Matthew 9:34 — Community Reflections

MATTHEW 9:34 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.”

But the Pharisees said, He casts out demons by the prince of demons. The Pharisees' counter-interpretation is the alternative explanation that the same evidence produces when observed by those committed to rejecting it: the demon-caster works by the power of the demon-chief. This accusation — not developed here but fully engaged in Matthew 12:24–32 — is the response of those who cannot deny the reality of what Jesus is doing but refuse to draw the obvious conclusion from it. The same evidence produces marveling in the crowds and blasphemy in the Pharisees. The difference is not in the evidence but in what each group has already decided about Jesus.

Church Fathers on Matthew 9:34

Observe the beautiful order of His miracles; how after He had given sight to the blind, He restored speech to the dumb, and healed the possessed of the daemon; by which He shews Himself the Lord of power, and the author of the heavenly medicine. For it was said by Isaiah, 'Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, and the tongue of the dumb loosed.' [Isa 35:6]
Remigius · 9th century

The Greek word here is more frequent in common speech in the sense of, 'deaf,' but it is the manner of Scripture to use it indifferently as either.
Jerome · 4th century

This was not a mere natural defect; but was from the malignity of the daemon; and therefore he needed to be brought of others, for he could not ask any thing of others as living without voice, and the daemon chaining his spirit together with his tongue. Therefore Christ does not require faith of him, but immediately healed his disorder; as it follows, 'And when the daemon was cast out, the dumb spake.'
Chrysostom · 4th century

Read all 15 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

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