When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. 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?” Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.” 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. 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. And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.
Monthly Archive for July, 2008
Read Introduction to Matthew
8:28
When He had come to the other side [of the Sea of Galilee], to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.
Jesus met two violent demon-possessed men from the largely Gentile city of Gadara, about eight miles from the southeastern shore Sea of Galilee. These dead souls lived among dead men.
8:29
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?”
These demon-possessed men had a clear and correct theology of the deity of Christ and eternal judgment.
You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! Jas 2:19
8:30
Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding.
Swine were unclean animals under Israel’s law. The gospel of Mark says there were about 2,000 pigs there. This was a major economic issue to the community.
8:31
So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.”
These men understood the power of Jesus to do miracles. The word “if” in the Greek assumes that it is true that Jesus would cast them out. There was no doubt in their minds that Jesus was going to cast out the demons.
8:32
And He said to them, “Go.”
Jesus gave the demons permission to go into the herd.
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.
This miracle demonstrates Jesus’ power over Satan’s world.
8:33
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.
The swine herdsmen fled to the owners to tell them of their economic loss.
8:34
And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.
The whole city pleaded with Jesus to leave the region. Jesus was not good for their economy! They cared more for their economy than God’s will or Word. This is a demonstration of negative volition towards the King and His Kingdom. These people preferred swine to the Savior.
PRINCIPLE: It is important to value the spiritual over the material.
APPLICATION: People today prefer the material over the spiritual. Materialism has become the prevailing worldview of our time. The spiritual world has become blunted by blind domination of this viewpoint. God causes economic reversals to awaken us to the reality of God and His program for time and eternity.
Jesus has authority over all spheres including the demonic world. The Devil and demons do not have unlimited power. It is essential that Christians engage in warfare with the spiritual domain or we will face spiritual defeat.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Eph 6:12
Read Introduction to Matthew
Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 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. So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”
Jesus now showed His authority over nature in the fifth miracle.
8:23
Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.
Jesus and His twelve disciples got into the boat on the western side of Lake Galilee to sail to the eastern side, to a city called Gergasha.
8:24
And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep.
Lake Galilee was notorious for sudden storms. The group experienced one of these to such a degree that waves covered the boat. However, Jesus slept through the storm. The Greek says that Jesus “was (continually) sleeping” through the storm.
8:25
Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
The disciples thought they were going to die by drowning. They awoke the humanity of Jesus, knowing that His deity (His deity does not sleep) could rescue them from drowning.
8:26
But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?”
The word “fearful” is very strong in the Greek: scared, terrified. Jesus expected trust in Him regardless of how bad the circumstance was.
Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
Jesus got up and rebuked the winds and sea. Immediately there was a “great calm.”
8:27
So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”
It was one thing to deem Jesus as a healer but it was another to observe His sovereign power over nature. This shattered their paradigm.
PRINCIPLE: The One who calls us preserves us.
APPLICATION: Implicit in the call to follow Jesus is His commitment to preserve us through many reversals. We can trust His power through anything we face.
I can do all things through Christ [literally, the One] who strengthens me. Php 4:13
All of have bouts of “little faith.” The challenge is to face our fears by trusting the Lord through it all. We need to learn about our helplessness. The true place of safety is in the boat during a storm with Christ. There is true danger on dry land without Christ.
Read Introduction to Matthew
And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
Jesus challenged two of His followers in this section to a higher standard of commitment to ministry.
8:18
And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side.
Large crowds did not impress Jesus, so He told his followers to go to the eastern side of Lake Galilee. Eastern Galilee was not as populated as other parts of Galilee.
Before Jesus and His followers left, two people had issues with following Jesus—a scribe and a son.
8:19
Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”
A scribe was an expert in Jewish religious laws. It is surprising that a scribe, a person from the establishment, would be willing to follow Jesus wherever He went. Most of his colleagues rejected Jesus.
8:20
And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
Jesus did not own a house but lived as an itinerate person going from place to place. He stayed with others while at His home base of Capernaum. The scribe needed to understand the nature of following Christ. Jesus dispelled any illusions of venturous travel. There is no security in following Him. The scribe needed to know the cost of following Jesus. He must weigh the price.
