Study Audio Download

Matthew 9:1–38 The Harvest is Plentiful but the Laborers are Few

[Study Aired May 5, 2025]

Introduction

In today’s study, we will look at the healing of the paralytic, the call of Matthew, the question about fasting, a girl restored to life and a woman with the flow of blood healed, the healing of the two blind men and the man unable to speak, and finally, how the laborers are few but the harvest is plentiful.  

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

Mat 9:1  And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. 
Mat 9:2  And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 

The Lord’s own city is Capernaum. In the Bible, cities represent churches. For example, the city of Jerusalem signifies Babylon, and the Jerusalem above represents the church of the firstborn.  

Rev 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. 

Isa 1:21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. 

Capernaum therefore represents the church of the elect or the New Jerusalem which is the center of the focus of the Lord’s ministry here on earth. As indicated in the previous study, it is in Capernaum that many miracles were performed. Palsy or paralysis is a disease which makes us unable to move part or all our body. Spiritually, palsy therefore signify our inability to please the Lord while we walk in the flesh. 

Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 
Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 
Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.   

In the Book of Luke, we are given further information about this man with paralysis. He was carried by four men, and it was these men that Jesus commended them for their faith.   

Mar 2:3  And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 
Mar 2:4  And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 
Mar 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. 

We know from the word of the Lord that it is when faith comes that we come out of the law of Moses to enter the assembly of the elect. Therefore, these four men represent the whole of the elect who are identified by their faith. 

Gal 3:23  But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 
Gal 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 
Gal 3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 

When faith comes, the first thing that the Lord does on our behalf is to forgive us our sins. This is because we cannot walk in Him when we are overburdened with the guilt of our sins. We must first believe in the work that our Lord Jesus has done for us.  

Rom 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Isa 53:4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  

Mat 9:3  And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 
Mat 9:4  And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 

The scribes represent us, His elect, during our time in the churches of this world or Babylon. Since Christ had not been revealed to us during this period of our walk, we end up blaspheming against our Lord Jesus. This is what Paul, a symbol of the elect, about how we blaspheme against the Lord:

1Ti 1:12  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 
1Ti 1:13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

As Jesus indicated in verse 4, blaspheming against the Lord is a sign that there is evil in our thinking. This evil shows that our old man or flesh sits in the throne of our hearts and minds. 

2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.  

Mat 9:5  For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 
Mat 9:6  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. 
Mat 9:7  And he arose, and departed to his house. 
Mat 9:8  But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men. 

Verse 5 therefore shows us that for our sins to be forgiven is the easy part of our walk since we only have to believe what the Lord has done for us. However, to arise and walk means that we have to take action based on our belief in the words of the Lord, which is more difficult to achieve. That is what distinguishes between those who are just called and those who are called and chosen (the Lord’s elect). If we are called and chosen, then we shall be given the power to take action and walk in this newness of life the Lord has given to us. The Lord saying to the palsy to arise, take up his bed and go to his house is the Lord coming to us with His judgment so that we can learn righteousness as we overcome the flesh. 

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. 
Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

In verse 7, the man getting up and going to his house is another way of saying that what the Lord has started, He is able to bring to completion. We all start our walk with Him by believing that our sins are forgiven. However, if we are His elect, then we shall be given the power to arise and walk in this newness of life that He has given to us.

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: 

In verse 8, we are being told that in the fulness of time, the multitude, representing our brothers and sisters in Babylon, shall marvel and glorify God because of the power that He has given to His elect in the Lord’s plan of salvation.

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  

Jesus Calls Matthew

Mat 9:9  And as Jesus 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. 
Mat 9:10  And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 
Mat 9:11  And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? 
Mat 9:12  But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 
Mat 9:13 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 here is the author of the Book of Matthew and one of the disciples of Christ in His life here on earth. The name Matthew means ‘gift of God.’ The Lord’s gift to the church is His ministers. The purpose of this gift is for the perfecting of the saints, the work of the ministry and the edifying of the body of Christ. 

Eph 4:8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 

Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 
Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 

We can see that Matthew was minding his own business as a tax collector when the Lord called him. This shows the pattern of the Lord’s calling. All of us were called when we were taking care of our own business. 

Isa 65:1  I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. 

Our calling came just like Matthew when we heard the Lord’s words commanding us to follow Him. That was when we left everything to follow Him just like Matthew left the receipts of custom to follow Christ.  

