THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
Chapter 9: Yeshua again got into the
boat, crossed over the lake and came back to His own city. Some men brought to
Him a man lying on a stretcher, paralyzed. When Yeshua perceived their faith,
He said to the paralytic, “Son, have courage. Your sins are forgiven.” Some of
the scribes then said to themselves, ‘This man is a blasphemer.’ But Yeshua knew
their thoughts, and said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? Now, which is
easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? Buy in
order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority here on earth to
forgive sins,” He said to the paralytic, “Get up! Take your pallet and go back
home!” And he got up and went home. As the crowds saw this happen, they were
awe-stricken, and praised Elohei Who had given men such power.
Yeshua heals paralytic
Pharisees call Yeshua a blasphemer
As Yeshua went further along, He noticed a
man sitting at the tax office, Mattityahu (Matthew) by name, and He said to
him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him. Then, while Yeshua sat at
table in Mattityahu’s home, many tax-collectors and notorious sinners came and sat
down with Yeshua and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to
His disciples, ‘Why does your rabbi (teacher) eat with tax-collectors and men
of bad repute?’ Yeshua overheard it, and replied, “People who are well don’t
need rofe (healer), but those who are sick. Go then, and try to understand this
saying, ‘What I delight in is mercy, not sacrifice’. And I have not come to
call the guiltless to repentance, but the sinful.”
Yeshua eats with Mattityahu
The disciples of Yochanan (John the Baptist) came
to Yeshua and asked, ‘Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your
disciples don’t fast at all?’ Yeshua answered, “Can a wedding party be in mourning
as long as the bridegroom is present? No! But there will come a day when the
bridegroom will have been taken from them. Then they will fast. Also, no one
sews a piece of new cloth onto an old garment, for the patch may tear the
garment and a worse rent is made. Nor does anyone put new wine into old
wineskins, for the skins may burst and the wine run out, and the wine-skins be
made unfit. New wine is out into new wineskins; thus both are reserved.”
Pharisees question Yeshua
While he was yet talking to them, a ruler
came up to Him, prostrated himself, and said, ‘My daughter has just now died.
Won’t You come and lay Your hand on her, so she will come back to life?’ Yeshua
got up and followed him, and so did His disciples. At this, a woman who has
suffered 12 years from a hemorrhage approached Him from behind and touched the
edge of Hs robe. For she said to herself, ‘If I can only touch His garment, I
shall be healed’. Then, Yeshua, turning, saw her and spoke to her, “Daughter,
be of good cheer! Your faith has made you well.” And from that very hour, the
woman was well. When Yeshua came to the ruler’s home, He saw the flute players
and the crowd making an uproar. He spoke to them, “Go! Leave! For the girl is
not dead, but is sleeping.” They just laughed at Him. Then, after he had sent
the people out, He went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. And
this news spread out into all the land.
Yeshua heals ruler's daughter
As Yeshua was passing along from there, He
was followed by 2 blind men who kept crying and saying, ‘Take pity on us, O Son
of David!’ But He went into the house and the blind men followed Him. Then
Yeshua said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” They answered Him, ‘Yes,
Lord.’ Then he touched their eyes and said, “Be to you according to your faith!”
Then their eyes were opened. Yeshua ordered them sternly not to let anyone know
about it. But when they left Him, they made it known throughout the whole
countryside.
Yeshua heals two blind men
Hardly had they left Him when there was
brought to Him a man who was controlled by a demon and unable to speak. As soon
as the demon was driven out of him, the man talked. And the people were
astonished, and said, ‘Never has anything like this been seen in Israel’. The
Pharisees, however, said, ‘He casts out devils with the help of the prince of
demons’.
Yeshua heals a mute man
Pharisees accuse Jesus of being in league with the devil
Thereafter Yeshua went on into the towns and
villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Good News of the
kingdom, and healing every sickness and bodily weakness. As Yeshua looked upon
the crowds that came, He was filled with compassion for them because they were
distressed and needy, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to His disciples, “The
harvest is truly great, but the workmen are few. Pray, therefore, the Lord of
the harvest, that He send out workmen into His harvest.”
Yeshua teaching in their synagogues
Crowd mentality = "fitting in"
A good Shepherd protects his flock ... "laying down his life" for those in his care.
SHEEP INFORMATION: http://www.sheep101.info/201/behavior.html
There is a very good reason that Yeshua
referred to sheep when sorrowing after mankind. This article is a good
description of sheep behavior … and it parallels the behavior patterns of human
beings too. So ask yourself: are you a disciple of Yeshua – or a religious sheeple
following anything and anyone who comes down the pike to tickle your ears and
suit your fancy? The days are getting shorter; it’s time to decide.
**Matthew 8: https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2017/12/thursday-bible-study-matthew-8.html
