Jerome

No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. For the patch will pull away from the garment, and a worse tear will result.

“Otherwise; By the old garment, and old skins, we must understand the Scribes and Pharisees; and by the piece of new cloth, and new wine, the Gospel precepts, which the Jews were not able to bear; so the rent was made worse.”

Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined.

“What he means is this: Until someone is born again and the old self is removed through my suffering, and he puts on a new self, he cannot bear the stricter commands of fasting and continence, lest through excessive severity he lose even the faith…”

Suddenly a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak.

“(Ver. 20) And behold, a woman who had been suffering from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak.”

She said to herself, “If only I touch His cloak, I will be healed.”

“(Verse 21) For she said within herself, If I shall touch but his garment, I shall be whole.”

Jesus turned and saw her. “Take courage, daughter,” He said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was cured from that very hour.

“(Verse 22) Have faith, daughter, your faith has saved you: and the woman was saved from that hour. Therefore, daughter, because your faith has saved you. He did not say, your faith will save you, but has saved you.”

When Jesus entered the house of the synagogue leader, He saw the flute players and the noisy crowd.

“To this day the damsel lays dead in the ruler's house; and they that seem to be teachers are but minstrels singing funeral dirges. The Jews also are not the crowd of believers, but of people making a noise.”

“Go away,” He told them. “The girl is not dead, but asleep.” And they laughed at Him.

“(Vers. 24.) Step back, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping. And they laughed at him. For in God, all things live.”

After the crowd had been put outside, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.

“They that had mocked the Reviver were not worthy to behold the mystery of the revival; and therefore it follows, And when the multitude was put forth, he entered, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.”

And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one finds out about this!” But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout the land.

“(Verse 30, 31.) And Jesus warned them, saying, "See that no one knows." But when they went out, they spread the news about him throughout that whole land. And the Lord, fleeing the glory of boastfulness because of his humility, had commanded this.”

As they were leaving, a demon-possessed man who was mute was brought to Jesus.

“What is called in Greek kophos is more commonly known as deaf rather than dumb, but the Scriptures indiscriminately use kophos to mean dumb or deaf.”

And when the demon had been driven out, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”

“As the blind receive light, so the tongue of the dumb is loosed, that he may confess Him whom before he denied. The wonder of the multitude is the confession of the nations.”

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness.

“(Verse 35.) And Jesus went about all the cities and towns, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing all illness and every infirmity.”

When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

“(Verse 36.) But seeing the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples.”

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

“(Verse 37, 38.) Indeed, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. The abundant harvest signifies the multitude of people, while the few laborers represent a shortage of workers.”

And calling His twelve disciples to Him, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and sickness.

“(Chapter 10, Verse 1) And having called his twelve disciples together, he gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.”

These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;

“A catalogue of the names of the Apostles is given, that all false Apostles might be excluded. The names of the twelve Apostles are these; First, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother.”

Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

“(Verse 4.) Simon the Cananaean. He is the one who is referred to in another Gospel (Luke VI) as Zealot. For Chana means zeal.”

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.

“(Verses 5, 6.) Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter into the cities of the Samaritans: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

“Lest peasants untaught and illiterate, without the graces of speech, should obtain credit with none when they announced the kingdom of heaven, He gives them power to do the things above mentioned, that the greatness of the miracles might approve the greatness of their promises.”

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

“[Daniel 5:17] "To this Daniel made answer before the king, saying: 'Thy gifts be unto thyself, and bestow the presents of thy house upon someone else...'"”

Do not carry any gold or silver or copper in your belts. Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy…

“For if they preach without receiving reward for it, the possession of gold and silver and wealth was unnecessary. For had they had such, they would have been thought to be preaching, not for the sake of men's salvation, but their own gain.”

As you enter the home, greet its occupants. If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it; but if it is not, let your peace return to you.

“Here is a latent allusion to the form of salutation in Hebrew and Syriac; they say Salemalach or Salamalach, for the Greek χαῖρε, or Latin Ave; that is, 'Peace be with you.'”

Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

“Because to the men of Sodom and Gomorrah no man had ever preached; but this city had been preached to and had rejected the Gospel.”

Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

“He calls the Scribes and Pharisees who are the clergy of the Jews, wolves. Wise, that they might escape snares; simple, that they might not do evil to others.”

But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say.

“(Verse 19, 20.) But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you should say. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should say.”