Mat 19:27  Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? 
Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 
Mat 19:29 And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

It is worth noting that Jesus intermingled with the publicans and sinners in Matthew’s house. In Jesus’ time, publicans were essentially tax collectors, specifically those who worked for the Roman government. They were often Jews who contracted with Rome to collect taxes, particularly on goods transported or imported. Publicans were generally despised by their fellow Jews, often viewed as traitors and corrupt, because they collaborated with the Roman occupiers and sometimes exploited their positions for personal gain. Jesus’ fellowship with publicans and sinners together with His disciples did not go down well with the self-righteous Pharisees, who represent us during our time in the churches of this world. As He is, so are we. We must feel free to have fellowship with the people of this world including our brothers and sisters in Babylon. 

When Jesus came to know what these self-righteous Pharisees were saying, He made a statement about how we can become citizens of the kingdom of Heaven. When we think we are righteous, then what we are saying to our Lord the physician is that we are not sick spiritually and therefore we do not need His intervention in our lives. It is only those who consider themselves sick or falling short of the Lord’s standards to whom the lord comes with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness. 

In verse 13, the Lord is telling us that it is His mercy which causes Him to intervene in our circumstances and not our sacrifices. Mercy is shown to those who know they fall short of the Lord’s righteousness (sinners) and not those who consider themselves righteous. This is the problem with our brothers and sisters in the churches of this world. They consider themselves righteous or born again, and therefore the Lord’s mercy eludes them. 

Lam 3:21  This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 
Lam 3:22  It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 
Lam 3:23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.  

A Question About Fasting

Mat 9:14  Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? 
Mat 9:15  And Jesus 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. 

Spiritually, fasting means denying ourselves of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, in order to walk in Christ’s righteousness. This becomes clear from the following verses: 

Isa 58:5  Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? 
Isa 58:6  Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 
Isa 58:7  Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? 
Isa 58:8  Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.

In Isaiah 58:6, loosening the bands of wickedness or undoing the bands of the yoke to let the oppress go free in our lives entails going through the Lord’s judgment which results in the dying of our old man or flesh. That is when we are free to walk in the newness of life of the new man after the image of Christ. In this way, we are able to give our bread (the word we have received) to the hungry (those in need of the word). Bringing the poor that are cast out to our house means bringing those who have started to know the truth to become part of the church of the firstborn or the heavenly Jerusalem. 

Heb 12:22  but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels, 
Heb 12:23  to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 
Heb 12:24 and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better than that of Abel.

Covering the naked in Isaiah 58:7 is a process which starts with feeding those who are under the dictates of the flesh with the truth of the word of the Lord. As they pay heed to the word, they are judged, resulting in the gradual destruction of the deeds of the flesh. That is when nakedness is covered. Not hiding ourselves from our own flesh means coming to know the capabilities of our flesh and the strength it receives from the devil to bring us into bondage.  

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 

We can see therefore, that fasting is a lifestyle just as giving alms and praying is a lifestyle. As indicated, fasting is walking in the spirit and not fulfilling the desires of the flesh. Walking in the spirit is to live by the word of God. As we all know, it is the spirit that profits, the flesh or doing things according to the letter does not profit us. This means that living a lifestyle of obeying the word of the Lord is what fasting is all about, spiritually. 

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 

As Jesus said, fleshly fasting is also needful in a particular circumstance, when the bridegroom is taken away. This is what the Lord told the disciples:

Mat 9:14  Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? 
Mat 9:15 And Jesus 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. 

The question is when is the bridegroom taken away? When we were in the physical churches of this world, we were told that the time Jesus ascended to heaven was when the bridegroom was taken away, and therefore we must fast. This is what happened on the ascension day:

Act 1:9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 
Act 1:10  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 
Act 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 

When Christ was taken up, He ended up being hidden by a cloud. We know from the word of the Lord that clouds represent the Lord’s elect as witnesses. 

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 

What this means is that Jesus is hidden within His elect and therefore the bridegroom is still with us.  However, when we go through certain situations, it appears as if our bridegroom has been taken away. Under such circumstance, we can fast, and in this care, the objective is to afflict the soul. An example is when Jesus was being crucified. It was as if the bridegroom (God) has been taken away.

Mat 27:46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 

Another instance was when Paul experienced a storm lasting for several days while on a ship to Rome. It was as if the bridegroom has been taken away from Paul. 

