Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Matthew 8:18-34

CHRONOLOGY. Matthew inserts this group of events here; Mark and Luke at a later point. We accept the chronology of Mark, who explicitly says that Jesus crossed the sea on the evening of the day the parable of the sower was delivered. The events of this day are recorded more fully than those of any other during the ministry in Galilee. The order in Matthew is probably owing to his desire to group together important miracles. The incidents mentioned in Matthew 8:19-22, which are placed very much later by Luke (the only other Evangelist who records them), probably occurred just before our Lord crossed the lake. There is a reason why Luke should vary from the order of time, but Matthew would hardly insert them here, unless the chronological order called for it. There is, however, an appropriateness in their position so near Matthew 8:17 (see Matthew 8:20, and the opening section of chap. 9). These variations of order show the independence of the Evangelist.

After a day of conflict and toil, our Lord seeks repose in the evening on the lake (Matthew 8:18); He is detained by doubting disciples (Matthew 8:19-22); sleeps calmly during the storm (Matthew 8:23-24), but is awakened by fearful disciples (Matthew 8:25); He calms the elements (Matthew 8:26), and ‘little faith' changes to great wonder (Matthew 8:27). Reaching the other side, His conflict with sin and Satan is renewed; the fiercest demoniacs, possessed with the most numerous company of demons, meet Him (Matthew 8:28-29); permitted to enter a herd of swine, the demons destroy these (Matthew 8:30-32), which occasions a concourse from the city to ask Him to leave them (Matthew 8:33-34); He departs (chap. Matthew 9:1 probably never to return. The whole section is a vivid sketch of the various forms of weakness and opposition our Lord always encounters. The central event (the stilling of the tempest) is the most significant one.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Matthew 8:18-34

Old Testament

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