(Joseph Bianco)
Matthew 9:1–13 And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” 3And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 7And he rose and went home. 8When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
9As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
10And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
——————
Dear church family, in Matthew 9, we see our Lord Jesus exercising his divine authority in two interconnected ways: first, by forgiving sins and healing a paralytic, and second, by calling a despised tax collector to follow him and then dining with sinners. The paralytic’s friends demonstrate remarkable faith in bringing him to Jesus, and our Lord responds not first to the visible need but to the deeper one: “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” This declaration provokes the scribes’ charge of blasphemy, for only God can forgive sins. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, proves his authority by healing the man with a word—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home”—so that all might know the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins. The miracle authenticates the forgiveness, pointing us to the gospel truth that Christ’s atoning work alone secures pardon for sinners. As much as we would like to think that our main problems in life are external, the real problem is with our hearts, and it’s the root of the plant that Jesus first gives his attention to.
The scene then shifts to Capernaum’s tax booth, where Jesus calls Matthew—a collaborator with Rome, a social and religious outcast—to discipleship with the simple command, “Follow me.” Matthew immediately obeys, leaving everything behind, and hosts a meal where Jesus reclines with other “tax collectors and sinners.” The Pharisees’ objection reveals their self-righteous hearts: they cannot fathom why the Messiah would fellowship with such people. Jesus’ reply cuts to the core: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” He then quotes Hosea 6:6—“I desire mercy, and not sacrifice”—exposing the Pharisees’ external religion while lacking compassion. Our Lord declares his mission plainly: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
This text invites us to consider ourselves as either the Pharisees and Scribes or the tax collectors and sinners. Jesus clearly invites sinners to himself, and rebukes the religious leaders. A question for us is: which are we? Are we more like the people who know their need before a righteous and holy man? Or do we go through life self-justifying? Do we live life constantly needing to defend ourselves, our good actions, and judging others in the process? Are we kind and compassionate with others, or harsh and impatient? Are we living lives where we try to control everyone around us, or do we look to Jesus to bring order and healing? These are simply some questions to help you calibrate your hearts. The truth is, even if you are a believer in Jesus, isn’t there a Pharisee in all of us? Each of us has areas in which we are legalistic and self-justifying. The call of Jesus is not condemnation, but repentance. Come to him, and he’ll embrace you. Deny your need, and he has nothing to offer you. Pray that the Spirit would help you to discern your hearts, and reveal to you those areas of your life where you act like the Scribes or Pharisees.