Read Matthew 9 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
Matthew 9:1-37 Chiastic Structure
The Chiastic Structure Teaching Tool for Mat 9:1-37 pairs the calling and salvation of Matthew, with three healings: of the woman with the issue of blood; of the girl who had died; and of two blind men. Each of these pairs makes a sub-structure.
In this sub-structure, sinners respond to Yeshua’s call for repentance. When the Pharisees object, He equates Himself to a physician, and tells them, “I will have mercy.” Physicians heal. So I began to think of this episode as the healing of the soul.
In this sub-structure, Yeshua the Great Physician heals ailments of the body. I gave this pair the title of “Have mercy on us,” after the cry of the blind men.
In both cases, the ones receiving the healing, of either the soul or of the body, do so by faith. It requires faith to leave our old life behind, and to place our trust in Yeshua for salvation, as Matthew did. It requires faith to leave our old ailments behind, and to place our trust in Yeshua for healing, as the woman, the girl’s father, and the blind men did.
Most of us have no trouble believing Yeshua for the healing of the soul, that is, for salvation; but stumble when it comes to believing Yeshua for the healing of the body. But Yeshua is teaching us to have faith in Him for both.
This is not name it and claim it faith and prosperity. This is the Word of God, and we must not dismiss its truth because some men have misrepresented its message.
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