Matthew 8 - Jesus Heals the Sick and Calms The Sea

Many of the people were listening as Christ taught His disciples, when He came down from the mountain, they were amazed by His teachings and followed Him to find out more.

 ¹When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. I believe that people were listening in as Christ taught His disciples. As He came down from the mountain, they were amazed by His teachings and followed Him to find out more.

 ²And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. The leper kneels before Him, worshipping Him with no doubt. And He asked Jesus, if it be your will, make me clean. We should always ask if it is God's will, when asking for a blessing or healing.

 ³And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Jesus said to the man that He wanted to heal him, and immediately he was healed. "Just like that."

 ⁴And 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. Tell no man: Jesus didn't need to draw any more attention to Himself (John 8:50), this healing was to be an example to the priests. (Leviticus 14:3) begins to tell us how the priests of the Old Testament performed the cleansing of the lepers. (Rituals and sacrifices). Christ wanted the priests to get the message that when He healed the leper, it was symbolic and the result of the crucifixion. i.e. It would be Christ's blood that would be the sacrifice for all. (No more rituals or blood sacrifices would be necessary).

 ⁵And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, Centurion: A Roman military title. (This man was a gentile). Not just a foot soldier, but a officer high up in command. He came to Jesus and pled with Him.

 ⁶And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. Paralyzed and in terrible pain.

 ⁷And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. Christ sensed the faith in the centurion and agreed to come and heal his servant.

 ⁸The 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. Come under my roof: The centurion felt he was not worthy for Jesus to enter in his home. Was it because he had a messy house? No... the centurion just humbled himself and knew he was a sinner. However, the centurion knew that if he was humbled in his heart, and it be the will of God, his servant would be healed. "He became a believer."

 ⁹For 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. The centurion understands authority, he was an officer in the Roman army. He also knew that Christ had the authority to heal his servant if He commanded.

 ¹⁰When 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. Even Jesus stood their amazed at the great faith this centurion had. The Jews always needed a sign to believe. This Gentile was willing to trust Jesus "just saying the word," that his servant would be healed. "Seeing is believing," but to believe without seeing a sign, "is true faith." (It was the faith of the centurion that would save his servant).

 ¹¹And 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. Many gentiles like this roman officer will come and sit down in the Kingdom of Heaven, not just the Jews.

 ¹²But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Many Israelites, those for whom the Kingdom was prepared shall be cast into outer darkness at the Lord's day when He turns them away. "Those that have been deceived and would not trust in Christ." (It won't be a good day for them).

 ¹³And 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. What the Roman centurion had believed had happened, and his servant was healed. Believe in what you ask for and that it will happen, if it be our Heavenly Fathers will, He will grant your request.

 ¹⁴And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. Peter's mother-in-law was in bed dying. (Documents that the Apostle Peter was married).

 ¹⁵And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. When Jesus touched her hand she was immediately healed. She rose and prepared a meal for them as a servant. (One of the best positions in the church is to be a servant). Never get so puffed up that you would never serve another, that is one of the jobs of a Christian, to serve others. "Christ did it for an example to us, we should do it as an example to others."

 ¹⁶When 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: Several demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus that night and the demons fled when He spoke a single word.

 ¹⁷That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, "He took our sickness and bore our disease." (Isaiah 53:4-5, 1 Peter 2:24).

 ¹⁸Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. Jesus wanted a little alone time with the disciples. They are about to cross to the other side of the lake. Remember the command that Jesus just made. "We are going to the other side." When Jesus tells you something, never doubt Him. (Have a little faith, your going to need it).

 ¹⁹And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. Master meaning teacher. (Here we have a teacher of the religious law willing to follow Jesus).

 ²⁰And 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. Christ was speaking spiritually here, that the scribe had no place in his heart for Christ. The scribe knew of the old law, but was not that familiar with Christ. We must get to know and accept Christ first before we can follow Him. We must also love Christ first, more than anyone else.

 ²¹And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. One of His disciples said that he would follow Him after his father died and he could burry him. This is fine, but the point here is that when Jesus calls you to serve, don't make excuses not to follow Him. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10:37). It is not that you are to not love your family; but rather, you are to love your Heavenly Father more than anyone else.

 ²²But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. Christ told the disciple to follow Him now; and let the spiritually dead (the unlearned), care for their own dead. (Referring to those who did not believe in Him). This is a message that to overcome a "spiritual death" is far more important than physical death. "Eternal life can only come from a spiritual awakening." (Ephesians 5:14).

 ²³And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with His disciples. (Keep in mind what Jesus said in verse 18, we are going to the other side).

 ²⁴And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. A fierce storm arose and they were in bad situation. The disciples thought that they were going to sink. Jesus was kicking back and asleep. (Symbolizing that Christ will not always be with us, but with faith, His spirit is there and we will always be alright).

 ²⁵And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. The disciples woke Him and said to Him, Lord, save us! "We are sinking and are going to die!" Here it is... Their lack of faith because they felt Jesus being asleep was not with them.

 ²⁶And 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. Jesus said to His disciples, "O you men of little faith." "Why are you so frightened?" Then He rebuked the storm and it stopped. Didn't Christ tell them that they were going to the other side in verse 18? "Of course He did." When Christ tells you something, never doubt Him. (Psalm 65:7) as it is written, tells us that Chris can calm the sea and commotion of the people. (Psalm 89:9, Mark 4:39).

 ²⁷But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! Christ is called man here, but He is still God. Emanuel... "GOD WITH US."

 ²⁸And 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. These were very wicked and evil devils. They even lived in the cemetery, "pretty creepy."

 ²⁹And, 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? The devils knew who Jesus was and what authority He had over them. (James 2:19). They wondered why He was their to torment them before their time. What time? Before the end times. (2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6). 

 ³⁰And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. A herd of pigs was feeding in the distance.

 ³¹So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. The devils did not even have the power to enter the swine themselves, they had to ask permission. This shows you that God is always in control.

 ³²And 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. Jesus told them to be gone, and the devils left the two men and entered the pigs. The pigs rushed over the cliff and drowned in the water below. Even the swine would rather die than be possessed by these demons. We also have power in Christ through the "Holy Spirit" over Satan, demons, and all our enemies. (Luke 10:19). 

 ³³And 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. The herdsmen fled to the nearest city with the story of what had happened. Their message was that Christ can rid the people even of devils.

 ³⁴And, 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. The entire population came rushing out to meet Jesus, and begged Him to go away and leave them alone. Maybe a little scared of the unknown. Maybe a little upset because they just lost their herd of pigs. (Loss of a large profit and that was important to them). Lesson: Never doubt our Heavenly Father, and never be afraid to go forth at His will. He will always be their for you in time of need if you "keep the faith."

Keep the faith,
Barton