Matthew 8

Review

Jesus just finished His Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 5:1–2 KJV

1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Matthew 7:28–29 KJV

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Last week I taught with primarily the disciples in mind. Contains instructions for believers about living a good, honest, and blessed life.

Don’t miss, though, the message in it to unbelievers about the spiritual nature of His kingdom and the character of those who enter and enjoy it’s privileges we will hear more of today.

Also a good time to mention the synoptic side of the Gospels. Synoptic Gospels describe events from a similar point of view, as contrasted with that of John.

Matthew 8:1-4 Jesus Cleanses a Leper

Matthew 8:1–4 KJV

1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Bow: culturally they would likely have prostrated themselves on the ground, for us think of dropping down on your knees in front of the one that has the cure

Matthew 8:5-13 The Centurion’s Faith

Matthew 8:5–13 KJV

5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

The Centurion is telling Jesus, in vs. 8 , he realizes the racial divide between them. That he understands a Jewish teacher can’t enter into the home of a gentile.

Matthew 4:23-25 tells us how widespread news of Jesus ability to heal was and is here acknowledging Jesus authority over even healing

Matthew 4:23–25 KJV

23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. 25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.

This Centurion actually had faith that Jesus had the authority to heal not necessarily “saving faith” that he had more of than all of Israel.

But in vs. 11, Jesus makes the switch to “saving faith”. Here he says what would have been unheard of in Israel, that there would be some Gentiles in Heaven and some Jews who won’t. This isn’t an all or nothing, rather continuing to point out those that are deemed unacceptable by men, God calls and saves,

Matthew 8:14-17 Peter’s Mother-In-Law and Many Others Healed

Matthew 8:14–17 KJV

14 And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. 15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. 16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

Note that Peter keeping his house (big enough to share with Andrew and his mother-in-law) is an example that in Matthew 19:21 Jesus telling the young man to sell all his possessions, was jesus dealing with him as an individual rather than a requirement for discipleship.

16 helps to sum up the three healing miracles listed before. The three healings reveal Jesus’ compassion in meeting the needs of despised and rejected people, and above all his authority in curing instantly three serious diseases. Covering diseases healed often by touch, and demons cast out by word.

17 shows Matthew’s primary interest in the healing miracles is in their revelation of the mission of Jesus. They are a fulfilment of Isaiah 53:4

Isaiah 53:4 KJV

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

To the Jew, by quoting Isaiah he is making the statement (either explicit or implicitly) that Jesus is the Messiah the “suffering servant” speaks about. The glory of God the Son, setting aside his crown to come and suffer and die and along the way heal both physically and spiritually His people!

Matthew 8:18-22 The Cost of Following Jesus

Matthew 8:18–22 KJV

18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. 19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

2 examples of Jesus saying to count the cost. Pointing out the fact that becoming a follower of Jesus was paid for by Jesus, but is the farthest thing from easy. Requiring dying to ourselves and giving ultimate authority to Him and completely leaving behind the life of our past.

Interesting idea of Son of Man in Matthew speaks of Jesus future heavenly glory, to the earthly suffering which must precede it, and less frequently, to his current earthly status and authority. This is the paradox of Jesus’ mission of humiliation and vindication, of death and glory.

Matthew 8:23-27 Jesus Calms a Storm

Matthew 8:23–27 KJV

23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

Another example by Matthew of Jesus unparalleled authority, this time over the natural world and where even devoted followers of Christ have moments of doubt and not enough faith to trust god in the given situation. Yet Jesus DID NOT KICK THEM OUT OF THE BOAT!

Matthew 8:28-34 Jesus Saves Men from Demons

Matthew 8:28–34 KJV

28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. 29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? 30 And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. 31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. 32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. 33 And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. 34 And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

this exorcism happens in Decapolis (the Hellenistic region opposite Capernaum where Gadara was located)

“Even demons know who Jesus is”

the panic stampede gives visible proof of the demons leaving the man or men and entering the pigs

Matthew The Kingdom is "Already" as Well as "Not Yet" (8:29)

The Kingdom Is “Already” As Well As “Not Yet” (8:29) Because the King of the future age arrived in the first century, his kingdom also invaded this world in a way hidden to people but recognized by the evil one and his forces (see also Cullmann 1950:71). The demons here, believing they are free to torment people until the final day and expecting eternal torment in the day of judgment, recognize that their judge has just shown up, before the appointed time. God’s ultimate intervention is yet to come, but this does not prevent us from depending on his power over the evil one in the present.

Many will value property more than God’s deliverance

Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary vii. The Gadarene Demoniacs (8:28–34)

P. P. Levertoff’s comment is telling, if perhaps too cynical about their motives: ‘All down the ages the world has been refusing Jesus because it prefers its pigs.’