Act 27:20  And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. 
Act 27:21  But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. 
Act 27:22  And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. 
Act 27:23  For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, 
Act 27:24  Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. 
Act 27:25  Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. 

Act 27:33  And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. 
Act 27:34  Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. 

Mat 9:16  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. 

Here in verse 16, the Lord is saying that we do not put a piece of new cloth unto an old garment. Spiritually, what the Lord is telling us is that the righteousness that comes from the new life in Christ (new cloth) is different from the righteousness of the law of Moses (old garment). The righteousness that comes from the new life in Christ is Christ’s righteousness imputed on us. This righteousness is not earned but received by faith, and it sustains us throughout our lives as we continue to trust in the Lord. 

Php 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 
Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 
Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 

The righteousness resulting from obeying the law is earned. If we try to incorporate the righteousness by faith in Christ into the righteousness coming from obeying the law, we end up becoming worse off in our relationship with Christ. This is because we have rejected Christ’s righteousness and all His sacrifice on our behalf in favor of earning our own righteousness which is devoid of the power of His resurrection. 

Mat 9:17  Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.    

The new wine represents the teaching of Christ which is the truth of His words, and the old bottles signify our heart and mind devoid of the spiritual understanding of the word of the Lord. Putting new wine into old bottles is therefore trying to understand the truth of the word of the Lord with our old mindset of the law of Moses. The result is that we reject the truth, which is the meaning of the wine running out, and so we become worse off signified by the bottles perishing.

Hos 4:6  My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. 

As indicated by our Lord Jesus Christ, if we are to receive the truth of the word of the Lord, then our heart and mind must be prepared by the Lord. The prepared heart is the new bottle, and the new wine is the truth of His word which is received when the Lord opens our understanding.

We must understand that these examples which the Lord gave regarding putting new cloth on old garments and putting new wine in old bottles are regarding the issue of fasting. What the Lord is telling us is that physical fasting is good if we want to afflict the soul when we think our bridegroom (Christ) has been taken away. However, spiritual fasting is more important than physical fasting since it is a lifestyle of presenting our bodies as living sacrifice to the Lord. In other words, if we focus on only physical fasting, we miss out on the spiritual reality of Christ and His words and we end up being worse off. 

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.   

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

Mat 9:18  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. 
Mat 9:19  And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. 

In the Book of Mark, the ruler here is identified as Jairus who was one of the leaders of a synagogue. Coming to worship the Lord is to show us that it is from Babylon or the churches of this world signified by the synagogue that the Lord calls us to come and worship Him. 

Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.  

Mar 5:21  And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. 
Mar 5:22  And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
Mar 5:23  And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

We do not know what the problem was with the daughter of Jairus, but the symptom was that she was almost at the point of death. Spiritually, being dead or at the point of death means that we are dominated or overwhelmed by the flesh. The daughter of Jairus represent the elect during our time in Babylon where we were spiritually dead. Our situation was such that unless the Lord intervenes in our circumstance, we would have continued to be spiritually dead.

Mat 9:20  And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
Mat 9:21  For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 
Mat 9:22  But Jesus 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. 

On the way to heal Jairus’ daughter, Jesus encountered this woman with the flow of blood for twelve years. The number twelve is the number of Christ. As we are aware, women represent either the church of the firstborn or Babylon. This woman symbolizes the elect during our time in Babylon when we were oozing blood before Christ came. In the Bible, blood represents life, and therefore the woman with the flow of blood signifies us wasting our lives in the churches of this world before Christ came to us.

Lev 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. 

In verse 21, the woman came to believe that if she could touch the Lord’s garment, she shall be made whole. In the Bible, garments represents righteousness. Therefore what this means is that we, His elect, we do not have our own righteousness and that we are made whole (become righteous) by faith in the Lord’s righteousness. In other words, our faith in the Lord’s righteousness will always be rewarded by being made whole through Christ’s righteousness.

Rom 3:21  But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 
Rom 3:22  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 

Mat 9:23  And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, 
Mat 9:24  He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. 
Mat 9:25  But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. 
Mat 9:26  And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land. 

The crowd that gathered at the ruler’s house represents our brothers and sisters in Babylon. The minstrels is one category of the crowd which is found in almost every physical church. They praise the Lord with their mouths, but their hearts are far away from Him.

Mat 15:8  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.   

