9:32-33 The Greek word translated "dumb"(NASB, kophos) refers to deaf people, mutes, and people who were both deaf and dumb. This man's condition was the result of demonic influence, though that was not the cause in all such cases (cf. Mark 7:32-33). The crowd's reaction here climaxes their reaction in this entire section of the text. Here was someone with more power than anyone who had ever appeared before. Messiah would heal the dumb (Isa. 35:5-6). The natural conclusion was that Jesus was the Messiah.
9:34 The reaction of the Pharisees contrasts with that of the crowd in the sharpest possible terms. They attributed Jesus' power to Satan, not God. They concluded that He came from Satan rather than from God. Instead of being the Messiah He must be a satanic counterfeit. Notice that the Pharisees did not deny the authenticity of Jesus' miracles. They could not do that. They accepted them as supernatural acts. However they ascribed them to demonic rather than to divine power.
This testimony contrasts, too, with the opinion of the Gentile centurion (8:5-13), who saw that Jesus' operated under God's authority.424
The incident illustrates Jesus' ability to enable people to speak who could not formerly do so. This was important in people confessing Jesus as the Son of God and the disciples bearing witness to Jesus.
One of the main themes in this section (8:1-9:34) is the spreading of Jesus' fame. This resulted in an increasing number to people concluding that Jesus was the Messiah. It also resulted in increasing opposition from Jesus' enemies, Israel's religious leaders, and even some of John the Baptist's disciples. However some religious leaders believed in Jesus, Jairus being one. Opposition to Jesus was mounting among those who suffered economically because of His ministry as well as those who suffered religiously. Matthew's primary purpose, however, was to present Jesus as the promised Messiah who could establish God's kingdom on earth.
All of this material also prepares the reader for the next events, Jesus' self-disclosure to His disciples in His second major discourse.
Chapters 8-9 seems to be a chiasm focusing the reader's attention on Jesus' power to overcome Satan (8:28-34).
AJesus' power to heal (8:1-17; three incidents and a summary [8:16-17])
BJesus' authority over His disciples' persons (8:18-22; two lessons)
CJesus' supernatural power (8:23-9:8; three incidents with victory over Satan in the middle)
B'Jesus' authority over His disciples' work (9:9-17; two lessons)
A'Jesus' power to restore (9:18-38; three incidents and a summary [9:35-38])
