presents a rapid succession of miracles that prove Jesus’ identity. It begins with the healing of a paralytic, where Jesus intentionally links physical healing with the spiritual authority to forgive sins—a claim that only God can make. We then see the scandalous calling of Matthew (the author of this Gospel), a tax collector who leaves his booth to follow Christ. Jesus defends His fellowship with "sinners," declaring that He came for the sick, not the healthy. From raising a young girl from the dead to healing a woman who had suffered for twelve years, Jesus demonstrates that no boundary of death or disease is too great for Him.

What can we learn from this today? In this chapter, we see the heart of Salvation. As your Statement of Faith affirms, we believe that salvation is a gift of God’s grace received through faith in Jesus Christ alone. The woman who touched His garment and the blind men who cried out for mercy all had one thing in common: they recognized their desperate need and looked to Jesus as their only hope. We also see the "Mission of the Church." Jesus concludes the chapter by looking at the crowds with compassion because they were "harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." He reminds us that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, calling us to be those who go out into the fields with His message of redemption.

Bible Verse

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

2 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.

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

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

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

6 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.

7 And he arose, and departed to his house.

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

9 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.

10 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.

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

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

13 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.

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

15 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.

16 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.

17 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.

18 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.

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

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

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

22 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.

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

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

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

26 And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

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

28 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

35 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.

36 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.

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

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

Prayer

Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." As we enter into prayer, let us come honestly before Him, bringing our weaknesses and our needs to the Great Physician.

Prayer Theme: "The Lord of the Harvest"

Dear Heavenly Father, We praise You for the authority and compassion of Your Son, Jesus Christ. We believe that He is fully God and fully man, possessing the power to forgive our sins and heal our brokenness. Thank You for the gift of Your grace, which reaches out to us even when we are far off, just as You reached out to Matthew at his tax booth.

Lord, I ask that You would give me the faith of the woman who reached for the hem of Your garment. Help me to trust in Your power to restore what has been broken in my life. Give me a heart that beats with Your compassion for the "harassed and helpless" in my own community. Forgive me for the times I have been like the Pharisees—judging others from a distance rather than offering the mercy You have so freely given to me. Empower me by Your Holy Spirit to be a worker in Your harvest field, sharing the Good News of salvation with those who are searching for a Shepherd.

We pray for our local church, that we would be a place of healing for the spiritually and physically sick. We lift up those in our world who are suffering from chronic illness or the sting of death; may they experience the comfort of the One who said, "Take heart, daughter," and "The girl is not dead but asleep." We pray for the global mission of the Church, that more workers would be sent into the harvest so that the message of Your Kingdom would reach every corner of the earth. Amen.

Daily Application Question

Jesus saw the crowds and was moved with compassion. When you look at the people in your life—your neighbors, coworkers, or family—do you see them through the eyes of judgment or through the "compassion of the Shepherd"? How can you show His mercy to one person today?

Frequently Asked Questions about Matthew 9

Why were the religious leaders upset when Jesus forgave the paralytic’s sins? Because the Old Testament teaches that only God has the authority to forgive sins. By forgiving the man, Jesus was explicitly claiming to be God, which the leaders considered blasphemy.
Who were the "tax collectors and sinners" mentioned in this chapter? Tax collectors were Jews who worked for the Roman Empire and were often seen as traitors and thieves. "Sinners" was a general term for those who did not follow the strict religious laws. Jesus’ association with them showed that grace is available to everyone.
What did Jesus mean by "new wine into old wineskins"? He was explaining that the new era of grace and the Gospel could not be contained within the old, rigid rituals of the Pharisees. The New Covenant required a new heart and a new way of relating to God.

Thank you for joining us for Matthew 9. May you walk today in the joy of being forgiven and the purpose of being called. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow as Jesus commissions the twelve disciples in Matthew Chapter 10.

Navigate the Journey

Previous: ← Matthew Chapter 8 | Next: Matthew Chapter 10 →

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