Matthew 9:18 Meaning and Explanation
“While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →A synagogue ruler kneels before Jesus, begging him to come and restore his daughter, who has just died.
What Does Matthew 9:18 Mean?
As Jesus is still speaking, a man of standing, a ruler, approaches and kneels before him in worship. The grief he carries is the heaviest a parent can bear: his daughter has just died. Yet his plea is somehow full of hope rather than despair. If Jesus will only come and lay his hand on her, he says, "she shall live." Sorrow and faith stand together in his words.
The man's confidence reaches past the boundary of death itself. He does not merely ask Jesus to prevent a death or ease a sickness, but to reverse a loss that has already fallen. Such trust honors the Lord deeply, who receives the broken father's worship and turns at once, without a word of doubt, toward the house of mourning. Where the father sees only Jesus, even death has not closed the door of hope.
Matthew 9:18 in the Original Language
prosekynei (προσεκύνει), 'worshipped' -- to bow down in homage and reverence before one greater.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 9:18
What does Matthew 9:18 mean?
A synagogue ruler kneels before Jesus, begging him to come and restore his daughter, who has just died.