Matteo 9:15 Commento

We have in this chapter remarkable instances of the power and pity of the Lord Jesus, sufficient to convince us that he is both able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him, and as willing as he is able. His power and pity appear here in the good offices he did, I. To the bodies of people, in curing the palsy (Mat 9:2-8); raising to life the ruler's daughter, and healing the bloody issue (Mat 9:18-26); giving sight to two blind men (Mat 9:27-31); casting the devil out of one possessed (Mat 9:32-34); and healing all manner of sickness (Mat 9:35). II. To the souls of people; in forgiving sins (Mat 9:2); calling Matthew, and conversing freely with publicans and sinners (Mat 9:9-13); considering the frame of his disciples, with reference to the duty of fasting (Mat 9:14-17); preaching the gospel, and, in compassion to the multitude, providing preachers for them (Mat 9:35-38). Thus did he prove himself to be, as undoubtedly he is, the skilful, faithful Physician, both of soul and body, who has sufficient remedies for all the maladies of both: for which we must, therefore, apply ourselves to him, and glorify him both with our bodies and with our spirits, which are his, in return to him for his kindness to both.

And he entered into a ship,.... Or "the ship", the selfsame ship he came over in, with his disciples. The Gergesenes, or Gadarenes, or both, having desired him to depart their coasts, showing an unwillingness to receive him, and an uneasiness at his company, he immediately turned his back upon them, as an ungrateful people, being no better than their swine; and who, by their conduct, judged themselves unworthy of his presence, ministry, and miracles: he returned to the sea side, took shipping, and passed over the sea of Tiberias again, and came into his own city; not Bethlehem, where he was born, nor Nazareth, as Jerom thought, where he was educated, but Capernaum, as is clear from Mar 2:1 where he much dwelt, frequently conversed, and his disciples: here he paid tribute as an inhabitant, or citizen of the place, which he was entitled to by only dwelling in it twelve months, according to the Jewish canons; where it is asked (d), "how long shall a man be in a city ere he is as the men of the city? It is answered, "twelve months"; but if he purchases a dwelling house, he is as the men of the city immediately;'' that is, he is a citizen, and obliged to all charges and offices, as they are: though they seem to make a distinction between an inhabitant and a citizen (e). "A man is not reckoned , "as the children of the city", or as one of the citizens, in less than twelve months, but he may be called, or accounted, , "as one of the inhabitants" of the city, if he stays there thirty days.'' One or other of these Christ had done, which denominated this city to be his, and he to be either an inhabitant, or a citizen of it. (d) Misn. Bava Bathra, c. 1. sect. 5. (e) Gloss. in T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 112. 1.

No man putteth a piece of new cloth,.... These words are, by Luk 5:36 called a "parable", as are those in the following verse; and both are commonly interpreted of the unreasonableness and danger of putting young disciples upon severe exercises of religion, as fasting, &c: and it is true, that young converts are to be tenderly dealt with, as they are by Father, Son, and Spirit, as the disciples were by Christ, and the first Christians were by the apostles: and some things in these parables may seem to agree; as that these austerities should be represented as "new", and as burdensome and troublesome, and the disciples as weak, and easily staggered: but then there are others that will not bear; as that the disciples should be compared to "old garments, and old bottles"; when they were "young" converts, and men "renewed" by the Spirit and grace of God, and had on the beautiful robe of Christ's righteousness; and that such severe exercises, under the notion of religion, should be signified by "new wine", which generally designs something pleasant and agreeable: nor were the disciples unable to bear such severities, who very probably had been trained up in them, and been used to them before their conversion; and could now as well have bore them as John's disciples, or the Pharisees, had they been proper and necessary; but the true reason why they were not required of them, was not their weakness, or danger of falling off, and perishing, of which there were none; but because it was unsuitable to their present situation, the bridegroom being with them. But our Lord, in this parable of putting "a piece of new", or "undressed cloth", such as has never passed through the fuller's hands, and so unfit to mend with, unto an old garment, refers not only to the fastings of the Pharisees, but to their other traditions of the elders, which they held; as such that respected their eating, drinking, and conversing with other persons mentioned in the context, and which observances they joined with their moral performances; on account of which, they looked upon themselves as very righteous persons, and all others as sinners: and to expose their folly, Christ delivers this parable. Wherefore, by "the old garment", I apprehend, is meant their moral and legal righteousness, or their obedience to the moral and ceremonial laws, which was very imperfect, as well as impure, and might be rightly called "filthy rags"; or be compared to an old worn out garment, filthy and loathsome, torn, and full of holes, which cannot keep a person warm, nor screen him from the weather, and so old that it cannot be mended. And by the "piece of new cloth", or "garment", put unto it, or sewed upon it, are intended the traditions of the elders, these men were so fond of, concerning eating, and drinking, and fasting, and hundreds of other things, very idle and trifling, and which were new and upstart notions. Now, by putting, or sewing the new cloth to their old garment, is designed, their joining their observance of these traditions to their other duties of religion, to make up a justifying righteousness before God; but in vain, and to no purpose. Their old garment of their own works, in obedience to the laws of God, moral and ceremonial, was full bad enough of itself; but became abundantly worse, by joining this new piece of men's own devising to it; for that which is put in to fill it up, taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse: their new obedience to the traditions of men, making void the law of God, instead of mending, marred their righteousness, and left them in a worse condition than it found them: and besides, as it is in Luke, "the piece that was taken out of the new, agreeth not with the old"; there being no more likeness between the observance of the commandments of men, and obedience to the laws of God, than there is between a piece of new undressed cloth, that has never been washed and worn, and an old worn out garment. Much such a foolish part do those men under the Gospel dispensation act, who join the righteousness of Christ, or a part of it, with their own, in order to make up a justifying righteousness before God; for Christ's righteousness is the only justifying righteousness; it is whole and perfect, and needs nothing to be added to it, nor can it be parted, any more than his seamless coat was; nor a piece taken out of it: nor is there any justification by works, either in whole or in part; the old garment of man's righteousness must be thrown away, in point of justification; it cannot be mended in such a manner; and if any attempts are made in this way, the rent becomes worse: such persons, instead of being justified, are in a worse condition; for they not only set up, and exalt their own righteousness, which is criminal, but disparage the righteousness of Christ as imperfect, by joining it to their's; and whilst they fancy themselves in a good state, are in a most miserable one; harlots and publicans being nearer the kingdom of heaven than these, and enter into it before them; self-righteous persons are more hardly, and with greater difficulty convinced, than such sinners. Moreover, nothing is more disagreeable than such a patch work; Christ's righteousness and a man's own bear no likeness to one another; and such a patched garment must ill become the character and dignity of a saint, a child of God, an heir of heaven.

