Christ cleanses the leper, 1-4; heals the centurion's servant, 5-13, Peter's mother-in-law, 14, 15, and many other diseased, 16, 17; shows how he is to be followed, 18-22; stills the tempest on the sea, 23-27; drives the demons out of two possessed men, 28-30; and allows them to go into the swine, 31-34.
1 When he had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped him, saying, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." 3 And Jesus put forth his hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing. Be clean." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus says to him, "See that you tell no man, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded for a testimony to them."
5 And when Jesus had entered into Capernaum, a centurion came to him, imploring him, 6 And saying, "Lord, my servant lies at home paralyzed, grievously tormented." 7 And Jesus says to him, "I will come and heal him." 8 The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof. But speak the word only, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, and have soldiers under me. And I say to this man, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." 10 When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to those who followed, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith as this, not even in Israel. 11 And I say to you, that many shall come from the east and the west and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into utter darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 13 And Jesus said to the centurion, "Depart, and as you have believed, so it shall be done to you." And his servant was healed in the same hour.
14 And when Jesus had come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother lying and sick with a fever. 15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and ministered to them. 16 When the evening had come, they brought to him many who were possessed with demons. And he cast out the spirits with his word and healed all who were sick, 17 So that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, "He himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses."
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes around him, he gave commandment to depart to the other side. 19 And a certain scribe came, and said to him, "Master, I will follow you wherever you go." 20 And Jesus says to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head." 21 And another of his disciples said to him, "Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father." 22 But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead."
23 And when he had entered into a boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea so that the boat 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 says to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then he arose, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 But the men marveled, saying, "What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?"
28 And when he had come to the other side, into the country of the Gergesenes, two men possessed with demons met him, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce so that no man might pass by that way. 29 And behold, they cried out, saying, "What have we to do with you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" 30 And there was a good way off from them a herd of many swine, feeding. 31 So the demons implored him, saying, "If you expel us, allow us to go away into the herd of swine." 32 And he said to them, "Go." And when they had 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 those who kept them fled, went into the city, and told everything, including what had befallen to the men possessed with demons. 34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they implored him that he would depart out of their borders.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Matthew, Chapter 8[➚]
[v.1-4] - Gospel Link: Mark 1:40-44; Luke 5:12-14.
[v.5-13] - Gospel Link: Luke 7:1-10.
[v.14-18] - Gospel Link: Mark 1:29-39; Luke 4:38-44.
[v.17] - Quoting Isaiah 53:4.
[v.19-22] - Gospel Link: Luke 9:57-60.
[v.23-27] - Gospel Link: Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25.
[v.28-34] - Gospel Link: Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39.
[v.29] - "before the time" - That is, before the appointed time. From John Gill's Exposition: "[This] is generally referred to the day of judgment, to which they were reserved by the appointment of God; which they had some notion of, and as at a distance; and therefore complain of Christ's coming to them now, and expostulate with him about it."