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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 9:23 - 9:26
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_9:23-26
23When Jesus came into the official's house, and saw the flute-players and the crowd in noisy disorder, 24He said, " Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep." And they began laughing at Him. 25 But when the crowd had been sent out, He entered and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26This news spread throughout all that land.
Mat_9:23 "Jesus came into the official's house, and saw the flute players and the crowd in noisy disorder" It was a common practice in rabbinical Judaism (cf. Jer_9:17; Jer_48:36) that when someone died, even in the poorest family, at least two flute players and one wailing woman had to be hired for a standard funeral. Funerals were a very outward and emotional communal experience.
Mat_9:24 "Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep" " Sleep" was not often used of death, but in this context it was contrasted with death. Whether it was a deep coma or death, a miracle of healing truly occurred.
Mat_9:25 "but when the crowd had been sent out" Luk_8:51 notes that the parents and the inner circle of disciples, Peter, James, and John, were allowed to stay.
▣ "took her by the hand" From Mar_5:41 more details are recorded as to what Jesus said to the girl. Touching a dead body would have made Him ceremonially unclean. But, when one has the power of life over death, there is no such thing as a dead body!
Mat_9:26 "this news spread throughout all that land" The reason that Jesus emptied the room was so that no one would spread the news about this miraculous healing (cf. Mat_8:4; Mat_9:30; Mat_12:16; Mat_16:20; Mat_17:9; Mar_1:44; Mar_3:12; Mar_5:43; Mar_7:36; Mar_8:30; Mar_9:9; Luk_4:41; Luk_5:14; Luk_8:56; Luk_9:21). However, with the funeral process well under way, the restoration of this young girl would certainly have been broadcast.