Matthew 9:18-25, Evidence (11)

In Matthew 9:18-34 there are four healings by Jesus in “cases” where people were at the end of their rope.  The problems were devastating and hopeless; no one had a solution.  Jesus gives evidence of His deity by doing what no one else could do.

Ø From dead to alive, 9:18-19,24-26.

The first two situations are intertwined; as Jesus is on His way to bring life to the ruler’s daughter a woman is healed.  This combination of signs is recorded by all three of the synoptic gospels.  In other words, it was a momentous day.

The ruler is named Jairus and was ruler of the synagogue in Capernaum.  Matthew says the ruler told Jesus “My daughter has just died.”  Mark (5:22) and Luke (8:42) indicate that the ruler first said his daughter was near death, and then the news came to the ruler after the healing of the woman that his daughter had died.  Matthew’s version of the miracles in Ch. 8-9 have been shorter versions of the events than in the other gospels.  In this case Matthew recalled the two statements of the father in one complete statement.  The last report was, in fact, that the daughter had just died.

When Jesus affived the professional mourners were playing their flutes, making loud noises.  There was no question in anyone’s mind that the girl was dead; yet, Jesus said she was only asleep.  Why did He say this?  This is not the only time Jesus uses the term “sleep” to describe death.  To us, death is death; it is final; there is no return.  In Jesus case, and this is the point, He has authority over death.  He is about to raise this girl, but for Jesus it is akin to waking a person who is asleep.  Jesus, in fact, simply speaks to the girl, as He takes her hand, and she immediately arises. 

This is a picture of our salvation.  Because Jesus has conquered death by His own resurrection, He has destroyed him who had the power of death, that is, the devil (Heb. 2:14).  When we receive Him, believing in His name, we are immediately transferred from death to life (John 4:24).

Ø From hopelessly sick to healed, 9:20-22.

The woman with the hemorrhage was also in a hopeless situation.  She had been to many doctors; as Mark put it, she suffered many things from many physicians (Mk. 5:26).  This had happened over twelve years and she had spent all her money.  If you remember what the Law of Moses required you know that she was ostracized from people because of her uncleanness.  She could not worship at the temple or attend Synagogue.  It is interesting.  The daughter of the ruler was about twelve years old (Lk. 8:42) while the woman had been suffering for twelve years. 

What is unique about the woman, of course, is that she simply touches Jesus garment and is healed.  It is possible she was overcome by her uncleanness and didn’t want to bother Jesus.  But what she did was done out of a conviction that Jesus was able to heal.  She was undoubtedly aware of what He had been doing and knew of His authority.  When she did, she was healed.  It was Jesus who then clarified what had happened: the woman’s faith had made her well.

Again, in this story we see our salvation.  It is that simple: believing on the Lord Jesus Christ brings eternal salvation.  Jesus made this point when He referred to the serpent in the wilderness (John 3:14-15).  As was true in that story, so it is true for us: when we simply look upon the Savior we are healed of our deadly disease.