The title “Son of Man” occurs almost exclusively in the Gospels. The New Testament uses the term only once outside the Gospels (Ac 7:56). This is a “man” come from God with God’s authority. Jesus used this formal term to refer to Himself, and used it more often than any other term. All but two occurrences of the phrase “Son of Man” Jesus used of Himself. Matthew recorded 32 of the 81 New Testament occurrences.
8:21
Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
Another follower of Christ came with an excuse to not follow Jesus presently. There is no mention of the father actually dying, so he did not ask to go to his father’s funeral. The father’s death was not pending but some time off. Jesus could not wait indefinitely for this follower to go with Him. The urgency of kingdom matters was immediate.
8:22
But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
The followers of Christ needed to understand the urgency of Jesus’ presenting His kingdom to the nation Israel. This follower could not suspend his commitment to Christ for his own agenda.
Jesus said in effect, “Let the spiritually dead bury the physically dead.”
PRINCIPLE: Jesus requires radical commitment, not casual loyalty.
APPLICATION: Jesus was no populist who tried to gather as many people He could with uncertain standards. He did not fill the ranks of His ministry with those of questionable commitment.
Following Jesus means that we do not live as those around us. We execute our business in a different way. We raise our families according to a unique set of standards.
Read Introduction to Matthew
Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them. When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.”
8:14
Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever.
Upon coming into Peter’s house in Capernaum, Jesus saw Peter’s mother-in-law sick with fever and healed her.
Peter was obviously married.
Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas (Peter)? 1 Co 9:5
8:15
So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.
Peter’s mother-in-law’s healing was instant and complete. She immediately prepared and served dinner for them.
8:16
When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,
Jesus continued a ministry of healing after the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law that evening. He exorcised demons verbally and healed all, not most, who came to Him.
8:17
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
Matthew quoted from Isaiah 53:4. The passage in Isaiah says that God heals transgressions and iniquities. Peter quoted Isaiah to show God heals sins.
. . . who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness— by whose stripes you were healed. 1 Pe 2:24
Isaiah says that Jesus bore our “iniquity.”
All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Is 53:6
“He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.”
This quote does not teach healing in the atonement because this passage has to do with Jesus’ healing ministry during His public ministry and not His work on the cross. Not disease but the penalty of sin was transferred to Christ.
PRINCIPLE: There will come a day when we are totally healed by resurrection and restoration of our bodies.
APPLICATION: Sin and sickness are indeed connected. Sickness is a result of sin. Jesus’ healing ministry was a foretaste of the coming kingdom. Christians will receive complete physical healing when we receive our resurrection bodies.
1 Peter 2:24 applies Isaiah 53:4 to the healing of our sins. God does not guarantee healing in time but in the kingdom and in eternity. Specific healings in our time is the down payment of ultimate healing where all will be fully healed. Ultimately, Jesus will heal not only sins but the effect of sin—sickness and death. He redeemed us from the curse of the law on the cross and will one day redeem us from the effects of sin in the kingdom and eternity.
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), Ga 3:13
Read Introduction to Matthew
Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.
8:5
Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him,
Capernaum was Jesus’ base of operations on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee.
A centurion was a career Roman officer who commanded 100 men, a man of significant authority.
8:6
saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”
The centurion showed compassion for his servant with paralysis.
8:7
And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
Jesus offered to visit the servant where the centurion lived. To go to the house of a Gentile was a cultural barrier.
8:8
The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.
The centurion expressed faith that Jesus’ presence was not necessary to heal his servant; He could heal by speaking “a word.” It was as though the centurion were asking, “Please give the order to heal him.”
8:9
For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
The centurion said in effect, “As I take orders and give orders, I accept the authority of your words, Jesus.” The centurion understood the principle of authority.
8:10
When Jesus heard it, He marveled,
The Gospels only occasion two times where Jesus marveled: (1) here of the centurion and (2) at the unbelief of the Jews (Mk 6:6).
and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!
