Audio/Video podcast covering Matthew 8:
https://soundcloud.com/walking-as-christ/matthew-8-the-body
https://youtu.be/S6PaxbYY17s
When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 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.
Jesus is now completed the teaching to His followers from the mountain(matthew 5-7) and many people are following Him. According to the Old Testament law, a Leper or a person with Leprosy needs to be kept in isolation(away from people without the disease). It was understood that only God could cure Leprosy. So, this man with Leprosy came to Jesus, worshiping Him(bowing down) letting Jesus know that if He is willing He can make him the Leper clean(cleansed from his leprosy). For the Leper to have this confidence in Jesus ability to cleanse him of Leprosy shows that he knew Jesus to be the God man or God with us. The leper was acknowledging that this man Jesus is either from God or God Himself. Either way that Leper trusted that Jesus had this divine power that surpasses the power of mortal man. The Bible records that Jesus spoke the healing and laid His hand on the man and IMMEDIATELY the man was cleansed of his Leprosy. Jesus touched a man who had a disease that was known to be contagious. This man should not even have been among common people, but he knew that Jesus was around and He went to Him for his healing. This man had bold FAITH in the Lord. Jesus has the power to heal above any healing that a mortal man can do. Jesus is not performing surgery or prescribing medicine, Jesus is coming with divine power from God and healing instantly.
Faith of the person being healed. Jesus speaking the healing. Jesus touching the Leper.
Jesus commanded the Leper after he was healed, not to tell any man but to show himself to the priest. The Leper being cleansed of Leprosy was astonishing. Jesus likely sent the man to the priest to authenticate the miracle and he did not want the Leper telling people on his way to the priest because He knew the priest would likely not pronounce the Leper clean if they knew Jesus did the miracle. #ObeyTheLord #HeKnowsWhatHeIsDoing
The church/people of God at this time begin to understand the work of God being done through Jesus because of the cleansing of the Leper. If the Leper gave the testimony himself it would likely have less effect than if the priest pronounced the man clean.
According to Leviticus 14 an offering was to be made for the healing/cleansing of a leper: on the first day of his cleansing, when he first showed himself to the priest, consisted of two birds, alive and clean, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop; the other, and which was properly the offering on the eighth day, was, if the man was able, two he lambs and one ewe lamb, with a meat offering; but if poor, one lamb, with a meat offering, and two turtle doves, or two young pigeons. Notice; Jesus commands the man to follow the old testament law regarding the healing he has received. He did not abandon the law, but fulfilled it!
5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 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. 9 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. 10 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.
A centurion is a officer of the Roman army who is in command of about 100 soldiers. This centurion was not Jewish, but instead a gentile. The gentile came asking help of the jewish healer. The centurion was asking for help of Jesus for his servant to be healed from Palsy/Paralysis(uncontrollable trembling of the body or a part of the body). The pain of the servant was very severe. When the centurion presented the need of healing to Jesus, He said “I will come and heal him”. Jesus agreeing to heal this gentile man’s servant was expressive of God’s ultimate redemptive plan to include Jews and gentiles. The centurion had a great reverence for the Lord expressing how he is not worthy to have Him under the roof of his home. The centurion was humble regarding the Lord. He likely knew that he was a man not worthy of being in the presence of this Holy man of God. We should consider the Lord in a similar light. We are all unworthy sinners before we were born again. We had no right to welcome the 3 times Holy Lord into our unworthy lives, but the Love of God came in and changed us into new creatures. The Lord did His healing work in our unworthy lives. What amazing grace God has for His people.
As the centurion pushed back, insisting that Jesus speaking the healing and it would be done, He was amazed. The Faith of the Centurion was greater than the Faith of any person that Jesus met in all of Israel. The Faith of the gentile was greater than that of the jews that Jesus met.
11 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. 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Jesus makes it clear that many will be entering into the Kingdom of Heaven, Jew and gentile alike, all who believe in Him. The jews have been foreordained to receive this salvation that the life of Jesus is making possible for them, but they must put their faith in Him. The Jews are already kingdom bound but they need to have their faith in Jesus. If they lack the faith in Jesus then they make themselves “children of the kingdom” and will be cast out into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Hell. Damnation and Anguish. This gentile centurion had the faith that the Jews who are first in the plan of salvation need to have.
13 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.
The Lord was pleased by the Faith of the Centurion. The man had the Faith that Jesus could heal by his Word regardless where the person being healed is located. In the same hour Jesus spoke “as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee” the servant of the centurion was healed.
The ruler of the servant needing healing had the Faith that Jesus can heal him. Jesus Spoke the Healing according to the Faith of the centurion.
14 And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. 15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
It is confirmed here that Peter had a wife. When Jesus saw that Peter’s mother in-law was laying down sick with a fever, He touched her hand and the fever was gone. Peter’s mother in law got up and began to serve them.
Jesus touched the mother-in-law upon realizing she was in need of healing, and she was then healed.
