Matthew - The Great Physician

In today's study from Matthew 9:1-13, we see that the Great Physician has come to heal our sick bodies, sick souls, sick hearts, sick natures, sick minds, and sick spirits.

The Great Physician

vv.1-13 And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.  (2)  And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.  (3)  And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.  (4)  And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?  (5)  For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?  (6)  But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.  (7)  And he arose, and departed to his house.  (8)  But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.  (9)  And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.  (10)  And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.  (11)  And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?  (12)  But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.  (13)  But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Jesus said in verse 12, "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick."  People go to the doctor when they are sick. Therefore, we need to go to Jesus when we are sick. We see sickness throughout the Bible.

1. Sick Bodies (v.2a)

Our bodies get sick with disease. This guy was so sick with the palsy (a muscular disease) that he couldn’t walk. There are many sicknesses listed in the Bible. Palsy (Matt 8:6), Leprosy (Matt 8:2), Fever (Matt 8:14), Bleeding (Matt 9:20), Blindness (Matt 9:27), Withered hand (Matt 12:10), Devil possession (Matt 12:22), blind (Matt. 9:27) and dumb (Matt. 9:32).  Jesus healed them all! 

Mat 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Not All Sickness is Apparent

But not all of our sicknesses are apparent. We not only have sick bodies, but we also have…

2. Sick Souls (v.2b)

“And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.” 

Our souls are sick with sin. Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

This man and his friends knew that his body was sick. That kind of outward illness is obvious. However, what they could not see was his sickness with sin. We all have them: envy, pride, jealousy, anger, covetousness, lust, bitterness, and so forth.

He Forgives Our Sins

And what does the Great Physician do to our sins? He forgives them as well.

1 Tim 1:15 “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

Col 1:14 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

We not only have sick bodies, and sick souls, but we also have…

3. Sick Hearts (vv.3-4)

Our hearts are sick with evil and wickedness.

Jesus said in Mar 7:21-23 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,  22  Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:  23  All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

It is interesting that the scribes, in their hearts, accused Jesus of blasphemy, because he forgave the man’s sins. After all, that is only something that God can do.

Mk 2:7 “Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?”

Of course, Jesus is God. The crazy thing is that while they were accusing him of blasphemy, they were the real blasphemers. Mar 3:28-30 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:  29  But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:  30  Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

We not only have sick bodies, sick souls, and sick hearts, but we also have…

4. Sick Natures (vv.9-10)

“And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.”

We all have a sin nature. Paul told the Corinthians in 1Co 2:14 “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” By nature we are corrupt and seek those things that are corrupt. He also said in, 1Co 15:50 “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.” And what does the Great Physician do to our natures? He changes them!

2Co 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

We not only have sick bodies, sick souls, sick hearts, and sick natures, but we also have…

5. Sick Minds (v.11)

“And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?”

We do not think straight. The Devil blinds our minds.

2Co 4:4 “whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”

And what does the Great Physician do to our minds?  He restores them.

2 Tim 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

We must allow the “mind of the master be the master of your mind.

We not only have sick bodies, sick souls, sick hearts, sick natures, and sick minds, but we also have…

6. Sick Spirits (vv.12-13)

“But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.  (13)  But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Our minds are sick because of the influences of the devil in this world. Our spirits were sick because we were lost. Paul said in Eph 2:1 “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;” The Pharisees thought that by doing something (sacrifices) they could change what they were (sinners).  But that’s not possible. You can’t change what you are by changing what you do.

Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

So what does the Great Physician do to our spirits? He renews them!

Ps 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

Eph 4:23 “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;”

Joh 3:5-7 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.