Matthew8

Matthew 8 details Jesus' powerful demonstrations of authority through a series of miracles. He cleanses a leper, heals a centurion's servant from a distance, and cures Peter's mother-in-law and many others. Jesus also calms a violent storm with a word and casts out devils from two men into a herd of swine, causing the swine to perish.
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Jesus Descends and Cleanses a Leper

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When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. ​
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And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. ​
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And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. ​
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And 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. ​

The Faith of the Centurion

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And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, ​
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And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
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And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
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The 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. ​
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For 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.
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When 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. ​
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And 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. ​
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But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ​
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And 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.

Healings in Capernaum

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And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. ​
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And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. ​
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When 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:
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That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. ​

The Cost of Discipleship

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Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. ​
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And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
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And 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. ​
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And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
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But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. ​

Jesus Calms the Storm

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And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. ​
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And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. ​
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And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
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And 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. ​
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But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! ​

Exorcism in the Gergesene Region

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And 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. ​
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And, 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? ​
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And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. ​
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So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
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And 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. ​
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And 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.
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And, 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. ​

Study Notes for Matthew 8

Verse 1

This verse transitions the narrative from the Sermon on the Mount (Chs. 5-7) to Jesus’ demonstration of power and authority through miracles, confirming his messianic claims.

Verse 2

Leprosy (likely a variety of severe skin diseases) rendered a person ritually unclean and socially ostracized (Lev. 13:45-46). The leper's humility ('if thou wilt') is paired with absolute confidence in Jesus' power ('thou canst make me clean').

Verse 3

Touching a leper was forbidden under the Law. Jesus touches him first, demonstrating that his holiness is contagious and cleansing, rather than being defiled by the impurity of the sick.

Verse 4

Jesus respects the Mosaic Law, requiring the healed man to receive certification from the priest (Lev. 14). This served as legal proof of the miracle and a 'testimony' to the religious authorities of Jesus' authority.

Verse 5

A centurion was a Roman army officer commanding 80-100 men. The presence of this Gentile officer highlights the universality of Jesus' ministry, which Matthew emphasizes throughout his Gospel.

Verse 8

The centurion recognizes Jesus’ authority, understanding that Jesus commands sickness and health with the same effective power he wields over his own soldiers. This is a profound recognition of Jesus' divine nature.

Verse 10

Jesus 'marvelled,' emphasizing the unexpected and extraordinary nature of this Gentile's faith, which surpassed that found among the covenant people of Israel.

Verse 11

This verse is a pivotal statement on Gentile inclusion. Jesus affirms that people from all nations ('east and west') will join the eschatological banquet (the Kingdom of Heaven) alongside the patriarchs.

Verse 12

The 'children of the kingdom' refers to ethnic Israel who reject the Messiah. This severe warning contrasts the judgment awaiting the faithless with the welcome extended to faithful Gentiles.

Verse 14

Peter was married, confirming that early discipleship did not require celibacy. This healing takes place in Capernaum, Jesus’ adopted ministry base.

Verse 15

Her immediate action of 'ministering' (serving) upon healing demonstrates the completeness of her cure and the proper response to the grace of God.

Verse 17

Matthew explicitly links Jesus’ healing ministry to the Suffering Servant prophecy (Isaiah 53:4). Jesus’ physical healing ministry foreshadows his ultimate work of bearing the spiritual burden of sin on the cross.

Verse 18

Jesus seeks to withdraw from the crowds, perhaps to avoid escalating political fervor, or to instruct his disciples regarding the necessary commitment before crossing the Sea of Galilee.

Verse 20

'Son of man' is Jesus' preferred self-designation, emphasizing both his humanity and the authoritative, messianic figure prophesied in Daniel 7:13. This statement reveals the lack of earthly comfort inherent in following him.

Verse 22

This challenging statement emphasizes the absolute priority of following Jesus above all earthly and familial duties, including the sacred duty of burial. Discipleship demands immediacy.

Verse 23

This narrative demonstrates Jesus' authority over nature, a power reserved only for God in the Old Testament (Ps. 107:29).

Verse 24

The severity of the 'great tempest' terrified the disciples, many of whom were experienced fishermen. Jesus’ ability to sleep highlights his perfect peace and humanity.

Verse 26

Jesus addresses their lack of faith ('O ye of little faith') before addressing the storm itself, demonstrating that spiritual preparedness is more critical than physical safety. The resultant calm confirms his divine sovereignty.

Verse 27

The men's awe reinforces the theological point of the miracle: Jesus is not merely a prophet, but holds sovereign power over creation.

Verse 28

The Gergesenes (or Gadarenes/Gerasenes) was a predominantly Gentile region, signaled by the presence of swine (v. 30). Matthew often mentions two possessed men where Mark and Luke mention one.

Verse 29

The demons immediately recognize Jesus' messianic identity ('Son of God'). 'Before the time' refers to the final, predetermined judgment reserved for demonic forces.

Verse 30

The large herd of swine confirms the Gentile setting, as these animals were unclean under Jewish dietary law.

Verse 32

The destruction of the swine demonstrates the chaotic, destructive, and uncontrollable nature of the demonic forces once they were removed from the human hosts.

Verse 34

The local inhabitants feared Jesus' disruptive power and the resulting financial loss (the swine) more than they valued the spiritual and physical liberation of the possessed men, asking him to leave.

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