5 And G1161 when G1525 Jesus G2424 was entered G1525 into G1519 Capernaum, G2584 there came G4334 unto him G846 a centurion, G1543 beseeching G3870 him, G846
6 And G2532 saying, G3004 Lord, G2962 my G3450 servant G3816 lieth G906 at G1722 home G3614 sick of the palsy, G3885 grievously G1171 tormented. G928
7 And G2532 Jesus G2424 saith G3004 unto him, G846 I G1473 will come G2064 and heal G2323 him. G846
8 The centurion G1543 answered G611 and G2532 said, G5346 Lord, G2962 I am G1510 not G3756 worthy G2425 that G2443 thou shouldest come G1525 under G5259 my G3450 roof: G4721 but G235 speak G2036 the word G3056 only, G3440 and G2532 my G3450 servant G3816 shall be healed. G2390
9 For G1063 G2532 I G1473 am G1510 a man G444 under G5259 authority, G1849 having G2192 soldiers G4757 under G5259 me: G1683 and G2532 I say G3004 to this G5129 man, Go, G4198 and G2532 he goeth; G4198 and G2532 to another, G243 Come, G2064 and G2532 he cometh; G2064 and G2532 to my G3450 servant, G1401 Do G4160 this, G5124 and G2532 he doeth G4160 it.
10 When G1161 Jesus G2424 heard G191 it, he marvelled, G2296 and G2532 said G2036 to them that followed, G190 Verily G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 I have G2147 not G3761 found G2147 so great G5118 faith, G4102 no, not G3761 in G1722 Israel. G2474
11 And G1161 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 That G3754 many G4183 shall come G2240 from G575 the east G395 and G2532 west, G1424 and G2532 shall sit down G347 with G3326 Abraham, G11 and G2532 Isaac, G2464 and G2532 Jacob, G2384 in G1722 the kingdom G932 of heaven. G3772
12 But G1161 the children G5207 of the kingdom G932 shall be cast out G1544 into G1519 outer G1857 darkness: G4655 there G1563 shall be G2071 weeping G2805 and G2532 gnashing G1030 of teeth. G3599
13 And G2532 Jesus G2424 said G2036 unto the centurion, G1543 Go thy way; G5217 and G2532 as G5613 thou hast believed, G4100 so be it done G1096 unto thee. G4671 And G2532 his G846 servant G3816 was healed G2390 in G1722 the selfsame G1565 hour. G5610
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Matthew 8
Commentary on Matthew 8 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 8
The evangelist having, in the foregoing chapters, given us a specimen of our Lord's preaching, proceeds now to give some instances of the miracles he wrought, which prove him a Teacher come from God, and the great Healer of a diseased world. In this chapter we have,
Mat 8:1-4
The first verse refers to the close of the foregoing sermon: the people that heard him were astonished at his doctrine; and the effect was, that when he came down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him; though he was so strict a Lawgiver, and so faithful a Reprover, they diligently attended him, and were loth to disperse, and go from him. Note, They to whom Christ has manifested himself, cannot but desire to be better acquainted with him. They who know much of Christ should covet to know more; and then shall we know, if we thus follow on to know the Lord. It is pleasing to see people so well affected to Christ, as to think they can never hear enough of him; so well affected to the best things, as thus to flock after good preaching, and to follow the Lamb withersoever he goes. Now was Jacob's prophecy concerning the Messiah fulfilled, that unto him shall the gathering of the people be; yet they who gathered to him did not cleave to him. They who followed him closely and constantly were but few, compared with the multitudes that were but followers at large.
In these verses we have an account of Christ's cleansing a leper. It should seem, by comparing Mk. 1:40, and Lu. 5:12, that this passage, though placed, by St. Matthew, after the sermon on the mount, because he would give account of his doctrine first, and then of his miracles, happened some time before; but that is not at all material. This is fitly recorded with the first of Christ's miracles,
Mat 8:5-13
We have here an account of Christ's curing the centurion's servant of a palsy. This was done at Capernaum, where Christ now dwelt, ch. 4:13. Christ went about doing good, and came home to do good too; every place he came to was the better for him.
The persons Christ had now to do with were,
Now in the story of the cure of this servant, we may observe an intercourse or interchanging of graces, very remarkable between Christ and the centurion. See here,
The centurion's faith in the power of Christ he here illustrates by the dominion he had, as a centurion, over his soldiers, as a master over his servants; he says to one, Go, and he goes, etc. They were all at his beck and command, so as that he could by them execute things at a distance; his word was a law to them-dictum factum; well-disciplined soldiers know that the commands of their officers are not to be disputed, but obeyed. Thus could Christ speak, and it is done; such a power had he over all bodily diseases. The centurion had this command over his soldiers, though he was himself a man under authority; not a commander-in-chief, but a subaltern officer; much more had Christ this power, who is the supreme and sovereign Lord of all. The centurion's servants were very obsequious, would go and come at every the least intimation of their master's mind. Now,
Mat 8:14-17
They who pretend to be critical in the Harmony of the evangelists, place this passage, and all that follows to the end of ch. 9 before the sermon on the mount, according to the order which Mark and Luke observe in placing it. Dr. Lightfoot places only this passage before the sermon on the mount, and v. 18, etc. after. Here we have,
Mat 8:18-22
Here is,
We have here Christ's managing of two different tempers, one quick and eager, the other dull and heavy; and his instructions are adapted to each of them, and designed for our use.
Mat 8:23-27
Christ had given sailing orders to his disciples (v. 18), that they should depart to the other side of the sea of Tiberias, into the country of Gadara, in the tribe of Gad, which lay east of Jordan; thither he would go to rescue a poor creature that was possessed with a legion of devils, though he foresaw how he should be affronted there. Now.
Mat 8:28-34
We have here the story of Christ's casting the devils out of two men that were possessed. The scope of this chapter is to show the divine power of Christ, by the instances of his dominion over bodily diseases, which to us are irresistible; over winds and waves, which to us are yet more uncontrollable; and lastly, over devils, which to us are most formidable of all. Christ has not only all power in heaven and earth and all deep places, but has the keys of hell too. Principalities and powers were made subject to him, even while he was in his estate of humiliation, as an earnest of what should be at his entrance into his glory (Eph. 1:21); he spoiled them, Col. 2:15. It was observed in general (v. 16), that Christ cast out the spirits with his word; here we have a particular instance of it, which have some circumstances more remarkable than the rest. This miracle was wrought in the country of the Gergesenes; some think, they were the remains of the old Girgashites, Deu. 7:1. Though Christ was sent chiefly to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, yet some sallies he made among the borderers, as here, to gain this victory over Satan, which was a specimen of the conquest of his legions in the Gentile world.
Now, besides the general instance which this gives us of Christ's power over Satan, and his design against him to disarm and dispossess him, we have here especially discovered to us the way and manner of evil spirits in their enmity to man. Observe, concerning this legion of devils, What work they made where they were, and where they went.
Now,