Matthew 9:34 - Exposition

But the Pharisees said ( vide supra ) . If the verse be genuine here, the thought, of course, is that the only effect of Christ's miracles upon the Pharisees was to drive them to open blasphemy and wanton opposition to the evidence of plain facts, as is brought out at length in Matthew 12:24-32 . He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils ; by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils (Revised Version); which indicates the true order of the words in the Greek. Through. The Revised Version margin, in , is more literal. The Pharisees assert not only that Jesus effected this cure by the instrumentality of Satan, but by means of union with him.

Verse 35- Matthew 11:1

THE AGENCY THAT CHRIST ESTABLISHED TO ENCOURAGE AND GUIDE THE SPIRIT OF INQUIRY THAT HAD BEEN EVOKED , AND HIS COMMISSION TO HIS AGENTS . He spares no pains himself (verse 35). Yet his work is insufficient, and he sends forth others (verse 36- Matthew 10:1 ). A parenthesis, the names of the agents ( Matthew 10:2-4 ). The commission to the agents ( Matthew 10:5-42 ). He still teaches and preaches ( Matthew 11:1 ).

Observe that in this section we have not, properly speaking, an account of the call or choosing of the twelve, but of their appointment as missioners. For

took place immediately after the return from the mission;

Further, it may even be doubted whether the twelve received the name of apostles at the call, whether, in fact, they did not rather receive it only after the commission related here. We find, indeed, that Mark ( Mark 3:14 ; cf. Luke 6:13 ) says, "whom he also named apostles ," adding, "that they might be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach;" but the title there may be entirely proleptic, and the description of their office partially so.

Parts of the section, e.g. Matthew 9:37 , Matthew 9:38 and much of Matthew 10:1-42 ., are recorded in Luke as belonging to the mission of the seventy, but which is their original connexion can hardly be decided. Other parts seem to have been spoken originally on quite other occasions ( Matthew 10:17-22 , (23) , [34, 35?], 37, 38, 39, 40, 42). It would, therefore, appear that St. Matthew wished to lay stress on the appointment of agents and the kind of instruction that our Lord gave them, rather than to distinguish critically between the various agents employed and the particular instructions that Christ gave on each occasion when they were sent forth (see further on Matthew 10:5 ).