Matthew 8:13

‘And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way. As you have believed, so be it done to you.” And the servant was healed in that hour.'

Notice the emphasis that Jesus places on the centurion's believing. Faith triumphed as it always must when it is faith in the trustworthiness of God to His promises, and faith in His mercy. But he still had to go back believing in Jesus and what He had promised. And he was rewarded in accordance with what he was expecting. ‘In that hour' simply signifies, ‘around that time'.

We may note here that even the centurion had not garnered the full truth. For Jesus did not heal the servant by a word, He did it simply by a thought. His words were all addressed to the centurion. All that was needed for the actual healing was His will in that direction.

The Multiplicity of Healings.

This subsection now finishes off with a final example of healing, followed by an emphasis on the fact that Jesus has come to bear men's suffering on Himself, with the result that men and women can be healed. Once again we see Jesus' touch of power, followed by His word of power. Here is the One with complete authority. We have already noted the parallels with the leper. But this time there is a greater sense of Jesus' more personal involvement. For here He is among His own. So He ‘sees' the fever rather than just hearing of it (there is a different emphasis in Mark. Matthew is not disagreeing with that. But he wants to bring out Jesus' personal concern). In this case it is He Who takes the initiative. And in return He receives personal service. Overall Matthew wants us to see the relationship as much closer because He is among His own (compare Matthew 12:49).

Analysis.

a And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother lying sick of a fever (14.).

b And he touched her hand, and the fever left her (Matthew 8:15 a).

c And she arose, and ministered to him (Matthew 8:15 b).

b And when evening was come, they brought to him many possessed with demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick (Matthew 8:16).

a That it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, “Himself took our infirmities, and bore our diseases” (Matthew 8:17).

Note that in ‘a' Peter's mother-in-law is sick with a fever, and in the parallel we are reminded that Jesus bore all such sicknesses. In ‘b' He therefore touched her hand and the fever left her, and in the parallel He also healed a great many others. And centrally she, and she alone, rose up and served Him. Many experience the greatness of His power, but few are they who really go on to serve Him as they should.