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Matthew 9:18-19
As Jesus is speaking to the disciples of John the Baptist and explaining why He does not adhere to their traditions but brings a new way, a man, who is noted as being a “ruler” (NKJV) or as in the (NIV) “a synagogue leader” comes to Jesus and tells Him that his daughter has just died. He tells Jesus in Matthew 9:18, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” This synagogue leader would have known the Law well, and most likely he would have memorized at least the first five books of the Old Testament. In knowing this, he asks a very strange thing of Jesus in that he asks Jesus to, “lay Your hand on her and she will live” (Matthew 9:18). This would have been against the Law as touching a dead person would have defiled anyone who touched them. If we put ourselves in this man’s position of having a child that has died, we may better understand that when something tragic becomes personal, we tend to forget the rules and focus on the immediate, as I believe this synagogue ruler must have done. He has lost his daughter to death and is desperate to have her back, so he goes to the One in which he has heard of as being a healer – Jesus. We do not know of the man’s faith in Jesus but when we are stricken with tragedy we tend to believe anything that we can find to help our situation, this man would have been no different.
We should also notice that this synagogue leader, when he first came to Jesus, the first thing that he did was to “worship” Jesus (Matthew 9:18, NKJV); the (NIV) states that the man “knelt before him” which shows a humble submission to Jesus.
The third thing that we should notice in this passage is that Jesus, and His disciples did not question the man, but acknowledged his time of need and immediately began following him to go to his daughter. Jesus has just been teaching of a new way, and now is in a situation to show His new way in action. He is ready to show His divine power over death and that in His touching death is not defiling Him but is more powerful than death as He, in touching death, overcomes it and gives life to all who will put their faith in Him.
This is a promise of a new way in Christ Jesus that is more powerful than rules and regulations – even more powerful than death.
Jesus shows us His power over the regulations of the Old Testament Law in proclaiming a new way of showing mercy rather than sacrifice. The Old Testament ways of sacrifice for attaining atonement/reconciliation had become superficial and a new way was needed in presenting one’s self in sincerity to God. Mercy cannot be superficial, it must be genuine, it must be sincere, it must be from a love that comes from the heart. That is what God is seeking in us – a pure heart in sincerity, submission, and obedience to Him.
Dear LORD,
Many times in our lives it is the tragedies and trials that brings us to a point of realizing that the only place we can turn is to You – to Jesus as our healer, Savior, and Lord. Please open our eyes to Jesus – the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6) as He is the only way to You and an everlasting forgiveness. In Jesus name I pray, amen.