Biblical Studies/New Testament Commentaries/The Gospel of Matthew/Chapter 8

Matthew 8 (NIV)

The Man With Leprosy

1When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."3Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. 4Then 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."

The Faith of the Centurion

5When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6"Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering."7Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him." 8The 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. 9For 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." 10When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11I 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. 12But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 13Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.

Jesus Heals Many

14When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.16When 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. 17This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

"He took up our infirmities

and carried our diseases."

The Cost of Following Jesus

18When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."20Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." 21Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 22But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

Jesus Calms the Storm

23Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" 26He 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.27The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

The Healing of Two Demon-possessed Men

28When 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. 29"What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?"30Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs."32He 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. 33Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.

Context

Author

The fathers of the early church all agreed that the author of Matthew was Matthew. Matthew was one of the twelve apostles and before he meet Jesus was a tax collector. Matthew does fellow the way that Mark (who is not an eyewitness) does his book, but Matthew does his own arrangement and focuses more on the authority of Jesus. Matthew also emphasizes more on what is going on in the story than just the story its self. In the story about Jesus calming the storm Matthew focuses more on the Christology and keeps the focus of the story on the power of Jesus. Some Biblical researchers say that one reason why Matthew is following what Mark is doing is to show that Matthew is agreeing with Mark as well as show that the apostolic testimony to Christ was not divided.

Time and Place

Jesus did a lot of his ministry in Galilee which is in Israel. Jesus also went to Capernaum to do ministry there too. Jesus also crossed the Sea of Galilee to do ministry. We do not know exactly with the book of Mathew was written, but we do know it was written after the book of Mark.

Literary

It is a narrative. Matthew uses synonymous parallelism, common in the Old Testament, in this chapter. Matthew uses imagery as well as the others. For the story about the calming of the storm Matthew structures the passage as simple and direct plus mixing discipleship and Christology together (Tate 220).

The Summary of Matthew 8

Matthew 8 reports numerous healing miracles of Jesus: the man with leprosy, the Centurion's servant, Peter's mother-in-law and many others. It also reports Jesus' warning of the cost of being his follower, his calming of a storm on the lake of Galilee, and his exorcism of two demon-possessed men.

This chapter starts with a man that has Leprosy. Then Jesus was walking by and the man called out and asked Jesus to heal him, which Jesus did. This man had a lot of faith, to believe that Jesus that can heal him. There is another man who was a Roman Centurion, who had faith in Jesus to heal his servant at a considerable distance away. Jesus said in verse 10, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.” Jesus was impressed with the Centurion’s faith. The chapter also tells how Jesus went around Galilee healing the sick and the demon-possessed.

Jesus then tells everyone that in order to follow Jesus you need to be willing to become homeless, and not to worry about burying your family. This means that disciples needed to follow Jesus and to drop everything to do so.

Then Jesus goes out on a boat with his disciples. A storm comes up and the disciples get scared, but Jesus calms the storm. The disciples should of just dropped everything and trust in Jesus that everything was going to be okay. Jesus last healing in the chapter was the two demon-possessed men. In this part we see that even the demons know who Jesus is and obey him. This means that Jesus sent the demons away.

Paraphrase of Matthew 8

The Man With Leprosy

This one is about a man with leprosy who has faith that Jesus can heal him. Jesus sees that this man has great faith and tells the man to go to the river and dunk his head in the water seven times so he can be healed. The man did that and the leprosy left him. Then Jesus told the man to go to the priest to obey the command by Moses.

The Faith of the Centurion

Jesus was on his way to Capernaum when a Centurion cames up and asked Jesus to heal his servant. The servant had been paralyzed and the Centurion knew Jesus could help him without having Jesus come to his house. Jesus told the Centurion that he had great faith. Then, right there Jesus says that the servant was has been healed. When the Centurion went home, his servant was healed.

Jesus Heals Many

This story tells us that Jesus healed a lot of people including Peter's mother-in-law.

The Cost of Following Jesus

In this little story a teacher of the law came up to Jesus and wondered what he had to do to be a follower of Jesus. Jesus told him that he would have to be homeless because Jesus is a homeless.

Jesus Calms The Storm

Then Jesus went in a boat to go across the lake. Jesus fell asleep and then a big storm came up. The disciples were so scared they woke Jesus hoping that He would save them, Jesus response telling them that they do not need to be afraid they just need to trust in Jesus. After that Jesus stops the wind and the waves by just speaking. The disciples did not know what had just happened.

