HEBREW GOSPEL OF MATTHEW - CHAPTER 37

CHAPTER 9 (Part 1) — Perek 37 (Verses 1–8) [MT 9:1–8]

Note on Textual Divisions & Concordance Markers:
The section titles (פרק ראשון, פרק שני, etc.) follow the authentic internal layout of Shem-Tob's Hebrew text, which organizes the Gospel of Matthew into 116 structural pericopes. The traditional 28-chapter and verse divisions ([MT X:X–X]) did not exist in ancient manuscripts; they were devised centuries later by Western scholars (Stephen Langton in 1205 and Robert Estienne in 1551) to build Latin concordances. The standard chapter/verse citations are included in brackets solely as a concordance reference for readers navigating standard printed Bibles.

1. Consonantal Transcription & Literal Translation

#	Shem-Tob Hebrew Text	Literal Translation
1	ו״אז יש״ו בא באניה וישומו וישובו לעירו	And He entered into a boat, and crossed over, and came to His own city.
2	ויקרבו לפניו חולה חלה א״י מכוויץ פָּא רָא״לטיקי וישכב על מתו. וירא יש״ו אמונתם ויאמר לחולה תחתזק בני. באמונת האל כי נמחלו עונותיך	And they brought near before him a sick man, shrunk (*mekametz*), lying on his bed. And Yeshu saw their faith and said to the sick man, "Be strengthened, son. By the faith of God, your iniquities are forgiven."
3	זוקצת החכמים אומרים בלכם זהו מגדף	Some of the wise men said within themselves, "This one blasphemes."
4	וירא יש״ו מחשבותם ויאמר אליהם למה תחשבו רעה בלבכם	And Yeshu saw their thoughts and said to them, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?"
5	זהו קל לאמר נמח-ל עוניך או קום לך?	Which is easier, to say, "Your iniquities are forgiven," or "Arise and walk?"
6	רק להודיעכם שבן אדם יכול למכול עונות בארץ אז אמר לחולה קום וקח מיטתו ולך	Only to make known to you that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive iniquities; then He said to the sick man, "Arise, and take your bed, and go."
7	ויקם וילך אל ביתו	And he arose and went to his house.
8	ויראו החבורות ויראו מאד ויהללו לאל אשר נתן יכולת לבני אדם לעשות כאלה	And the assemblies saw and feared greatly, and praised El, who gave power to the sons of men to do such things.

2. Verse-by-Verse Commentary

• On Verse 1: The text records a decisive movement: he did not merely set sail, but crossed over (*vayishumu*) and came directly to his own city.
• On Verse 2: Yeshu perceives that the faith behind the bringing of the sick man is anchored in El (*ba-emunat ha-El*). Operating as a true man of God, he confirms this faith, lifting the contracted/bound man (*mekametz/mekhuvitz*) out of his state and announcing that his *avonot* (iniquities) are absolved.
• On Verse 3: A word of knowledge is unveiled. "Some of the wise men" (*zu-qtzat ha-hakhamim*) said within themselves—not speaking aloud, but exposing that the Almighty alone searches the inner chambers of the heart (Jeremiah 17:10; 1 Chronicles 28:9).
• On Verse 4: Confirmed directly by what Yeshu himself perceived, he speaks to them because he knows the unvoiced, evil accusations they harbor in their hearts.
• On Verses 5 & 6: Yeshu issues a diagnostic challenge. Maintaining the exact same Hebrew root (*avonot*) in both verses, he establishes that the Son of Man has authority on earth to declare the forgiveness of iniquities. The man's genuine faith—gifted by God—is proven by action as he is commanded to rise, take his bed, and walk.
• On Verses 7 & 8: The critics are sages trusting in the "arm of flesh" and practicing institutional idolatry, experiencing judicial hardening just as Pharaoh did under Moses (Exodus 7:1). This contrasts sharply with Verse 8, where the broader assemblies (*ha-chavurot*) praised El and NOT Yeshu—preserving the pure Hebraic boundary that glory belongs solely to the Sender.
• The Revelation of the Source of Iniquity: The contracted man witnesses a holy, blameless person in Yeshu, who exposes through a word of knowledge that the true iniquity originates from the self-righteous accusers branding a true servant of God a blasphemer. This enacts a living separation of light and darkness.
• The Apostolic Parallel (Idolatry vs. True Praise): This tension echoes in Acts 14:14–15, where crowds in Lystra tried to worship Paul and Barnabas as gods, and the apostles instantly tore their clothes, crying out, "Sirs, why do you these things? We also are men of like passions with you"—reinforcing that praise belongs exclusively to El, never to the human instrument.
• The Genesis-Perek 37 Correlation: Compare chapter 37's 8 verses with Genesis chapter 1:1–8, where the Spirit hovers over the darkness and where separations and actions follow as confirmation. Just as light and boundaries are established at Creation, Perek 37 enacts a profound division between human darkness/idolatry and divine light, culminating in praise directed squarely to El.