The centurion was a Gentile with “great faith.” The word “such” indicates a unique faith.
8:11
And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus indicated that Gentiles would flock to His kingdom from all directions. They will “sit down” (literally recline) at a banquet with the greats of Israel.
8:12
But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
The “sons of the kingdom” are Jews of the nation Israel. Note the striking contrast between a Gentile centurion who believed and Israel as a nation that rejected the Messiah. Unbelieving Jews will be expulsed from the kingdom, whereas Jesus will accept Gentiles into the kingdom.
8:13
Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.
Jesus rewarded the centurion for his faith by healing the servant instantly. Jesus healed without going to the servant.
PRINCIPLE: God places different people in different situations to reach different people.
APPLICATION: Jesus used the leper to speak to the priesthood. He used the story of the centurion to speak to the Gentiles. This is about the anticipation of Gentiles coming to Christ. The story of the epistles is about the actual mission to Gentiles after going to the Jews first.
Where are you placed in God’s scheme to reach people?
Read Introduction to Matthew
When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
Now Matthew turned from the Sermon on the Mount to the telling of stories that demonstrate and prove the credentials of Jesus’ Messiahship. Chapters eight and nine focus on the Messiah’s miraculous works. He moved from teaching to action.
Matthew did not present his stories about Christ in chronological order but by topic to prove his particular thesis about the Messiah.
We see the authority of the Messiah in both incomparable words and exceptional deeds. Truth verifies itself. The purpose of miracles is to show authenticity of the one performing the miracle. Jesus showed His credentials as Messiah by His miracles.
First, Jesus showed His authority over disease by the cleansing of the leper (8:1-4). The cleansing of the leper is the first of ten miracles in the next three chapters. There is no record of a leper healed between 2 Kings 5 and Matthew 8. This proved that the Messiah had come.
Note the sphere of Jesus’ miracles:
1. Authority over disease, 8:1-15
2. Authority over the devil, 8:16, 38-34
3. Authority over nature, 8:18-27
4. Authority over death, 9:18-25
8:1
When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him.
After Jesus gave His Sermon and upon coming down from the mountain, great crowds followed Him.
8:2
And behold,
It was a shock to the crowd to see a highly contagious leper in the midst of them. At that time, there was no hope of healing for a leper and he lived in deep isolation from others.
a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
The story of a leper coming to Jesus appears immediately after the Sermon. The leper had faith that Jesus could heal him, expressed by the words “you can.” However, the leper also recognized the right of the Messiah to heal or not with the words “if you are willing.” He accepted that his physical situation was in the will and hands of God. God will provide grace in either case.
8:3
Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him,
Jesus crossed precedence (ceremonial defilement) and custom by touching the leper. No one touched lepers because of their highly contagious disease. His authority superseded precedence.
saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.”
Healing of the leper rested on Jesus’ choice, not the leper’s faith. Lepers were everywhere but Jesus chose to heal this one for a particular purpose seen in the next verse. God designs all healings to show the authenticity of Jesus’ Messiahship.
Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
The leper’s healing was instantaneous.
8:4
And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one;
This is the first instance where Jesus commanded someone to “tell no one” about the miracle (9:30; 12:16; 17:9; Mark 5:43; 7:36; 8:26). This would be difficult for a person with a grateful heart. Evidently, Jesus wanted the priests of Israel to know about His Messiahship first.
but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded,
The Old Testament required the leper to bring an offering and appear before a priest in order to be proclaimed clean (Le 14:4-6).
as a testimony to them.”
Jesus wanted the healing of the leper to be a testimony to the priestly system in Israel. This was an announcement to those in charge of religion in Israel that the Messiah with all His authority had come with all His manifestations. The leaders of Israel were to have the first crack at owning Jesus as the Messiah.
PRINCIPLE: The mature Christian places his lot in the hands of God.
APPLICATION: The mature Christian places his lot in the hands of God. It is God’s will whether He heals or not. Acceptance of our lot in life from God is a sign of the ability to adjust to God’s plan for our lives.
