But why did the servants say: "Do not bother the master?" This seems to indicate unbelief. The answer is that this would be true, if they were saying this according to their lord's intention; but they did not know his intention. Chrysostom explains it this way: Some have the custom, when they want to arouse piety, to exaggerate evil; therefore, in order to influence him better, he said, she is dead . —This daughter is the synagogue, the daughter of the ruler, namely, of Moses, and it died from unbelief: "But now it is hidden from your eyes..." (Lk 19:42). But there seems to be faith joined with unbelief in the ruler; because there was faith in believing that he could revive her, but unbelief in supposing that he could not do this when absent. Hence he seems to be like Naaman, who said: "I thought he would surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and cure me" (2 Kg 5:11). But come and lay your hand on her, and she will live . Mystically this signifies the patriarchs' desire for Christ to come; hence they said: "Come, stretch forth your hand," i.e., Christ, "on us," as in Psalm 144 (v. 7): "Stretch forth your hand from on high."
(19) And Jesus rose and followed him. He rose , namely, from the meal. Here we have evidence of Christ's mercy, because after the request he went at once, as it says in Isaiah (30:19): "As soon as he hears your cry, he will answer you." Likewise, he gives an example of solicitude to prelates, that they should be solicitous about helping sinners quickly. He also gives an example of obedience, because he took disciples with him: "Obey your prelates" (Heb 13:17). But he did not bring Matthew, because he was still weak.
(20) And behold, a woman... In Lev (c. 12) it is laid down that a woman who suffered a flow of blood was unclean and did not live with men; therefore, she did not come to him in the house but on the road. And she signifies the gentiles, who had entered into the Jews' fullness, as it says in Romans (11:25): "A blindness has come upon a part of Israel, until the full number of the gentiles come in." She, namely, the synagogue, had a flow of blood, i.e., the terror of immolated blood. Or it can be referred to sins of the flesh; hence "flesh and blood shall not possess the kingdom of God" (1 Cor 15:50). This woman suffered for twelve years , and the ruler's daughter was twelve years of age; hence she began her suffering, when the ruler's daughter was born.
She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment . Here the woman is commended for her humility and for her faith, which was of the highest order for obtaining. She came up behind him . Why behind him? Because she was considered unclean; hence whatever she touched was unclean according to the Law. Therefore, she feared that he might rebuff her. Also she dared to touch only the fringe. In the Law it was commanded that at the four corners of a garment they have fringes, and there they carried tympana as a reminder of God's commandments, and so that they could thus be distinguished from others; and Christ had such a garment. Mystically, this signifies the gentiles, who approached with faith. But from behind, because not while he was living. Likewise, they touched the garment, namely, the humanity, and only the fringe, because they touch him only through the apostles.
(21) For she said within herself, "If I only touch his garment, I shall be made well . Hilary says: "The power of Christ is great, because it was not only in the soul, but it flowed into the body and from the body into his garments." And so we should hold in reverence everything Christ's body touched: "It is like precious oil upon the head, running down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes" (Ps 133:2). Which runs down upon the beard, i.e., the divinity into the flesh; and on the collar of his robes, i.e., on the apostles. I will be made well . If we do the same and cling to him, we will be made well: "Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be delivered" (Jl 2:32).
(22) Jesus turned, and seeing her, he said, "Take heart, daughter . Here is shown Christ's kindness. First, it is shown by an action, because he turned toward her. Why? So she would not lose confidence; for since she had come furtively, she did not think he would turn toward her. Also that her faith be shown as an example. Likewise, to show that he was God; hence he turned with mercy and saw her with the eye of piety: "Turn to me, and I will turn to you" (Zech 1:3). His kindness is also shown in word, when he says, Take heart , because she came with fear, he addressed her gently: "In returning and in rest you shall be saved" (Is 30:15). Likewise, he calls her, daughter , to bolster her confidence: "He gave them power to become sons of God" (Jn 1:12). He also produces hope: "Your faith has made you well." Hence "our salvation is from faith" (Rom c. 3). And the effect follows: And the woman was made well from that hour . It was not from the hour that Christ spoke, but from the hour she touched him.