Figuratively; This His answer, that while the Bridegroom was present with them, His disciples needed not to fast, teaches us the joy of His presence, and the sacrament of the holy food, which none shall lack, while He is present, that is, while one keeps Christ in the eye of the mind. He says, they shall fast when He is taken away from them, because all who do not believe that Christ is risen, shall not have the food of life. For in the faith of the resurrection the sacrament of the heavenly bread is received.

"The children of the bride-chamber cannot fast, as long as the bridegroom is with them." Thus, when others were to be spoken for, the publicans I mean, to soothe their wounded soul, He was more severe in His reproof of their revilers; but when they were deriding Himself and His disciples, He makes His reply with all gentleness. Now their meaning is like this; "Granted," say they, "Thou doest this as a physician; why do Thy disciples also leave fasting, and cleave to such tables?" Then, to make the accusation heavier, they put themselves first, and then the Pharisees; wishing by the comparison to aggravate the charge. For indeed "both we," it is said, "and the Pharisees, fast oft." And in truth they did fast, the one having learnt it from John, the other from the law; even as also the Pharisee said, "I fast twice in the week." What then saith Jesus? "Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them." Before, He called Himself a physician, but here a bridegroom; by these names revealing His unspeakable mysteries. Yet of course He might have told them, more sharply, "These things depend not on you, that you should make such laws. For of what use is fasting, when the mind is full of wickedness; when ye blame others, when ye condemn them, bearing about beams in your eyes, and do all for display? Nay, before all this ye ought to have cast out vainglory, to be proficients in all the other duties, in charity, meekness, brotherly love." However, nothing of this kind doth He say, but with all gentleness, "The children of the bridechamber cannot fast, so long as the bridegroom is with them;" recalling to their mind John's words, when he said, "He that hath the bride, is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth Him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice." Now His meaning is like this: The present time is of joy and gladness, therefore do not bring in the things which are melancholy. For fasting is a melancholy thing, not in its own nature, but to them that are yet in rather a feeble state; for to those at least that are willing to practise self-command, the observance is exceedingly pleasant and desirable. For as when the body is in health, the spirits are high, so when the soul is well conditioned, the pleasure is greater. But according to their previous impression He saith this. So also Isaiah, discoursing of it, calls it "an affliction of the soul;" and Moses too in like manner. Not however by this only doth He stop their mouths, but by another topic also, saying, "Days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast." For hereby He signifies, that what they did was not of gluttony, but pertained to some marvellous dispensation. And at the same time He lays beforehand the foundation of what He was to say touching His passion, in His controversies with others instructing His disciples, and training them now to be versed in the things which are deemed sorrowful. Because for themselves already to have this said to them, would have been grievous and galling, since we know that afterwards, being uttered, it troubled them; but spoken to others, it would become rather less intolerable to them. It being also natural for them to pride themselves on John's calamity, He from this topic represses likewise such their elation: the doctrine however of His resurrection He adds not yet, it not being yet time. For so much indeed was natural, that one supposed to be a man should die, but that other was beyond nature.

