THE HOLIESTCommentaries on St. Matthew
Tablet Thirteen
Chapter 9
"And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city."
"And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Esa seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee." (Matthew 9:1-2)
<1>It was the Law of Karma and the sins (samskaras) which were done by this person in his previous lifetimes which caused him to be tormented by the palsy. In other words, he was being punished for sins done in his previous lifetimes.
<2>In order to heal him, Christ forgave his samskaras (sins). Therefore, his samskaras would be dissolved, the cause of his sickness would no longer be present, and he would be healed. That is why Christ said, "thy sins be forgiven thee" -- not your ancestors' but of "thee."
"And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth." (Matthew 9:3)
<3>But the people could not understand the Law of Karma and looked at Christ as a regular person, not as the son of God who is in Pure Consciousness as the Father, and can do whatever the Father can (with His allowance). That is why even the scribes who were supposed to be the most learned were ignorant of these facts and thought he was blaspheming, because he put himself equal with God. <4>The scribes thought that God is the only Being who can forgive. They did not know that the son of God, with His permission, can do whatever the Father can.
"And Esa knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?"
"For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?" (Matthew 9:4-5)
<5>Esa knew their thoughts, so he asked them which one is better: to do the miracles without letting it be known what is the cause of the sickness and suffering (which is sin), "Arise, and walk;" or to do the miracles and at the same time show the reason the suffering is there and how it can be cured (by the sin being forgiven by the Lord, and also by repentance and refraining from repeating it), "thy sins be forgiven thee."
<6>So sin is disobedience of the Lord's Laws and is the source of suffering individually or collectively.
"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."
"And he arose, and departed to his house." (Matthew 9:6-7)
<7>Esa, the son of man, was also the son of God as a god-man (Avatar, in Pure Consciousness) and if God willed, he could forgive sins. So he commanded that the sick man arise and go, which is the same as forgiving his sins. The man did this, so again it is shown that the son of God can forgive sins.
"But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men." (Matthew 9:8)
<8>But people marvelled at how these miracles were possible. When they saw these things happen which do not occur in everyday life, they glorified the Lord. <9>However, if people would just be more considerate to know God and try to see His miracles, they would see them in everything. <10>All of creation and the fact that they are here and alive, are miracles.
"And as Esa 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." (Matthew 9:9)
<11>Christ called another disciple who was so ready to accept him that only being told "follow me" was enough to make him leave everything and follow him.
"And it came to pass, as Esa sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples."
"And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?"
"But when Esa heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick."
"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." (Matthew 9:10-13)
<12>When a person is healthy, he does not go to a doctor and does not even think about one. But when he is sick, then he needs a doctor. <13>Likewise, it is the sinners who need a Savior.
<14>Also as long as a sick person does not believe he is sick, he does not go to the doctor. But when he realizes he is sick, then he seeks medical care. That is also true about the human. As long as they think they are not sinners (are not ignorant), they do not feel they need a Savior who can take them away from ignorance to the light (knowledge).
<15>That is why the publicans and sinners went to Christ to hear his words, but the scribes and Pharisees who also were ignorant but unaware of it, did not go to him. They had created a big false ego so they could not see the light in Christ.
<16>Also, many would do much sacrifice and go through different penances but did not have any mercy toward other humans. That is why Christ said, "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice." That is, the goal of sacrifice and penance, etc., is to become merciful toward the lost souls and try to help them out of ignorance, not to forsake the society and become an escapist.
"Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?" (Matthew 9:14)
<17>Here we can see that the followers of John who would do much fasting and penance, came to him and asked him why his disciples did not fast and do all those similar types of sacrifices.
<18>But Christ was trying to make a point that the goal of the life is to be(come) Divine (merciful), not to fast or sacrifice from ignorance. Those Divine attributes should be created which are manifested through a realized person and show God's qualities.
"And Esa said unto them, Can the children 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." (Matthew 9:15)
<19>Christ is not against fasting, but he had not come to teach penance and fasting. These practices have their place in spiritual progress. He had come to teach mercy and love towards others. <20>Without these virtues, other rituals and disciplinary acts are worthless.
"No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse."
"Neither do men put new wine into old bottles [skins]: else the bottles [skins] break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles [skins] perish: but they put new wine into new bottles [skins], and both are preserved." (Matthew 9:16-17)
<21>The old truths have already been given to humanity by many Great Souls and Prophets. But Christ had something to add to them. He brought a new teaching. If he taught the same things as the people before him, what difference is there between he and them?
<22>He did not come to abolish the old teachings but to bring something new which could not be put in the old skins. However, with adding these new teachings to the old, a new wine will be created which will reveal a deeper truth.