Matthew 9:18-26 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Bible Comments

Jairas-' Daughter and the Woman with Haemorrhage (Mark 5:21-43 *, Luke 8:40-56). Mt. records in nine verses what Mk. takes twenty-three to tell. He again forsakes Mk.'s order, postponing Mark 2:23 to Mark 4:34 till later (chs. 12, 10, 13). Despite his compression Mt. remarks that the woman (? Veronica) touched the sacred tassel (Numbers 15:38) of Jesus-' dress, and that the cure was immediate and permanent (from that hour). As with the paralytic (Matthew 8:10), faith (not magic) expelled both the disease and the sin thought to be linked with it.

In the story of the ruler (i.e. supervisor of synagogue-worship; for other uses of the word see Luke 14:1; Luke 18:18; John 3:1; Acts 4:5), Mt. alone mentions the flute-players among the crowd, which Jesus dismisses more authoritatively than in Mk. and Lk. like Mk., Mt. takes Jesus-' words, not dead but sleepeth, as literally true; Lk. alone clearly indicates a raising from death. The messengers (Mark 5:35), or Jairas himself (Matthew 9:18), were mistaken. Matthew 9:26 replaces the injunction to silence (cf. Matthew 9:30) in Mk. and Lk.; that land (cf. Matthew 9:31) is the district round Capernaum.

Matthew 9:18-26

18 While 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.

19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.

20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

22 But 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.

23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,

24 He said unto them,Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.

25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

26 And the famec hereof went abroad into all that land.