(Verse 15.) And Jesus said to them: Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. Christ is the bridegroom: the Church is the bride. From this holy and spiritual union, the Apostles are born, who cannot mourn as long as they see the bride in the bridal chamber and know that the bridegroom is with the bride. But when the wedding is over and the time of his passion and resurrection has come, then the sons of the bridegroom will fast. Some believe that after forty days of the Passion, fasting should be observed: although the immediate arrival of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit indicate the celebration to us. And on this occasion, Montanus, Prisca, and Maximilla also observe Lent after Pentecost: because, with the bridegroom taken away, the children of the bridegroom should fast. However, the custom of the Church comes from the passion of the Lord and the resurrection through the humility of the flesh, so that we may be prepared for the spiritual nourishment of the body through the fasting of the flesh. According to the tropology, it must be known that as long as the bridegroom is with us and we are in joy, we cannot fast or mourn. But when he departs from us because of our sins, then fasting must be announced, then mourning must be undertaken.

Christ is the Bridegroom and the Church the Bride. Of this spiritual union the Apostles were born; they cannot mourn so long as they see the Bridegroom in the chamber with the Bride. But when the nuptials are past, and the time of passion and resurrection is come, then shall the children of the Bridegroom fast. The days shall come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. Hence some think that a fast ought to follow the forty days of Passion, although the day of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit immediately bring back our joy and festival. From this text accordingly, Montanus, Prisca, and Maximilla enjoin a forty days' abstinence after Pentecost, but it is the use of the Church to come to the Lord's passion and resurrection through humiliation of the flesh, that by carnal abstinence we may better be prepared for spiritual fulness. Or; When He has departed from us for our sins, then is a fast to be proclaimed, then is mourning to be put on.

(Serm. 210. 3.) Otherwise; Every one who rightly fasts, either humbles his soul in the groaning of prayer, and bodily chastisement, or suspends the motion of carnal desire by the joys of spiritual meditation. And the Lord here makes answer respecting both kinds of fasting; concerning the first, which is in humiliation of soul, He says, The children of the bridegroom cannot mourn. Of the other which has a feast of the Spirit, He next speaks, where He says, No man putteth a patch of undressed cloth. Then we must mourn because the Bridegroom is taken away from us. And we rightly mourn if we burn with desire of Him. Blessed they to whom it was granted before His passion to have Him present with them, to enquire of Him what they would, to hear what they ought to hear. Those days the fathers before His coming sought to see, and saw them not, because they were placed in another dispensation, one in which He was proclaimed as coming, not one in which He was heard as present. For in us was fulfilled that He speaks of, The days shall come when ye shall desire to see one of these days, and shall not be able. (Luke 17:22.) Who then will not mourn this? Who will not say, My tears have been my meat day and night, while they daily say unto me, Where is now thy God? (Ps. 42:3.) With reason then did the Apostle seek to die and to be with Christ. (De Cons. Ev. ii. 27.) That Matthew writes here mourn, where Mark and Luke write fast, shows that the Lord spake of that kind of fasting which pertains to humbling one's self in chastisement; as in the following comparisons He may be supposed to have spoken of the other kind which pertains to the joy of a mind wrapt in spiritual thoughts, and therefore averted from the food of the body; showing that those who are occupied about the body, and owing to this retain their former desires, are not fit for this kind of fasting.

When John’s disciples approached … they questioned him even while he was at table, in the manner of a physician with the publicans: “Why do we and the Pharisees often fast, whereas your disciples do not fast?” Do you see how the same jealousy motivates and provokes birds of a feather and is made keen by the cruel goad of envy? On the one hand, it set the Pharisees, who boasted about being teachers, against the Teacher. For that reason they also said, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On the other hand, envy set John’s disciples against Christ’s disciples. That is why they also said, “How come your disciples do not fast?”

It is with the words of John, your own teacher, whom you esteem so highly, that I answer you. Keep it in mind, and you will have the answer to your question. When John bore witness concerning me, he said, “He who has the bride is the bridegroom.” So, if I am the bridegroom and you don’t make a liar out of your own teacher, you know in advance that it is important for my disciples, while they are the children of the marriage … to be gay and joyful and not to become upset or miserable over fasting. In certain respects, fasting is a source of annoyance and can also be arduous for those without a mature disposition.

