FRAMEWORKS:
Matthew, chapter 8
v.1-4
Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy
v.5-13
The Faith of the Centurion
v.14-17
Jesus Heals Many
v.18-22
The Cost of Following Jesus
v.23-27
Jesus Calms the Storm
v.28-34
Jesus Restores Two Demon-Possessed Men
v.1-4
Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy
v.1
(Jesus has finished his
teaching.) When
Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him.
v.2
(a leper makes
a statement of faith) A
man with leprosy [The Greek word
traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases
affecting the skin.] came
and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you
can make me clean.”
v.3
(Jesus actually touched
him and declared him clean – and he was) Jesus
reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said.
“Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.
v.4
(Jesus instructs him
to perform the requirements of the Law for such a situation)
Then Jesus
said to him, “See that you don't tell anyone. But go, show yourself
to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony
to them.”
[Comment:
Jesus shows immense compassion as well as power, touching this
outcast]
v.5-13
The Faith of the Centurion
v.5
(back in Capernaum a
centurion asks for help) When
Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for
help.
v.6
(his servant [presumably
after an accident?] is paralyzed and in pain) “Lord,”
he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”
v.7
(Jesus asks shall he
come ) Jesus
said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”
v.8
(the man replies you
don't need to do that, just speak the word) The
centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under
my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
v.9
(he knows what
authority is about and he knows Jesus has it) For
I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell
this one, ‘Go,' and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,' and he comes.
I say to my servant, ‘Do this,' and he does it.”
v.10
(Jesus is amazed
at his faith understanding) When
Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,
“Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such
great faith.
v.11
(many Gentiles
will come to faith he says) I
say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and
will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
in the kingdom of heaven.
v.12
(but tragically many
Jews won't) But
the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness,
where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
v.13
(Jesus declares the man
healed – and he was) Then
Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed
it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.
[Comment:
the centurion understood the authority Jesus had that just need
to speak a word]
v.14-17
Jesus Heals Many
v.14
(going to Peter's home
they find his mother-in-law in bed with a fever) When
Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying
in bed with a fever.
v.15
(Jesus simply touched
her and the fever went) He
touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began
to wait on him.
v.16
(that evening when many
came he delivered and healed many) When
evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him,
and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.
v.17
(exactly as Isaiah
had prophesied) This
was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He
took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.” [Isa
53:4 (see Septuagint )]
[Comment:
wherever Jesus saw a need he used his authority to heal and deliver]
v.18-22
The Cost of Following Jesus
v.18
(Jesus prepares
to cross the lake) When
Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the
other side of the lake.
v.19
(a teacher of the Law
professes faith) Then
a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow
you wherever you go.”
v.20
(Jesus warns him they
have no where to sleep) Jesus
replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of
Man has no place to lay his head.”
v.21
(another follower asked
to bury his father first) Another
disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
v.22
(Jesus said come
with me and leave the family to do that) But
Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
[Comment:
the cost of being a literal follower of Jesus meant no knowing
where you might end up (without a bed even) and required you to
focus on the calling, leaving domestic matter to others]
v.23-27
Jesus Calms the Storm
v.23
(they get in a boat to
cross over the lake) Then
he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.
v.24
(a harsh storm picks
up) Suddenly
a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over
the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.
v.25
(the disciples wake Jesus
who is sleeping) The
disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We're going
to drown!”
v.26
(he chides them for lack
of faith and stills the storm) He
replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he
got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely
calm.
v.27
(this amazes them)
The men were
amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and
the waves obey him!”
[Comment:
Jesus' authority extended beyond healing and deliverance to be
able to control nature when necessary]
v.28-34
Jesus Restores Two Demon-Possessed Men
v.28
(on the other side they
are met by two violent demoniacs) When
he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two
demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so
violent that no one could pass that way.
v.29
(they scream at Jesus)
“What do you
want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to
torture us before the appointed time?”
v.30
(there is a large herd
of pigs nearby) Some
distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding.
v.31
(the demons ask to possess
the pigs) The
demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd
of pigs.”
v.32
(he says yet and the
pigs rushed into the lake and drowned) He
said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and
the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died
in the water.
v.33
(those with the pigs
fled) Those
tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all
this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men.
v.34
(people from the town
came and begged him to leave) Then
the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him,
they pleaded with him to leave their region.
[Comment:
Jesus' authority was not intimidated by great demonic strength
and violence.]