Today I read Matthew 9. In this chapter we learn that Matthew was a publican, or a tax collector. I've often wondered when reading the scriptures just why publicans were regarded as sinners. I mean, if all they did was their job and collected taxes, why would the Pharisees regard them as sinners? Perhaps it was a common theme that tax collectors would collect more than just what was owed and so in that way they sinned. Or it could just be that the publicans were a visual representation of what the Jews hated, the fact that the Romans had power. I think it is probably a combination of the two, but I have always wondered why the Pharisees treated all publicans as sinners.
This is also the chapter where for the first time we are introduced to the woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years. Again it just speaks to how much we don't have of the miracles Jesus had already performed that this woman had such faith that she knew all she would need to do was touch the Savior's garment and she would be healed. Now, a more complete telling of this woman's story is in Luke and so we will put off talking about her situation until then.
Now, when the woman with the issue of blood touched Jesus, He had been on His way to see Jairus' daughter. Jairus was a ruler according to Matthew's account and his daughter was sick and he came in person to seek the Lord's help. Now in the version recorded by Luke it tells us that while they were walking to his home, one of Jairus' servants came and told him that his daughter had actually passed away and to not trouble Jesus anymore. But Jesus came anyway and told the mourners in the home that she was only asleep. The people laughed and mocked Jesus stating that they knew what death looked like.
I have often wondered why Jesus told them that she was only asleep. The only thing I can think of is at this point in His ministry He was not trying to broadcast His fame or come across as being a healer. Later in this same chapter He heals two blind men and tells them to tell no man who had healed them. So perhaps that is why He told Jairus and his family that she was only asleep. Regardless, He goes in and commands her to awake and she does. She then comes out and eats to the astonishment and joy of her parents and all who are there.
It's pretty sad to me actually that the Pharisees would attribute the miracles Jesus performed to the power of the devil when they were supposedly so learned in the scriptures. When in the history of the Jews, at least that we have a record of, has someone who could perform miracles like Jesus does, been anything other than a man of God? And yet, when He casts out devils and heals the lame and the leper and blind and the deaf, they declared it to be of the devil. I've often wondered why men are so in love with power. That is the real reason they did not want to acknowledge the Savior for who He was. Yes it is true they were looking for a Messiah who would liberate them from the Romans. But I personally think the real reason the Pharisees hated Him was because they were afraid of losing their status as "rulers" over the people, which is ridiculous anyway because the Romans were the real rulers. I just cannot even imagine the type of men that would see the things Jesus is doing and feel anything but the Spirit testifying of the truthfulness of who He is.
I often wonder if I had lived in those times and were hearing about the things the Savior was doing and how many miracles He was performing, would I believe? It's impossible to know since it was a completely different time. But I would like to think that I at least would not have been blinded by pride and desire for power like so many were back then and so many still are today. But the true seekers have always been able to find the Savior and recognize the truthfulness of the Gospel for which I have always been grateful. I hope each of you recognizes what gift we have all been given to have the Spirit to testify to each of us of the truth of the Gospel and that we have the New Testament to read about the Savior's earthly ministry and what He did for each one of us. It is a great blessing indeed. Until tomorrow.
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