Jesus exorcising a mute

Jesus exorcising a mute is the last of a series of miracles of Jesus recorded in chapter 9 of the Gospel of Matthew.[1] It appears in Matthew 9:32–34, immediately following the account of Christ healing two blind men (Matthew 9:27–31).

Christ exorcising a mute by Gustav Doré, 1865.

According to the Gospel of Matthew, just as the two blind men were healed by Jesus were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel".

But the Pharisees said, "It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons". The charge reappears, with the addition of the name of “Beelzebub” as the ruler of the devils, in Matthew 12:24.[2]

Commentary

This episode in the life of Christ is seen as a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah (35:5): “Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing.”[3]

Cornelius a Lapide notes that it appears that the demon made the man deaf and dumb, who was not naturally thus. He also comments that these passages demonstrate different ranking among demons, as also among angels (some lower, some higher). So the higher orders who fell, "who were of a grander nature; for that which was theirs naturally remained in the devils after their fall." He points out that even among rebel soldiers there are captains and generals. Because without these an army cannot be governed. As Lucifer is the prince of all the devils, so is St. Michael of all the angels (see Revelation 12). The different dispositions of the Pharisees compared to the multitude is worth note. The crowd, with simple candor, "magnified the miracles of Christ as done by a Divine Person, even the Messiah." However the Pharisees envied Christ, and were resentful of Him, saying he used a magic art.[4]

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Exorcising a mute.

References
  1. Matthew by Robert Horton Gundry (Oct 1, 1995) ISBN 0802807356 page 179
  2. Ellicott's Commentary for Modern Readers on Matthew 9, accessed 31 December 2016
  3. Biblehub Isaiah 35:5
  4. Lapide, Cornelius (1889). The great commentary of Cornelius à Lapide. Translated by Thomas Wimberly Mossman. London.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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