CHAPTER VIII. _Great multitudes follow Christ_, 1. _He heals a leper_, 2-4. _Heals the centurion's servant_, 5-13. _Heals Peter's wife's mother_, 14, 15; _and several other diseased persons_, 16, 17. _Departs from that place_, 18. _Two persons offer to be his disciples_, 19-22. _He and his d... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:2. _AND, BEHOLD, THERE CAME A LEPER_] The leprosy λεπρα, from λεπις, _a scale_, was an inveterate cutaneous disease, appearing in dry, thin, white scurfy scales or scabs, either on the whole body, or on some part of it, usually attended with violent itching, and often with great pain... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:3. _JESUS PUT FORTH HIS HAND - I WILL; BE THOU CLEAN._] The most sovereign authority is assumed in this speech of our blessed Lord-I WILL: there is here no supplication of any power _superior_ to his own; and the event proved to the fullest conviction, and by the clearest demonstrati... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:4. _JESUS SAITH - SEE THOU TELL NO MAN_] Had our Lord, at this early period, fully manifested himself _as the Messiah_, the people in all likelihood would have proclaimed him King; this, however, refused by him, must have excited the hatred of the Jewish rulers, and the jealousy of t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:5. _CAPERNAUM_] Matthew 4:13, Matthew 4:13. _A CENTURION_] εκατονταρχος. A Roman military officer who had the command of _one hundred men_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:6. _LORD_] Rather, _Sir_, for so the word κυριε should always be translated when a _Roman_ is the speaker. _LIETH AT HOME_] βεβληται, _lieth all along_; intimating that the disease had reduced him to a state of the utmost impotence, through the grievous torments with which it was ac... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:7. _I WILL COME AND HEAL HIM._] εγω ελοθων θεραπευσω αυτον, _I am coming, and will heal him_. This saying is worthy of observation. Jesus did not positively say, _I will came and heal_ _him_; this could not have been strictly true, because our Lord healed him without going to the hou... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:8. _BUT SPEAK THE WORD ONLY_] Or instead of ειπε λογον read ειπε λογω, speak _by word_ or _command_. This reading is supported by the most extensive evidence from MSS., versions, and fathers. See here the pattern of that living faith and genuine humility which ought always to accompa... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:9. _FOR I AM A MAN UNDER AUTHORITY_] That is, _under the_ _authority of others_. This verse has given considerable embarrassment to commentators and critics. I believe the paraphrase given above to be the true meaning of the evangelist. To make this matter more plain, let it be obse... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:10. _I HAVE NOT FOUND SO GREAT FAITH, NO, NOT IN ISRAEL._] That is, I have not found so great an instance of confidence and faith in my power, even among the _Jews_, as this _Roman_, a Gentile, has shown himself to possess. From Luke 7:5, where it is said of this centurion, "he lov... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:11. _MANY SHALL COME FROM THE EAST AND WEST_] Men of every _description_, of all _countries_, and of all _professions_; and shall _sit down_, that is, _to meat_, for this is the proper meaning of ανακλιθησονται, intimating the _recumbent_ posture used by the easterns at their _meals_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:12. _SHALL BE CAST OUT INTO OUTER DARKNESS_] As the enjoyment of that salvation which Jesus Christ calls the kingdom of heaven is here represented under the notion of a nuptial festival, at which the guests sat down in a _reclining posture_, with the master of the feast; so the stat... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:13. _AS THOU HAST BELIEVED_; SO _BE IT DONE_] Let the mercy thou requestest be _equal_ to the _faith_ thou hast brought to receive it by. ACCORDING _to thy faith be it done unto thee_, is a general measure of God's dealings with mankind. To get an increase of _faith_ is to get an inc... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:14. _PETER'S HOUSE_] That Peter lived at Capernaum, and that Christ lodged with him, is fully evident from this verse compared with Matthew 17:24. _PETER'S - WIFE'S MOTHER_] Learn hence, says Theophylact, that _marriage_ is no hinderance to _virtue_, since the chief of the apostles... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:15. _HE TOUCHED HER HAND_] Can any thing on this side the unlimited power of God effect such a cure with only a touch? If the Scriptures had not spoken of the divinity of Christ, these proofs of his power must have demonstrated it to the common sense of every man whose _creed_ had no... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:16. _WHEN THE EVEN WAS COME_] The Jews kept their sabbath from evening to evening, according to the law, Leviticus 23:32, _From evening to evening shall ye celebrate your sabbath_. And the rabbins say, _The sabbath doth not enter but when the sun is set_. Hence it was that the sick w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:17. _HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES_] The quotation is taken from Isaiah 53:4, where the verb _nasa_ signifies to _bear sin_, so as to _make_ _atonement for it_. And the rabbins understand this place to speak of the sufferings of the Messiah for the sins of Israel; and say that all th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:18. _UNTO THE OTHER SIDE._] Viz. of the lake of _Genesareth_, whence he proceeded to the country of the _Gergesenes_, Matthew 8:28.