Matthew 9

Translator Notes

1. Jesus's 'own town' (tēn idian polin) is Capernaum, his base of operations in Galilee (cf. 4:13), not Nazareth where he grew up. The crossing refers to returning from the eastern (Gentile) shore to the western (Jewish) shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus responds to 'their faith' (tēn pistin autōn) — the faith of those carrying the man, not only the paralytic's own faith. The first words are not 'be healed' but 'your sins are forgiven' (aphientai sou hai hamartiai), establishing that forgiveness is the deeper need. The present tense aphientai ('are forgiven') indicates an accomplished reality, not a future hope. The address teknon ('child') is tender, not condescending.

Translator Notes

1. The charge of blasphemy (blasphēmei) is technically accurate by their reasoning — forgiving sins is a divine prerogative (Isaiah 43:25, 'I, I am he who blots out your transgressions'). The scribes reason silently (en heautois, 'within themselves'), which sets up Jesus's demonstration of knowing their thoughts.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Isaiah 43:25 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Translator Notes

1. The verb eidōs ('knowing') implies direct perception, not deduction — Jesus discerns their unspoken thoughts. The word enthymēseis ('thoughts, deliberations') comes from en + thymos ('in the passion/spirit'), suggesting these are not idle thoughts but deeply held convictions. The adjective ponēra ('evil, wicked') is strong — Jesus characterizes their reasoning as morally corrupt, not merely mistaken.

Translator Notes

1. The question is rhetorically brilliant. Saying 'your sins are forgiven' is easier because it cannot be visibly verified or disproven; saying 'get up and walk' is harder because failure would be immediately public. Jesus will do the verifiable miracle to validate the unverifiable one.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. The sentence breaks mid-thought (an anacoluthon): Jesus shifts from addressing the scribes to addressing the paralytic. The claim is staggering — the Son of Man possesses authority (exousian) on earth to forgive sins, which is functionally a claim to exercise divine prerogative. The phrase epi tēs gēs ('on earth') may emphasize that this heavenly authority is now operative in the earthly realm.

Translator Notes

1. The brevity is striking — no fanfare, no extended description. The man who was carried in walks out. The simplicity of the Greek mirrors the effortlessness of the miracle.

Translator Notes

1. The verb ephobēthēsan ('were afraid, were awed') conveys reverential fear, not mere admiration. The crowds glorify God rather than Jesus directly, and attribute the authority 'to human beings' (tois anthrōpois, plural) — they see Jesus as a divinely empowered human, not yet grasping the full implications of what they have witnessed. Matthew may intend the plural as a hint toward the church's future authority to pronounce forgiveness (cf. 18:18).

Translator Notes

1. The telōnion ('tax booth, toll station') was where customs duties were collected, likely on goods passing through Capernaum along trade routes. Tax collectors (telōnai) were despised as collaborators with Rome and assumed to be corrupt. Jesus's two-word call (akolouthei moi, 'follow me') and Matthew's instant response (anastas ēkolouthēsen, 'getting up, he followed') mirror the call of the first disciples (4:18-22). The author's identification of himself as a tax collector is remarkably self-deprecating.

Translator Notes

1. Table fellowship in the ancient world was a powerful social act — eating with someone signified acceptance and solidarity. The pairing 'tax collectors and sinners' (telōnai kai hamartōloi) was a standard phrase for social outcasts. The verb synanekeinto ('were reclining together') indicates a formal meal where diners reclined on couches, not a casual gathering.

Translator Notes

1. The Pharisees address the disciples rather than Jesus directly, perhaps intending to undermine their confidence in him. The address 'your teacher' (ho didaskalos hymōn) is distancing — they do not call him 'teacher' themselves. Their objection is about ritual purity: eating with sinners could render one ritually contaminated.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus overhears the Pharisees and responds directly with a proverbial saying. The metaphor reframes the situation: the Pharisees see sinners as sources of contamination, but Jesus sees them as patients in need of a physician. The implication is that Jesus's presence among sinners is therapeutic, not compromising.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6, a text he will cite again in 12:7. The phrase 'go and learn' (poreuthentes mathete) was a standard rabbinic formula used when sending students to study a passage more carefully — Jesus turns the Pharisees' own pedagogical language back on them. The Greek eleos ('mercy') translates the Hebrew chesed in Hosea 6:6. The SBLGNT does not include 'to repentance' (eis metanoian) after 'sinners,' which appears in some later manuscripts; we follow the critical text.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Hosea 6:6 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Translator Notes

1. The question comes from John the Baptist's disciples, not the Pharisees — an important distinction. John's followers practiced ascetic discipline and would have expected Jesus's movement to do the same. The word polla ('often, much') appears in brackets in the SBLGNT, indicating manuscript uncertainty; we include it as it fits the context.

