“Et iterum intravit Capharnaum post dies,”
“And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.”
“A few days later Jesus went back to Capernaum. And when the people heard that He was home,”
“When he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was heard that he was in the house.”
“And when he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was noised that he was in the house.”
In the house where he used to remain, for he chose Capernaum to dwell in, and left Nazareth. Cross references: : Matt. 9:1 ; Luke 5:28 Christ showeth by healing this man, which was sick of the palsy, that men recover in him through faith only, all their strength which they have lost.
In this chapter, we have, I. Christ's healing a man that was sick of a palsy, ver 1-12. II. His calling of Matthew from the receipt of custom, and his eating, upon that occasion, with publicans and sinners, and justifying himself in so doing, ver 13-17. III. His justifying his disciples in not fasting so much as those plucking the ears of corn on the sabbath day, ver 23-28. All which passages we had before, Matt 9 and 12.
Verses 1-12 It was this man's misery that he needed to be so carried, and shows the suffering state of human life; it was kind of those who so carried him, and teaches the compassion that should be in men, toward their fellow-creatures in distress. True faith and strong faith may work in various ways; but it shall be accepted and approved by Jesus Christ. Sin is the cause of all our pains and sicknesses. The way to remove the effect, is to take away the cause. Pardon of sin strikes at the root of all diseases. Christ proved his power to forgive sin, by showing his power to cure the man sick of the palsy. And his curing diseases was a figure of his pardoning sin, for sin is the disease of the soul; when it is pardoned, it is healed. When we see what Christ does in healing souls, we must own that we never saw the like. Most men think themselves whole; they feel no need of a physician, therefore despise or neglect Christ and his gospel. But the convinced, humbled sinner, who despairs of all help, excepting from the Saviour, will show his faith by applying to him without delay.