Matthew the apostle shared how there, “came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride-chamber 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. No man puts a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up takes from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runs out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.” In chapter nine and verse eighteen of his book, Matthew shared how, “there came a certain ruler” whose “daughter is even now dead” where we read:
While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshiped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay your hand upon her, and she shall live.
The verse reads, “While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshiped him, saying, ...” Matthew began with the word, “while” or “in the time when and as” “he spake” which means “Jesus uttered, declared and proclaimed” “these things” or “words concerning putting a new cloth unto an old garment and new wine into an old bottle” “unto them” which refers to “to the Pharisees”, “behold” which means “lo and see”, “there came” which means “there arrived, arose and showed forth” “a certain ruler” or “a particular commander, chief, leader and magistrate”, “and worshiped him” which means “and knelt or prostrated himself to do homage or make obeisance whether in order to express respect or to make supplication to Jesus”, “saying” or “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”. Matthew shared how a “ruler” among the Jews “came to” Jesus and bowed before Him in reverence and respect as he spoke the following words.
The verse goes on to say, “... My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay your hand upon her, and she shall live.” Matthew continued with the words, “my daughter” or “the certain ruler's female child” “is even now dead” which means “is just now and at this very time and moment deceased, finished in life and expired”: “but come” or “nevertheless, notwithstanding and without exception make your appearance, arise and show yourself” “and lay your hand” which means “and put and set Jesus' own hand” “upon her” which refers to “on the certain ruler's daughter”, “and she” or “the certain ruler's daughter” “shall live” which means “will breathe, be active and full of life and vigor”. Matthew shared how the “certain ruler” told Jesus that his “daughter” was almost “dead”, but he believed if Jesus would come to his home and lay His hand upon her, she would live.
When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how this “certain ruler” or a “leader” and one in authority made this request of Jesus. Because his daughter was on the brink of death, though he may have resisted having anything to do with Jesus in the past, his “daughter's” pending death caused him to toss aside any previous rules of disengagement from Him. He believed that Jesus could heal his “daughter”, and there was no rule that would keep him from attempting to help her live. God Almighty desires to have a relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and sometimes He will allow a person to become so desperate they will forget all their rules of disengagement and call upon God to help. God wants to help, and He is willing to receive every person who “believes and trusts” in His Son Jesus. May the Lord bring desperation into the lives of every person who is reading these words so they will call upon the only One who is truly able to help in time of need.
Next time Matthew shares how, “Jesus arose, and followed him”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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