Translator Notes

1. The phrase huioi tou nymphōnos ('sons of the bridal chamber') is a Semitic idiom for wedding guests or attendants. Jesus casts himself as the bridegroom — an image rich with Old Testament associations where God is the husband of Israel (Hosea 2:19-20, Isaiah 54:5). The passive aparthē ('is taken away') contains a hint of violent removal, foreshadowing Jesus's death. Matthew uses penthein ('to mourn') where Mark has nēsteuein ('to fast'), linking fasting to grief.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Hosea 2:19-20 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Isaiah 54:5 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.

Translator Notes

1. The Greek rhakous agnaphou ('unshrunk cloth, unprocessed fabric') refers to cloth that has not been fulled or treated. When washed, it would shrink and tear away from the older, already-shrunk fabric. The metaphor is about incompatibility — Jesus's ministry cannot simply be patched onto existing religious frameworks.

Translator Notes

1. New wine still fermenting would expand and burst brittle old wineskins (askous), but fresh, supple skins could accommodate the expansion. The parallel with verse 16 reinforces the point: Jesus's ministry requires new structures. The word kainos ('new, fresh') denotes qualitative newness, not merely chronological newness (neos). Matthew adds the note that 'both are preserved' (amphoteroi syntērountai), perhaps suggesting that the old is not destroyed but simply cannot contain the new.

Translator Notes

1. Matthew uses archōn ('ruler, leader') without specifying the type, though the context indicates a synagogue official (Mark 5:22 names him Jairus). Matthew compresses Mark's account dramatically — in Mark, the girl is initially dying and dies during the encounter; in Matthew, she is already dead when the father arrives. The verb prosekynei ('knelt before, worshipped') again carries the ambiguity of reverence or worship. The father's faith is remarkable: he believes Jesus can raise the dead.

Translator Notes

1. The verb ēkolouthēsen ('followed') is notable when applied to Jesus — throughout Matthew, others follow Jesus. Here Jesus follows the father, indicating willingness to respond to faith-filled requests.

Translator Notes

1. The participle haimorroousa ('suffering from a flow of blood') indicates a chronic hemorrhagic condition. Under Levitical law (Leviticus 15:25-30), this rendered her perpetually unclean and socially isolated — anyone she touched would also become unclean. The kraspedon ('fringe, tassel, border') likely refers to the tzitzit, the tassels worn on the corners of a garment in obedience to Numbers 15:38-39. Her approach from behind suggests both reverence and the social shame of her condition.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Leviticus 15:25-30 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Numbers 15:38-39 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.

Translator Notes

1. The verb sōthēsomai ('I will be saved/healed') is the same root as sōzō ('to save'), connecting physical healing to the broader salvation vocabulary. Her internal reasoning (en heautē) reveals faith: she believes that even indirect, unauthorized contact with Jesus's garment will be sufficient.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus addresses her as thygatēr ('daughter') — a term of familial affection that publicly restores her to community after twelve years of isolation. The perfect tense sesōken ('has saved/healed') indicates a completed action with lasting results. Matthew compresses the account significantly compared to Mark 5:25-34, omitting the crowd dynamics and the woman's trembling confession. The phrase apo tēs hōras ekeinēs ('from that hour') echoes 8:13.

Translator Notes

1. The aulētas ('flute players') were professional mourners hired for funerals. The Mishnah (Ketubot 4:4) specifies that even the poorest family should hire at least two flute players and one wailing woman for a funeral. Their presence confirms the girl is genuinely dead, not merely ill.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus's statement that the girl 'is sleeping' (kathendei) has been interpreted either as a literal claim that she was unconscious (not dead), or as a metaphor for death in light of resurrection (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, John 11:11). The mourners' derisive laughter (kategelōn) — they who had just been weeping — suggests they knew she was dead and found his statement absurd.

Translator Notes

1. The passive exeblēthē ('was put out') uses the same verb as casting out demons (ekballō), suggesting the mourners were forcibly removed. Matthew's account is remarkably compressed — Mark 5:41 includes Jesus's Aramaic words 'Talitha koum,' which Matthew omits. The verb ēgerthē ('she got up/was raised') is the same word used for resurrection throughout the New Testament.