The Healing of Two Demon-possessed Men

When Jesus and his disciples went to the other side, there were two demon-possessed men. The demon-possessed men asked Jesus if he was going to hurt them. They also asked if Jesus could casts them(the demons) out into a hard of pigs and have the pigs go into the lake to drown. Then Jesus did. The people who were watching this went into the town and told the town's people what had just happened. The town's people came, saw what happened and then asks Jesus to leave.

Outline of Matthew 8

1. The Man With Leprosy (1-4)

2. The Faith of the Centurion (5-13)

3. Jesus Heals Mary (14- 17)

4. The Cost of Following Jesus (18-22)

5. The Healing of Two Demon-Possessed Men (28-34)

Differences in Translation of Matthew 8

v1.

KJV-multitudes

NIV,ESV-large crowds

v2.

KJV-"And behold,a leper came and worshiped Him,saying,"Lord,if You are willing You can make me clean."

ESV-'and knelt before him'

NIV-'A man with leprosy came'

v3.

KJV-'Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying,"I willing;be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed."'

ESV-'And Jesus stretched "I will;be clean."

NIV-'Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.'

v4.

KJV-"See that you tell no one; but go your way,""as a testimony to them."

ESV-"See that you say nothing to anyone,but go,...for a proof to them."

NIV-"See that you don't tell anyone."

v5.

KJV-"a centurion came to Him, pleading with him."

ESV-"a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him,"

NIV-"a centurion came to him, asking for help."

v6.

KJV-"saying,"Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed,dreadfully tormented."

ESV-"Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly."

NIV-"Lord," he said,"my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering."

v7.

KJV-"And Jesus said to him,"I will come and heal him."

ESV-"And he said to him,"

NIV-"I will go..."

v9.

KJV-"For I also am a man."

ESV-"For I too am a man."

NIV-"For I myself am a man."

v10.

KJV-"He marveled...Assuredly,I say to you,I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!"

ESV-"Truly,I tell you,with no one in Israel have I found such faith."

NIV-'he was astonished..."I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith."

v11.

ESV-"and recline at table with Abraham,"

NIV-"and will take their places at the feast with Abraham."

v12.

ESV-"while the sons of the Kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

NIV-"But the subject of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

KJV-"But the sons of the Kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

v13.

KJV-"Go your way;and as you have believed, so let it be done for you."..."that same hour."

ESV-"Go;let it be done for you as you have believed."...that very moment.'

NIV-"Go! It will be done just as you believed it would."...that very hour.'

v14.

KJV-Now when Jesus had come into Peter's house,He saw his wife's mother lying sick with a fever."

ESV-mother-in-law

NIV-Peter's mother-in-law.

v15.

KJV-"She arose and served them."

ESV-She rose

NIV-"She got up and began to wait on him."

v17.

KJV-"He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sickness."

ESV-"He took our illnesses and bore our diseases."

NIV-"He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases."

v19.

KJV-certain scribe

NIV-teacher of the law

ESV-scribe

v20.

KJV-And Jesus said

NIV-Jesus replied

v22.

KJV-let

ESV-leave

v24.

KJV-"And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep."

ESV-"And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea,so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep."

v25.

KJV-"Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"

ESV-"And they went and woke him saying,"Save us, Lord; we are perishing."

NIV-"We're going to drown!"

v26.

KJV-"But He said to them,"Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea. And there was a great calm."

ESV-"Why are you afraid,"

NIV-"He replied,"You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the wind and the waves, and it was completely calm."

v27.

KJV-"And the men marveled, saying,"Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey him?"

ESV-"And the men marveled, saying,"What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?"

NIV-"The men were amazed and asked,"What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

v28.

KJV-"When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, these met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way."

NIV-"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."

v29.

KJV-"And suddenly they cried out, saying,"What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You Come here to torment us before the time?"

ESV-"And behold, they cried out,"What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?"

NIV-"What do you want with us, Son of God? "They shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?"

v30.

KJV-"Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding."

ESV-"Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them."

NIV-"Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding."

v31.

KJV-"So the demons begged Him, saying, "If you cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine."

NIV-"The demons begged Jesus,"If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs."

v32.

KJV-"And He said to them,"go." So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water."

ESV- "...So they came out and went into the pig, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters."

NIV-"...steep bank into the lake and died in the water."

v33.

KJV-"Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men."

ESV-"The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything,especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men."

NIV-"Those tending the pigs ran off, went into town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men."

v34.

KJV-"And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region."

ESV-"And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region."

NIV-"Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region."

Bibliography

Donald Senior. Abingdon New Testament Commentaries Matthew. Abingdon Press Nashville. 1998.

Manlio Simonetti. Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture New Testament Ia. Inter Varsity Press. Downers Grove, Illinois. 2001.

Tate, Marvin E. Matthew. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Word, 1990.