Jesus Moved with Compassion Matthew 9:36

Matthew the apostle shared how, “they brought to” Jesus “a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marveled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. But the Pharisees said, He casts out devils through the prince of the devils. 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.” In chapter nine and verse thirty-six of his book, Matthew shared how Jesus, “saw the multitudes” and was “moved with compassion on them” where we read:

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.

The verse reads, “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, ...” Matthew began with the words, “but when” or “moreover and at the time and moment” “he saw” which means “Jesus perceived, noticed, discerned and discovered” “the multitudes” or “the crowds, people gathered together and throng”, “he was moved with compassion” which means “Jesus yearned, felt sympathy and pity” “on them” or “upon the multitudes”. Matthew shared how Jesus “noticed” all the people and “yearn with sympathy and pity” towards them.

The verse continues, “... because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” Matthew added the word, “because” or “since and on account that” “they fainted” which means “the multitude were enfeebled through exhaustion, grown weak and become faint hearted, “as sheep” or “like and as though they were tame grazing small cattle like sheep are” “having no shepherd” which means “not having a herdsman or one to care for and oversee them”. Matthew shared how the people appeared to Jesus like “grazing sheep” who had no one to care for them or oversee their ways.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see the care and concern Jesus has for people. The fact that people were out of relationship with God the Father through “sin” caused Jesus to come to the earth, and when He saw them as like “sheep without a shepherd”, His heart went out to them. God desires people to know how much He loves them, and when they yield themselves to His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, they become the children of God and are promised “everlasting” fellowship with Him. May all who read these words know, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever, believes in Him, should not perish, but shall have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus said, “the harvest truly is plenteous”, 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.