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:19. _A CERTAIN SCRIBE_] Though εις γραμματευς, ONE _scribe,_ may be considered as a Hebraism, yet it is probable that the _literal_ construction of it was intended, to show that few of this class came to the Lord Jesus for instruction or salvation. _MASTER_] Rather, _teacher_, διδασ... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:20. _THE FOXES HAVE HOLES_, c.] Reader! art thou a _poor_ _man_? and dost thou fear God? Then, what comfort must thou derive from the thought, that thou so nearly resemblest the Lord Jesus! But how unlike is the _rich man_, who is the votary of pleasure and slave of sin, to this heav... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:21. _ANOTHER OF HIS DISCIPLES_] This does not mean any of the _twelve_, but one of those who were constant hearers of our Lord's preaching; the name of _disciple_ being common to all those who professed to believe in him, John 6:66. _Bury my father_: probably his father was old, and... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:22. _LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR DEAD._] It was usual for the Jews to consider a man as _dead_ who had departed from the precepts of the law; and, on this ground, every transgressor was reputed a _dead man_. Our Lord's saying, being in common use, had nothing difficult in it to a Jew. Na... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:24. _AROSE A GREAT TEMPEST IN THE SEA_] Probably excited by Satan, the prince of the power of the air, who, having got the author and all the preachers of the Gospel together in a small vessel, thought by drowning it, to defeat the purposes of God, and thus to prevent the salvation o... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:25. _AND HIS DISCIPLES_] THE disciples. In the common printed editions, as well as in our translation, it is HIS disciples, but αυτου, _his_, is omitted by the very best MSS., and by _Bengel, Wetstein_, and _Griesbach_. This is a matter of very small importance, and need not be notic... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:26. _WHY ARE YE FEARFUL, O YE OF LITTLE FAITH?_] _Faith_ is ever _bold - incredulity_ always _timid_. When faith fails in temptation, there is the utmost danger of shipwreck. _Lord,_ _increase our faith_! is a necessary prayer for all who desire to be saved. _THEN HE AROSE AND REBU... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:27. _THE MEN MARVELLED_] Every part of the creation (man excepted) hears and obeys the Creator's voice. Sinners have an ear for the world, the devil, and the flesh: till this ear is shut, God's voice is not discerned; for when it is shut to its enemies it is open to its _friends_. _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:28. _THE COUNTRY OF THE GERGESENES_] This word is variously written in the MSS, and versions; _Gergasenes, Gerasenes,_ _Gadarenes, Gergesions_, and _Gersedonians_, The three first are supported by the greater authorities. They might have all been names of the _same_ place or distric... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _WHAT HAVE WE TO DO WITH THEE_] The literal translation of τι ημιν και σοι, is, _What_ is it _to us and to thee;_ which perhaps might be understood to imply their disclaiming any design to interfere with the work of Christ, and that _he_ should not therefore meddle with _them_; for it appe... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:30. _A HERD OF MANY SWINE_] These were in all probability Jewish property, and kept and used in express violation of the law of God; and therefore their destruction, in the next verse, was no more than a proper manifestation of the _justice_ of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:31. _SUFFER US TO GO AWAY_] επιτρεψον ημιν απελθειν: this is the common reading; but αποστειλον ημας, _send us away_, appears more likely to be genuine. This latter reading _Griesbach_ has adopted, on the authority of three ancient MSS., the _Coptic,_ _Sahidic, Ethiopic, Syriac_, al... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:32. _THEY WENT INTO THE HERD OF SWINE_] Instead of την αγελην των χοιρων, _the herd of swine, Griesbach_ reads τους χοιρους, _the swine_, on the authority of many MSS. and versions. _THE WHOLE HERD OF SWINE_] των χοιρων, _of swine_, is omitted by many MSS. and versions. See _Griesba... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:33. _AND THEY THAT KEPT THEM FLED_] Terrified at what had happened to the swine.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 8:34. _THE WHOLE CITY CAME OUT_] Probably with the intention to destroy Jesus for having destroyed their swine; but, having seen him, they were awed by his presence; and only besought him to depart from their borders. Many rather chose to lose Jesus Christ than those temporal goods by... [ Continue Reading ]