King James Version, with Nii Okai's journal notes · 18 notes
1And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.
2And, 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.
3And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.
4And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
5For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
6But 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.
7And he arose, and departed to his house.
8But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
Yes, to men, but Jesus was no ordinary man 👨. Was Jesus even a man?
9And 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.
Jesus, the rabbi whose fame had spread far and near, now calls to this "sinful" tax collector. And immediately he heeds to the call 🤙.
Is this how it happened, or it took a while for Matthew to warm up into the role of a disciple?
I think it happened as stated. Jesus calls Matthew, and what a great privilege to follow such a man of God.
Matthew saw the blessedness of the calling and heeded. I can imagine Matthew looking at Jesus as he passed with such a glow in his eyes 👀; Matthew's eyes 👀 sparkled ✨ with admiration of this prophet whom some believed was the Messiah.
As he passed, Matthew watched. Ah, alas he can catch 🤼♂️ a glimpse close up of Jesus. That wonderful man from Nazareth.
Then to his amazement Jesus inches closer. This can't be happening 😊. He really is passing this close to my collector's booth.
Suddenly he stops and says 👄 "Follow me". What, did I hear right...? But then Jesus is not moving either, looking straight at Matthew with such love 😍, he nods his head.
Yes, follow me, his smile ☺ seems to say. So I heard right. Oh, this can't be happening, and like in the case of Zacchaeus: tonight I will be dining in your house 🏡
10And 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.
11And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
What were Pharisees doing in Matthew's house 🏡? I understand the many tax collectors and sinners were Matthew's friends.
But the Pharisees, who invited them? And why did it seem they were everywhere Jesus was, including in people's homes?
It's likely this was a party 🎉 opened to all. And Jesus present in anyone's home naturally drew crowds.
And the Pharisees, I guess, invited themselves in.
They had become like the custodians of the traditions of the fathers.
And Jesus was just messing their theology up and winning 🥇 the common people over. They just hated it.
Again, all of scripture is within a certain context.
This does not mean men of God should go about eating in the houses of sinners because Jesus did so.
It's all within a context, and the context must be understood in order not to misapply the holy scriptures.
This is very important.
12But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
13But 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.
What a punch 👊.
Go and learn paa. Sometimes, in fact many times, as we read the Bible we miss the import of what is being said because we just glance.
I mean, these are teachers of the law ⚖, scribes et al. And Jesus makes a statement that they should go and learn. What a 👊. They just hated Jesus some more after this, I believe.
Jesus actually took that verse from Hos 6:6... Now this raises another question 🙋 or observation — Jesus was well-versed in the scriptures. He read them and memorised his own words/scripture.
This verse seems akin to the scripture that talks about the kind of fast God requires:
Isaiah 58:6 KJV
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
So also, sacrifices are important, but mercy really is what God requires.
14Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
Wei nyinaa Y3 asem, as we would say in Ghana. Did they feel that if Jesus was indeed the Christ, he ought to be more spiritual?
Seems so. Jesus and his followers were too carnal. Yet in this carnality he got results that none other did get.
He 🧗♂️ graciously gave them a good answer.
15And 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.
16No 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.
17Neither 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.
18While 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.
He believed God enough that he is able to raise the dead.
Why can't we believe God enough for some things? Lord, help me... Help us.
19And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.
We are fake... All Jesus required of men was to have faith that he could heal, and based often on the people's own faith, Jesus healed them.
Always.
However, in our days and times, the people come to us with their needs, trusting the anointing upon our lives we have so often made reference to.
And many times we fail to deliver. Indeed, most times for most acclaimed men of God.
We are so fake 😤 😒 🙄 😔 😪 😑 😤
20And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
21For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
22But 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.
Matthew's account makes it sound like the woman intended to touch Jesus's garment, and just when she did, Jesus turns around and proclaims healing and wholeness to her.
But this is not the full story. Matthew sums it up beautifully, whiles the other accounts give us the details.
Matthew's account gives the impression of the woman getting healed after Jesus had turned because of her touch and told her her faith had made her whole.
But other accounts fill in the gaps and bring the meaning out clearer.
That is, the woman got her own healing when she touched the hem of his garment.
So strong was the power that Jesus noticed virtue had gone out of him.
23And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
24He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
25But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.
26And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.
27And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.
28And 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.
Which house 🏡, or rather whose?? Is it Matthew's still, or Peter's?
29Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
I believe the blind men following Jesus all the way to the house was to test their faith and readiness to be healed.
How blind men can follow a man all the way home... They likely had helpers, I guess.
30And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.
31But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.
32As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.
33And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.
No mention of devils being cast out is mentioned in the old scriptures.
Then comes Jesus, and suddenly devils 👿 are manifesting and being cast out everywhere.
What happened, what changed?? 😳
Why was this never mentioned before?
And even the people themselves confirmed that it was never so seen in Israel 🇮🇱.
So what was happening? It seemed devils 👿 possessed people, but no one knew what to do about it effectively.
34But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.
😼 😏
They were just seeking opportunity to discredit him.
35And 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.
36But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Jesus was so unconventional, crowds did not move him. Fame and popularity he avoided, and when he healed the sick 🤮 he hid it.
I know in that light ☀ it is easy to draw comparisons with now, where we advertise miracles and draw crowds by them.
But let's not forget the times and dispensations. Jesus at this time was a Lamb, yet to be slain.
It was not time to reign as king, yet the people wanted to make him king 👑.
Not to mention how the very leaders sought to kill him.
He had to bide his time wisely. Not to attract attention or do anything before the time.
But after he rose up from the dead, he himself gave command to make disciples of the whole world 🗺, and the whole world we will disciple into truth.
37Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
38Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
Why did Jesus ignore them? A commentary I was reading online said so he could enter into the secret place of his home and heal them without the crowds.
Some commentaries also say it was to build/try their faith.
Yes, more labourers like himself into the field, hence the disciples and hence ministry callings.
And yet today we say we can't fulfill our calling because we are hindered by system in churches, or men of God so called not willing to release their members etc.
Strange times indeed. Strange times. Let's take advantage of whatever resource God has given us 🙏 in diverse ways to spread the word of the kingdom.