(23) And when Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw the flute players... Here the revival is described, and he does four things: first, the indications of death are described; secondly, hope is given; thirdly, the girl is revived; fourthly, the effect is mentioned. He says, therefore, When he came... and saw... Why did the flute players come? The crowd came as is customary even now, when there is a death; but the flute players came to sing dirges and to move others to mourn, as it says in Jeremiah (9:17): "Consider, and call for the mourning women to come." These flute players are false teachers: "Their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence" (Is 3:8). The crowd is the Jewish people: "You shall not follow a multitude to do evil" (Ex 23:2). The Lord revived the girl in a house. For the Lord revived three persons: the girl in her house, the young man at the gate, Lazarus in the tomb. For some are dead by sin, but they are not carried without; and this is by consent to sin, but they do not proceed without by works. Some are carried without by action, and this is signified by the one revived at the gate. Finally, some lie in the tomb from habit, which is signified by Lazarus. Therefore, this girl signifies the sinner who is in secret sin, namely, in the mind. The flute players are those who encourage them in sin: "The sinner is praised in the desires of his heart" (Ps 10:3). The crowd is thoughts; and the lord heals her.
(24) Hence he says, Depart, for the girl is not dead . He gives hope: She is not dead , namely, to himself; but sleeping , because it is as easy for him to restore life as for someone to wake another from sleep. Something similar is stated in John (11:11): "Lazarus, our friend, is asleep..." She is not dead . Why did he say it this way? Because they laughed at him . But why did he wish to be laughed at? So that they could not deny the miracle; hence he first made his adversaries acknowledge the death, so that later they could not contradict.
(25) And when the crowd had been put out, he went in . The crowd is the Jews, who are not converted. And morally, in order that the soul be restored, it is required that the crowd of thoughts be expelled. Then the Lord enters — He went in and took her by the hand... "The right hand of the Lord has shown power" (Ps 118:16), He takes the hand of the sinner, when he offers him help. And the girl arose , namely, to life; and so do we from sin by God's help. Then followed the report of this throughout all that district.
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Mt 9:27-34
27. And as Jesus passed from thence, there followed him two blind men crying out and saying, Have mercy on us, O Son of David. 28. And when he was come to the house, the blind men came to him. And Jesus saith to them, Do you believe, that I can do this unto you? They say to him, Yea, Lord. 29. Then he touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith, be it done unto you. 30. And their eyes were opened, and Jesus strictly charged them, saying, See that no man know this. 31. But they going out, spread his fame abroad in all that country. 32. And when they were gone out, behold they brought him a dumb man, possessed with a devil. 33. And after the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke, and the multitudes wondered, saying, Never was the like seen in Israel. 34. But the Pharisees said, By the prince of devils he casteth out devils.
After showing how he restored life, he now shows how he restored the functions of life. First, how he restored sight; secondly, speech (v. 32).
In regard to the first, four things are done: first, the request of the blind men; secondly, they are questioned (v. 28b); thirdly, they are heard (v. 29); fourthly, the charge given to the cured (v. 30b).
In regard to their petition we can note five things that make a petition likely to be heard.
(27) First, they chose a suitable time for asking, because as they were going away . In this is signified the time of the Incarnation, a time of mercy: "It is time to show mercy" (Ps 102:13). Therefore, they were heard more readily, as it says in Hebrews (5:7): "He was heard for his reverence." Likewise, in order to obtain it, they followed him ; for those who do not follow God by obeying do not obtain. Two blind men . Those two blind men are the two peoples, namely, the Jews and the gentiles, for those who do not have faith are blind. Of these Isaiah (59:10): "We grope for the wall like the blind." Furthermore, fervent devotion is required, when it says, crying aloud : "In my distress I cried to the Lord" (Ps 120:1). Likewise, humility, when it says, "Have mercy on us, son of David" : "Hearken to the prayer of your servant, O Lord" (Dan 9:17). Finally, their faith is mentioned, because they called him son of David; and this is necessary, as it says in James (1:6): "Let him ask in faith, with no doubting."
