📖 Passage

Matthew 9:1–17 – Jesus Forgives and Calls
Read Matthew 9:1–17 (NKJV)

🧠 Context & Background

After crossing back to Capernaum, Jesus heals a paralyzed man — not only physically but spiritually, declaring his sins forgiven. This act sparks controversy with the scribes, who accuse Him of blasphemy, as only God can forgive sins. Jesus' authority to forgive is confirmed by His miraculous healing. Next, He calls Matthew, a tax collector, to follow Him, demonstrating that His mission is to call sinners, not the self-righteous. This leads to a discussion about fasting, prompted by John's disciples. Jesus explains with metaphors of a wedding feast, new cloth, and new wineskins, teaching that His coming brings a new covenant reality that cannot be confined to old forms and traditions.

🌿 Key Themes

• Authority to Forgive Sins – Jesus confirms His divine authority through healing.

• Grace Toward Sinners – His call extends to the despised and socially outcast.

• Conflict with Religious Tradition – His mission redefines holiness and spiritual practice.

• New Covenant Life – The gospel cannot be contained within old legalistic systems.

• Joy of the Kingdom – His presence is like a wedding celebration, marked by joy, not mourning.

📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary

Matthew 9:1–8 – Jesus Heals and Forgives the Paralytic

"Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven."

• Spiritual Before Physical – Jesus addresses the man's deepest need before his physical condition.

• Divine Claim – Forgiving sins directly asserts His equality with God.

• Visible Proof – The physical healing validates His invisible authority to forgive.

• Glory to God – The crowd's amazement leads to worship, recognizing God's power at work.

Matthew 9:9–13 – The Call of Matthew

"Follow me."

• Radical Grace – Jesus calls a tax collector, a symbol of betrayal and greed, into discipleship.

• Mission to the Marginalized – He associates with "tax collectors and sinners," redefining purity.

• Mercy Over Sacrifice – He quotes Hosea 6:6 to emphasize compassion over ritualism.

Matthew 9:14–17 – The Question About Fasting

"The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away… then they will fast."

• Presence Brings Joy – Fasting is inappropriate during a time of celebration.

• New Cloth, New Wine – The kingdom brings transformation that cannot be patched onto old religious structures.

• Fulfillment of the Law – His mission completes and transcends old covenant practices.

🧩 Review Questions

1. How does Jesus' healing of the paralytic confirm His authority to forgive sins?
2. Why was Matthew's call significant in the cultural context of the first century?
3. How do the metaphors of new cloth and wineskins illustrate the nature of the gospel?
4. What does Hosea 6:6 teach about God's priorities in worship and obedience?

🔍 Definitions

• Blasphemy – Speaking or acting in a way that dishonors God's name or claims His authority falsely.

• Tax Collector – A Jewish agent of Rome, often viewed as corrupt and a traitor to his people.

• Bridegroom – A metaphor for Christ as the covenant head of His people.

• New Covenant – God's promise of salvation through Christ, fulfilling and surpassing the old covenant.

🙋 Application Questions

• In what areas of your life do you need to hear Jesus say, "Take heart, your sins are forgiven"?

• How can you extend grace to those who are socially or morally outcast?

• What "old wineskins" in your life might be resisting the transforming work of the gospel?

🔤 Greek Keywords

• ἄφίημι (aphiēmi) – "To forgive" or "release," used for canceling debt or pardoning sin.

• τελώνης (telōnēs) – "Tax collector"; a public revenue officer often associated with corruption.

• νυμφίος (nymphios) – "Bridegroom"; Christ's covenantal role toward His people.

• καινός (kainos) – "New" in quality, not just in time; describing the transformed reality of the gospel.

✍️ These Greek words enrich our view of Jesus' authority, His grace for the outcast, and His invitation to a new kind of life.

📚 Cross References

• Isaiah 43:25 – God alone forgives sins.

• Hosea 6:6 – God desires mercy, not sacrifice.

• Psalm 103:2–3 – God forgives all iniquities and heals diseases.

• Mark 2:1–22 – Parallel account of these events.

• Jeremiah 31:31–34 – Promise of the new covenant.

📦 Next Study

Next Study → Matthew 9:18–38

🔍 Trusted Insight

Charles Spurgeon observed: "It was easier for Christ to remove the disease than to forgive the sin; yet to prove that He had power to do the greater, He did the lesser." This underscores that miracles were never ends in themselves but signs pointing to His true mission — reconciliation with God. On the new wineskins, Spurgeon wrote: "Christ's gospel is not a mere patch on Judaism; it is the fulfillment of the old and the proclamation of something better."

Summary: Jesus' authority, mercy, and mission are on full display, revealing that the kingdom of God is not an add-on to old forms but a new reality demanding wholehearted acceptance.