"And Jesus said unto them, Can the sons of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast." "Now is the time for rejoicing as long as I am with My disciples," Jesus says. He calls Himself the bridegroom, as One Who betroths to Himself the new congregation, the old having died. The "sons of the bridechamber" [i.e. the wedding guests] are the apostles. Jesus says, "After I have suffered and ascended, the time will come for them to fast with great hunger and thirst and to be persecuted." To show that His disciples are not yet perfected, He adds:

And Jesus said to them... Here Jesus answers in a subtle way: first, he assigns a cause on his part; secondly, on the part of the disciples (v. 16). In regard to the first he does two things: first, he determines the time for feasting; secondly, of fasting (v. 15b). He says, therefore: Can the wedding guests [children of the bridegroom] mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? Where he says mourn, another says "fast"; for although a fast involves some joy, yet as it says in Hebrews (12:11): "For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant." Hence there is a fast of spiritual joy, as it says in Daniel (9:3): "Then I turned my face to the Lord, seeking him by prayer and fasting and sackcloth and ashes." Likewise, it is mournful and afflictive, as when it involves pain. The Lord answers concerning both. For the bridegroom is Christ; the one who has the bride is the bridegroom. For he is the bridegroom of the entire Church and is its source. The Old Law has one source; the New, another. For the Old Law had its beginning in fear; the New, in love: "You did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship" (Rom 8:13); "You have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem" (Heb 12:22). The origin of the New Law was in love; consequently, he should nourish his disciples in love. Hence he calls himself a bridegroom and the disciples children, because they exist in the name of love. Hence it is good that I preserve them; consequently, I do not want to impose anything burdensome on them, lest they detest it and thus withdraw. Therefore, those who are new in the religious life should not be burdened. Hence Ambrose in a book scolds those who lay great burdens on novices. And this is what Christ says: Can the children of the bridegroom mourn? As if to say: It is not fitting that they fast, but that they live in a gentle atmosphere and in love, so that they may accept my law in love, as it says in Romans (6:4): "As Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life." Hence from Easter to Pentecost are not fasts, because the Church is then celebrating the newness of life. The days will come, namely, when you succeed in achieving it, when the bridegroom will be taken away, and then they will fast. And he foretold this to them, saying: "You will weep, but the world will rejoice" (Jn 16:20). Those who lived before Christ, as Abraham and Isaiah and the other prophets, and desired the presence of Christ. Likewise, after his death his presence was desired by the apostles; hence Peter suffered continual grief on account of Christ's absence, and Paul said: "I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ" (Phil 1:23). Hence this was the time for fasting. Another reason why they were not bound to fast in the time of Christ was that a fast should be undertaken as taming the flesh, so that it does not prevail against the spirit. But when he was present, he guarded them from excesses; therefore, it was not fitting that they fast. Hence John (17:12): "Father, while I was with them I have guarded them." But John the Baptist did not have this power; consequently, his disciples were expected to fast. Hence Paul says in 1 Corinthians (9:27): "I chastise my body and bring it under subjection."

MATTHEW'S CALL AND FEAST. ( = Mar 2:14-17; Luk 5:27-32). (Mat 9:9-13) And as Jesus passed forth from thence--that is, from the scene of the paralytic's cure in Capernaum, towards the shore of the Sea of Galilee, on which that town lay. Mark, as usual, pictures the scene more in detail, thus (Mar 2:13): "And He went forth again by the seaside; and all the multitude resorted unto Him, and He taught them"--or, "kept teaching them." "And as He passed by" he saw a man, named Matthew--the writer of this precious Gospel, who here, with singular modesty and brevity, relates the story of his own calling. In Mark and Luke he is called Levi, which seems to have been his family name. In their lists of the twelve apostles, however, Mark and Luke give him the name of Matthew, which seems to have been the name by which he was known as a disciple. While he himself sinks his family name, he is careful not to sink his occupation, the obnoxious associations with which he would place over against the grace that called him from it, and made him an apostle. (See on Mat 10:3). Mark alone tells us (Mar 2:14) that he was "the son of AlphÃ&brvbrus"--the same, probably, with the father of James the Less. From this and other considerations it is pretty certain that he must at least have heard of our Lord before this meeting. Unnecessary doubts, even from an early period, have been raised about the identity of Levi and Matthew. No capable jury, with the evidence before them which we have in the Gospels, would hesitate in giving a unanimous verdict of identity. sitting at the receipt of custom--as a publican, which Luke (Luk 5:27) calls him. It means the place of receipt, the toll house or booth in which the collector sat. Being in this case by the seaside, it might be the ferry tax for the transit of persons and goods across the lake, which he collected. (See on Mat 5:46). and he saith unto him, Follow me--Witching words these, from the lips of Him who never employed them without giving them resistless efficacy in the hearts of those they were spoken to. And he--"left all" (Luk 5:28), "arose and followed him." The Feast (Mat 9:10-13).