(28) Then he tests the petitioners. First, in deed, by delaying to hear them. For faith is shown to be firm, when a request is not obtained at once: "If it seem slow, wait for it; it will surely come and will not delay" (Hab 2:3). Hence he led them, until he came to the house. When he entered the house.. By that house is signified the Church, because it is God's house or heaven: "The heavens are the Lord's heavens" (Ps 115:16). Then he tests them by word: "Do you believe I am able to do this?" He does not ask this as though he did not know, but to increase their merit: "Man believes with his heart, and he confesses with his lips, and so is saved" (Rom 10:10). Likewise, he questions them, that their faith be shown and that they know they were justly given sight. He also questions them in order to move them to greater things, for it was a great thing to confess that he was the son of David. But it was not enough; consequently, he asks more of them: Do you believe I can do this? , namely, by my own power, i.e., something only God can do? They said to him: "Yes, Lord." So now they call him Lord, which is proper to God alone.
(29) Then the granting of the request: first, the cure is mentioned; secondly, the effect of the cure (v. 30).
The cure occurred when he touched their eyes, saying... , hence he touched and spoke. Either would have been enough; yet he did both to signify that blindness is taken away by the word of God: "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory" (Jn 1:14). So he says, According to your faith be it done to you , because those who without faith are blind become illumined by the merit of faith. Then the effect: and their eyes were opened . First, therefore, he gives light, and so is fulfilled what is said in John (1:4): "And the life was the light of men," and Isaiah (35:4): "He will come and save us."
(30) Finally the charge: And Jesus sternly charged them . Why this? for elsewhere (Lk 8:39): "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." Chrysostom: We can consider two things in regard to what is good in us: what is of God and what is of ourselves. What is of ourselves we should conceal; what is of God we should publicize, as Paul in Philippians (2:21): "Not looking after our own interests but those of Jesus Christ"; and in Matthew (5:16): "That they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Hence he says, See that no one knows this , teaching us to avoid vainglory.
(31) But they, not unmindful of the gift received, went about and published it, as it says in Isaiah (63:7): "I will recount the Lord's mercies." But did they sin by acting contrary to the Lord's command? I say that they did not, because they acted in good faith and in order to show how much holiness the Lord displayed.
(32) As they were going away, a dumb demoniac was brought up to him . After restoring sight to the blind, he now restores speech to a dumb man. Those two incidents are fittingly joined, because speech is the sign of inward sight: "He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ear of the deaf unstopped" (Is 35:4-5). Here he does three things: first, the infirm man is described; secondly, the cure (v. 33); thirdly, the effect of the cure (v. 33b).
He says, therefore, As they were going away... Faith is not asked of him as of the others, because he was possessed by a devil; therefore, he was not in control of his mental faculties. That is why he was not tested about his faith. And he signifies the gentiles, who are mute in regard to praise: "Pour out your anger on the nations which do not know you" (Ps 79:6). Furthermore, they have a devil, because they sacrificed to devils: "All the gods of the nations are devils" (Ps 96:5). First, therefore, as a good physician he cured the cause and then the disease, because he cast out the devil first. Then when the demon had been cast out, the dumb man spoke . So the gentile, when freed from serving idols, spoke, namely, God's praise: "That every tongue confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of the Father..." (Phil 2:11).
The effect follows: And the crowds marveled at what they saw. And because they marveled, they said: Never was anything like this seen in Israel . Now it is true that Moses and others worked miracles; but no one had worked so many or by a mere touch or as quickly as he: "Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?" (Ex 15:11); "The works I do in my Father's name, they bear witness to me" (Jn 10:25). He also cures by faith, which the Law could not do, as it says in Romans (8:2): "For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death," which was impossible for the Law. But the Pharisees said... The Pharisees, i.e., the separated, because they interpreted in a perverse way: "They turned good into evil" (Sir 11:31). Hence they said: He casts out devils by the prince of devils . Here Augustine tells us to note that Christ performed the same miracle twice. This is evident, because the evangelists say different things. Hence, when they seem to be contrary, we can refer to one or to another by saying that it was another miracle.
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