To our brothers and sisters in Babylon we are dead, but to the Lord, we are sleeping in this world. That is to say that we are not involved in the matters of this world. At the right time, the Lord will call and we shall answer him.

Psa 91:15  He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 

The people must be put outside before the Lord can come to us. In other words, when we are with the multitude or the physical churches of this world, we will never have an encounter with the Lord. We must therefore leave Babylon. 

Rev 18:4  I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of Babylon, my people, so that you do not participate in her sins and suffer from any of her plagues (GW)

It is when we leave Babylon that the Lord comes into our lives as He takes us by the hand to become overcomers. The Lord taking the church of the firstborn (signified by Jairus’ daughter) by the hand implies that the Lord will uphold us through thick and thin to the very end. 

Isa 43:1  But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 
Isa 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

Mat 9:27  And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. 
Mat 9:28  And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. 
Mat 9:29  Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. 
Mat 9:30  And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. 
Mat 9:31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. 

As we are aware, the number two signifies a witness. Therefore, the two blind men represent us, the Lord’s elect, who serve as the Lord’s witnesses. Before Jesus came to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness, we were spiritually blind. That is to say our eyes had not been opened to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven. It is only through the mercies of the Lord that we are given the keys of the kingdom. The mercy we are receiving is because of the unbelief of our brothers and sisters in the churches of this world. In the fullness of time, they also shall receive mercy.

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.   

The Lord in His mercy has given us a measure of faith to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven. The Lord charging the two blind men not to let anybody know about this is to let us know that the work He is doing in us in this age is secret. That is to say that it is not for public consumption. However, in our youthful enthusiasm that we can understand spiritual truth, we broadcast what the Lord has done for us, attracting persecution. Even through this error, the Lord’s fame is spreading. That is to say that the Lord’s will and purpose is being achieved in this world.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 

Jesus Heals a Man Unable to Speak

Mat 9:32  As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. 
Mat 9:33  And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. 
Mat 9:34  But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.   

As the Lord’s elect, we must be able to speak on the mysteries of the kingdom when given the opportunity. However, in our initial walk with the Lord in the churches of this world, we were dumb because we were possessed by a devil. As we indicated in the previous study, being possessed by the devil means being filled with false doctrine. In our immature state (childish) in our growth in Christ, we cannot speak because we were filled with false doctrines. Even when the Lord starts to open our eyes and ears to the truth of His words, we think we are inadequate as was the case with Jeremiah. However, the Lord who knows our frame will surely cause us to speak the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven to whosoever He sends us to at the right time.  

Jer 1:6  Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
Jer 1:7  But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

Jer 1:17 Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.

The Harvest Is Plentiful, the Laborers Few

Mat 9:35  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. 
Mat 9:36  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. 
Mat 9:37  Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 
Mat 9:38  Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

The cities and the villages that Jesus went teaching represent the New Jerusalem or the church of the firstborn. The synagogues in this case has a positive application. That is, they represent the assembly of the Lord’s elect. It is in the gathering of the saints that the Lord through what every joint supplies preaches the gospel of the kingdom to us. This gospel of Christ is what heals us of every sickness and disease. Being healed of sickness and disease is both physical and spiritual. That is to say that the Lord is healing us of all our sickness and diseases physically so that we will have the presence of mind to focus on Him. Spiritually, the Lord is cleansing us of all unrighteousness through the fire of His words which is His judgement of our old man or flesh.

Psa 103:1  A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Psa 103:2  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 
Psa 103:3  Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 
Psa 103:4  Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 
Psa 103:5  Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psa 103:6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. 

The multitude in verse 36 symbolizes our brothers and sisters in Babylon or the physical churches of this world. The Lord is compassionate regarding our brothers and sisters in Babylon as they are scattered like a sheep without a shepherd. This is to let us know that the Lord will surely attend to them in the fullness of time in the lake of fire age because of His compassion, which never fails. As we are aware, it is through the churches of this world that the Lord selects His elect. There are still a significant number of the elect trapped in Babylon that through our message, they are to leave and join us. We, His elect are few but with the Lord, the few can accomplish a lot more than many. Our prayer is to ask the Lord to prepare each one of us when the opportunity arises, to present His word to His people trapped in Babylon.

1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 

2Ti 4:1  I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 
2Ti 4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 
2Ti 4:3  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 
2Ti 4:4  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 
2Ti 4:5  But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.    

Amen!!