16 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: 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
Jesus needed no tool but His Word to cast out spirits. The jewish exorcist in this past time were known for using various tools to cast out spirits. The power of the Lord is supreme and unmatched. Jesus is recorded as healing ALL that were sick. No sickness was too challenging for the Lord. As it was foretold in the old testament, Jesus took our infirmities upon Himself and carried away our diseases. Jesus was wounded for our transgressions and took the punishment for the iniquities of us all.
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. 19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 20 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. 21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
The scribe was likely compelled to follow Jesus because all that he has seen Jesus do. Jesus knows the heart of men and likely understood that this scribe thinks being a follower of Him will be a life of comfort and fame. Jesus quickly lets the scribe know that to be a follower of Him comes with a great cost. Jesus let the scribe know that He doesn’t even have a place to sleep and if he will follow Him, that is a lifestyle he will need to be willing to live. Being a follower of Jesus may require sacrificing the comforts of home.
Jesus refers to Himself as the Son of Man. We find detail on what Son of Man is describing in Daniel 7:13-14 “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”
One of Jesus disciples came to Him asking for excuse to go bury his dad. Unlike today burials in this time among jewish people could last an entire year. To honor Father and Mother is commandment of God, but the commandment to follow Jesus Christ is greater! Jesus helped us to understand how serious we need to take being a follower of Him. Nothing at all should come before the will of the Father, even family.
Brethren; we have been called to the highest duty in life. We have the most important job on earth. We have the duty of being disciples of Jesus Christ. Getting the Gospel message to the world, helping to lead others into the path of eternal salvation. We are not in the life saving business as a doctor, we are in the SOUL saving business. This life is temporal and will one day pass away. Salvation and Eternal life is forever! We have the job of living God’s Word on this earth. If the people of God and Jesus Christ are not; preaching, teaching, healing, etc. then who will? What would happen if the followers of Jesus put matters of this life over the matters of the Lord. If a man left the work of Jesus to go bury his dad only for 1 day, maybe the people that disciple was supposed to encounter that day will never hear the gospel and will end up in hell because the disciples neglected his job to fulfill another duty that is less important. Let us consider this calling of being disciples of Jesus Christ as the most important job in this world. Let us be honored to fulfill our expectations in our role as disciples of Jesus Christ. Let is be careful not put anything else in this life as a priority before our Kingdom Business.
When Jesus says; “let the dead bury their dead” that is to call a person living in unrepented sin a dead person even though they are still living. Let such who are dead in trespasses and sins, and to all that is spiritually good, bury those who are dead in a natural or corporal sense. There are enough “dead people” to take care of this funeral service: and therefore, there is no need why he should neglect the ministry of the Gospel to attend that; but, ought to leave it to persons who were fitter for it.
#YourJobInChristIsThePriority #DontPutOffTheWorkOfTheLord #ConsiderTheCostofBeingADiscipleofChrist
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26 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. 27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
The disciples quickly went into panic when adverse conditions presented themselves. Jesus being with them responded understanding their panic; “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” The Lord wants us to have all our Faith and Trust in Him. The Lord wants us to know with all assurity that He will take care of our needs and keep us safe. The Lord wants us to rebuke our panic mode and invoke our Faith mode. The Lord has done multiple miracles that the disciples witnessed but they still panicked in times they felt their lives were in danger. God is the creator of the Heavens and the Earth. The Lord expressed His power by calming the winds and sea. He can bring all nature into submission to His will, remember He is the creator of it!
28 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. 29 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? 30 And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. 31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. 32 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. 33 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.
Jesus met two people who were possessed with devils that came fiercely out of tombs to prevent travel that way. Sometimes people who are running from the police would temporarily make homes in the tomb. These 2 people who are possessed with evil spirits are living near lands used for keeping pigs(known as an unclean animal) and sleeping in tombs where dead people are indicates that these evil spirits enjoy being around things profane and uncleanliness. These demons recognized Jesus as the Son of God. This is now the third occasion where Jesus is mentioned as the Son of God in the New Testament. The demons also speak to the point that they know they will be judged the Lord at a certain time.
Where Jesus, the light of the world is, darkness can not continue. The evil spirits in the men knew they needed to be cast out. Instead of Jesus telling them they must depart and touching the 2 people, the evil spirits volunteered to Jesus where they could be cast into. These evil spirits were set on doing evil! They wanted to get into the group of pigs, so Jesus permitted them to leave the 2 people and go into the pigs. Remember the enemy is out to; steal, kill, and destroy. These evil spirits went into the pigs and provoked them to suicide. The pigs ran into the sea and died in the water. That is how the enemy works. Evil spirits provoking one to end their life. Just as these evil spirits had the whole herd of pigs kill themselves, the enemy wants to destroy all people to have company in hell. The enemy wants to take people off track from God and make another reservation with him in hell, that is just what he does.
34 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.
A herd of pigs killing themselves was likely very traumatic to witness. The people probably thought that Jesus would continue allowing this to happen to their animals. They went to the city and told people what happened. Jesus being around could be bad for their work and what He was making take place in their minds was likely CRAZY! They wanted Jesus out of their land.