Translator Notes

1. The noun phēmē ('report, news, fame') indicates that despite Jesus's frequent commands to silence, word spread. The phrase holēn tēn gēn ekeinēn ('all that land/region') likely refers to the surrounding area of Galilee, not the entire country.

Translator Notes

1. The title 'Son of David' (huios Dauid) is a messianic designation — the expected Davidic king was believed to have healing powers (based on traditions about Solomon as healer and exorcist). That blind men recognize Jesus as Messiah while the sighted religious leaders do not is deeply ironic. The verb eleēson ('have mercy') is an urgent plea that becomes the basis of the later Christian 'Kyrie eleison' prayer.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus delays the healing until they reach the house, testing their persistence and faith. The question pisteuete ('do you believe?') makes explicit what was implicit in the centurion and hemorrhaging woman episodes — faith is the prerequisite. Their simple affirmation nai kyrie ('yes, Lord') combines belief in Jesus's ability with acknowledgment of his authority.

Translator Notes

1. The phrase kata tēn pistin hymōn genēthētō hymin ('let it be done for you according to your faith') echoes the centurion episode (8:13). The imperative genēthētō again recalls the creative commands of Genesis. Jesus's healings are not arbitrary displays of power but responses to faith.

Translator Notes

1. The verb enebrimēthē ('sternly warned, was deeply moved/angered') is an intense word — it conveys emotional force, perhaps even agitation. The command to secrecy (the 'messianic secret') appears throughout the Gospels. Jesus's reasons may include avoiding premature political messianic fervor and maintaining control over his public identity.

Translator Notes

1. The verb diephēmisan ('spread the news, made widely known') is emphatic — they did precisely what Jesus told them not to do. Their disobedience is understandable (they can now see) but complicates Jesus's ministry by increasing crowds and public expectations.

Translator Notes

1. The adjective kōphon can mean 'mute,' 'deaf,' or both. In this context, where the man speaks after the demon is expelled (v. 33), 'mute' is the primary meaning. The man is brought by others — his condition prevents him from seeking Jesus himself.

Translator Notes

1. The crowd's declaration oudepote ephanē houtōs en tō Israēl ('never has such a thing appeared in Israel') is a superlative claim — not even the prophets or Moses performed such acts. This sets up the Pharisees' counter-interpretation in the next verse.

Translator Notes

1. The Pharisees attribute Jesus's power to the archonti tōn daimoniōn ('the ruler of the demons') — later identified as Beelzebul (12:24). Unable to deny the miracles, they reinterpret their source. This accusation will receive a full rebuttal in chapter 12. The same evidence (exorcism) produces opposite conclusions depending on the observer's posture toward Jesus.

Translator Notes

1. This summary verse nearly duplicates 4:23, creating an inclusio that frames the Sermon on the Mount (chs. 5-7) and miracle cycle (chs. 8-9) as a unified demonstration of Jesus's ministry. The three activities — teaching, proclaiming, healing — represent the fullness of his work. The phrase to euaggelion tēs basileias ('the good news of the kingdom') is distinctively Matthean.

Translator Notes

1. The verb esplanchnisthē ('was moved with compassion') derives from splanchna ('entrails, inner organs') — it describes a visceral, gut-level emotional response, the deepest compassion possible. The participles eskulmenoi ('harassed, troubled, weary') and errimmenoi ('thrown down, helpless, cast aside') paint a picture of a people battered and abandoned. The shepherd image echoes Numbers 27:17, where Moses asks God to appoint a leader so Israel will not be 'like sheep without a shepherd,' and Ezekiel 34, where God condemns Israel's failed shepherds.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Numbers 27:17. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Ezekiel 34. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.

Translator Notes

1. The metaphor shifts from shepherding to harvesting. The harvest (therismos) is an eschatological image — the gathering of people into God's kingdom. The contrast between 'plentiful' (polys) and 'few' (oligoi) creates urgency. Jesus sees the crowds not as a burden but as a ripe harvest awaiting workers.

Translator Notes

1. The verb ekbalē ('send out, thrust out') is surprisingly strong — the same word used for casting out demons. God does not gently invite workers; he thrusts them out into the harvest. The 'Lord of the harvest' (tou kyriou tou therismou) is God, who owns the harvest and dispatches the laborers. This prayer request immediately precedes chapter 10, where Jesus himself sends out the Twelve — the prayer is answered in the next scene.