Matthew 9

Verses 8

• Who is getting the glory? God is being praised, not Jesus.
• During this time, many claimed to be prophets but were not truly sent by God.
• Jesus, appearing ordinary and known as a carpenter in the community, presented challenges to the people's perception of His deity.
• Some excuse themselves from following Jesus (Matthew 8:18-22), some are rejected (Mark 5:18-20), while others respond to His call.

Verses 9-13

• A mirror against the Pharisees highlights their pride.
• Matthew, a despised tax collector, is elevated to an apostle, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with the world.
• Tax collectors had ample opportunity for greed and often exploited it.
• It’s beautiful that even the seemingly worst can be saved by Jesus.

Verses 24

• Do we go to Heaven immediately?
  • 2 Corinthians 5:8 states: "We are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord," suggesting that being away from the body is to be with Jesus.
  • In Luke 23:39-43, Jesus tells the thief on the cross he’ll be with Him in paradise today.
• Can God call people from Heaven back to earth?
  • Lazarus was called back after being dead for three days; Jesus was also resurrected.
  • The Transfiguration shows Moses and Elijah speaking to Jesus, but we lack details on their nature—body, spirit, or something else.
• Why does it say asleep?
  • John Chrysostom, an early Church Father, suggested we should not fear death but view it as sleep, where we expect to awaken.

Verses 30-31

• Why doesn’t Jesus allow others to profess what He has done?
• Muhindo's theory: Jesus manages His fame carefully; it’s not His time to suffer or be glorified yet.

Verses 32-34

• Disciples witnessed miracles primarily related to fish and Peter’s mother’s healing.
• Miracles do not always lead to transformation; responses vary among people.