THE HOLIESTCommentaries on St. Matthew
Tablet Fourteen
"While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live."
"And Esa arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples."
"And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:"
"For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole."
"But Esa turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour." (Matthew 9:18-22)
<1>The prayers, repentances, and right requests will be granted when they are done with intense faith. When she touched Esa's hem, the healing power was moved from Esa to her. That is how he realized she had desired to be healed, by the touch of his garment.
"And when Esa came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,"
"He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn." (Matthew 9:23-24)
<2>In fact, death is nothing but a permanent sleep.
"But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose."
"And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land." (Matthew 9:25-26)
<3>Again here he became famous for his miracles, not for his teachings.
"And when Esa departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us."
"And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Esa saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord."
"Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you."
"And their eyes were opened; and Esa straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it." (Matthew 9:27-30)
<4>Again, it will be done to you according to your faith. The slightest doubt will block the cosmic power from reaching you.
<5>Esa was doing these things so that they might believe that he was saying the truth, and they might understand his teachings. But people wanted the miracles. After they received them, they would go out and make him famous for his miracles, which was not important to him. That is why he told the people, "See that no man know it."
<6>As his fame of being the person who can do miracles spread out and people believed that he could do anything he wanted to do, they expected him to do everything for them. <7>They did not seek the truth of his teachings but accepted him as the Savior, to fulfill their desires, but not as the one who has come to teach them the truth and save them from ignorance (save their Souls).
<8>To believe in this kind of Savior (one who will do all things for us) blocks the way of the person in putting forth any effort and endeavor to find the truth himself. He will not ask, knock, and search. So the very Savior becomes an obstacle in his way.
"But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country." (Matthew 9:31)
<9>They did not listen to him but followed their own wishes that all know they were healed by Esa. Again they emphasized his miracles.
"As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil."
"And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel."
"But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils." (Matthew 9:32-34)
<10>People marvelled at how he did these things, but Christ said, "If you have faith even as a mustard seed you can do even greater things than I do." (Matthew 17:20).
<11>Also those spiritual leaders with little faith and much ignorance (Pharisees) could not understand and were trying to create false propaganda against him. They spread that he cast out devils (the samskaras) by the permission of satan, the prince of the devils. So through the ignorant people, they tried to destroy him.
"And Esa 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." (Matthew 9:35)
<12>That is what the true purpose of the coming of Christ was, to teach "the gospel of the kingdom." In order to win the faith of the escapists, he also healed their diseases and did miracles. <13>However, his teachings are more important than his miracles.
"But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd."
"Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;"
"Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." (Matthew 9:36-38)
<14>Christ looked and saw how people were lost like sheep with no shepherd. But he was alone and few could understand him, and even fewer were able to depart and teach the truth he was trying to spread. That is why he felt such a compassion toward the people who needed to be guided, yet very few could do that, "the labourers are few."
<15>That is why humanity should have waited, so that through many lifetimes of progress there would be more labourers ready to guide others to the truth, "that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." <16>The harvest time is NOW. Many labourers will be ready to guide the sheep to the goal of the life.