Matthew 9:32-34 32And as they were going away, behold, they brought to him a demon-oppressed man who was unable to speak. 33And after the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” 34But the Pharisees said, “By the prince of demons he casts out demons.”
The healing stories continue to move along in the narrative. After Jesus healed the people in one scene, the story moves along to another episode of people who needed Jesus’ help. This is another story where the needy person is helpless and needs the intervention of unnamed friends (assumed in the verb they brought). This person was unable to speak because of being demon possessed. Although we may wonder about the first-century context of the interpretation of this situation and the relationship of demons and muteness, the mention of a demon points to this as being a spiritual issue. Evil had entered this man’s life to the point of taking control and stopping him from speaking clearly. Only someone more powerful than the forces of evil could bring release for an oppressed person like this.
Two more noteworthy things happened in this story. One is the reaction of the crowd. Matthew has already mentioned the growing interest people had in Jesus. Word was spreading about his power of disease and demons. The second is the reaction of the Pharisees. Instead of praising God for the great miracle, the Pharisees may have felt their position and interpretation being threatened by what Jesus was doing. Their religious logic breaks down when they claim that Jesus did his miracles by the power of the prince of demons, referring to Satan. Jesus will catch them at their illogic later on (12:27). They should have realized by their knowledge of Israel’s history that God was at work here. The crowds knew this but the Pharisees remained in their ignorance. By recording this story, Matthew again offers his readers a choice of where they will put their faith and thus, align their lives. The narrow way of discipleship is becoming clearer with each story that is retold.
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