Mateus 8
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Spurgeon reminds us "Behold is a word of wonder; it is intended to excite admiration. Wherever you see it hung out in Scripture, it is like an ancient sign-board, signifying that there are rich wares within, or like the hands which solid readers have observed in the margin of the older Puritanic books, drawing attention to something particularly worthy of observation." I would add, behold is like a divine highlighter, a divine underlining of an especially striking or important text. It says in effect "Listen up, all ye who would be wise in the ways of Jehovah!" Parallel Passages: Mark 1:40+ And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Luke 5:12+ While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” A leper (lepros) came to Him - First note that in Jesus' day leprosy was not necessarily the same disease we call leprosy today (see Hansen's Disease). In other words while it included true medical leprosy, people were still regarded as leprous if they had a number of skin conditions including psoriasis, elephantiasis, vitiligo (depigmentation of skin), etc. A leper was totally ostracized from society until he was declared cured. The verb came to is proserchomai which literally means to come or go to and so to approach, but it also has the figurative sense of drawing near to or coming before God (read Heb 4:16+, Heb 7:25+, Heb 11:6+, Heb 10:22+). This was the verb used to describe the Jews"who draw near" through their Temple sacrifices, coming through the Law rather than coming by grace (read Heb 10:1+). The leper probably did not understand what he was doing but in effect he was drawing near to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in the time of need (Heb 4:16+) for Jesus was God! And it is notable that in that regard, the leper calls Him "Lord" and "bowed down"!
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Spurgeon - “I will; be thou clean.”—Mark 1:41 Primeval darkness heard the Almighty fiat, “light be,” and straightway light was, and the word of the Lord Jesus is equal in majesty to that ancient word of power. Redemption like Creation has its word of might. Jesus speaks and it is done. Leprosy yielded to no human remedies, but it fled at once at the Lord’s “I will.” The disease exhibited no hopeful signs or tokens of recovery, nature contributed nothing to its own healing, but the unaided word effected the entire work on the spot and for ever. The sinner is in a plight more miserable than the leper; let him imitate his example and go to Jesus, “beseeching him and kneeling down to him.” Let him exercise what little faith he has, even though it should go no further than “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean”; and there need be no doubt as to the result of the application. Jesus heals all who come, and casts out none. In reading the narrative in which our morning’s text occurs, it is worthy of devout notice that Jesus touched the leper. This unclean person had broken through the regulations of the ceremonial law and pressed into the house, but Jesus so far from chiding him broke through the law himself in order to meet him. He made an interchange with the leper, for while he cleansed him, he contracted by that touch a Levitical defilement. Even so Jesus Christ was made sin for us, although in himself he knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. O that poor sinners would go to Jesus, believing in the power of his blessed substitutionary work, and they would soon learn the power of his gracious touch. That hand which multiplied the loaves, which saved sinking Peter, which upholds afflicted saints, which crowns believers, that same hand will touch every seeking sinner, and in a moment make him clean. The love of Jesus is the source of salvation. He loves, he looks, he touches us, WE LIVE. Just a Touch Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. Matthew 8:3 Today's Scripture & Insight: Matthew 8:1–4 Kiley leaped at the chance to go to a remote area of East Africa to assist a medical mission, yet she felt uneasy. She didn’t have any medical experience. Still, she could provide basic care. While there, she met a woman with a horrible but treatable disease. The woman’s distorted leg repulsed her, but Kiley knew she had to do something. As she cleaned and bandaged the leg, her patient began crying. Concerned, Kiley asked if she was hurting her. “No,” she replied. “It’s the first time anyone has touched me in nine years.” Leprosy is another disease that can render its victims repulsive to others, and ancient Jewish culture had strict guidelines to prevent its spread: “They must live alone,” the law declared. “They must live outside the camp” (Lev. 13:46). That’s why it’s so remarkable that a leper approached Jesus to say, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean” (Matt. 8:2). “Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ ” (v. 3). In touching a lonely woman’s diseased leg, Kiley began to show the fearless, bridge-building love of Jesus. A single touch made a difference. By: Tim Gustafson Reflect & Pray Lord, we want to show the fearless love You showed when You walked this earth. The Untouchables Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him. — Mark 1:41 Today's Scripture:Mark 1:40-45 Of all diseases, leprosy is the only one singled out by the law of Moses and linked with sin. It’s not that having leprosy was sinful, nor was it the result of sin. Rather, the disease was seen as a graphic symbol of sin. If we could see sin, it would look something like leprosy. In Mark 1 we read about a leper who fell on his knees before Jesus and made his request: “If You are willing, You can make me clean” (v.40). It’s the first instance in the Gospels of a plain request for healing—touching and profound in its simplicity. Jesus was “moved with compassion” (v.41). People normally felt sympathy for the sick and troubled, but not for lepers. Because they were considered in those days as “unclean” both ceremonially and physically (Leviticus 13:45; 22:4), they were repulsive in every way to most people, who stayed as far away from them as possible. Nevertheless, Jesus was “willing” to reach out to this desperate, disease-ridden man and actually touch him! At that very moment the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. Why did Jesus touch this man? He could have healed him just by saying, “Be cleansed.” But His touch illustrated His great compassion. Jesus taught when He lived on this earth How to show love to the lost; So don't be afraid to give a kind touch, No matter how much it may cost. —Carbaugh To love sinners is to be like Jesus. Global Prayer Digest - The Dalits of India are the modern day equivalent of this untouchable leper (another article on the Dalits). Snippets related to the Dalits To be untouchable, according to Indian-Hindu tradition, is to be undesirable, or unworthy of any sort of consideration or provision by society. This translates into frequent joblessness, lack of education and lifelong poverty. The Hindu caste system is very rigid, and there is no hope of ever escaping the caste into which one is born. In India, the dalits are approximately 300 million people who are deemed “untouchable” and comprise the lowest rung of the Hindu caste system. Since the origin of this system 3,000 years ago, the Dalits have lived in bondage to the code of caste. They have been unable to escape their fate and are deprived of even the most basic liberties and privileges, including the freedom to decide where to live, work and worship. Omika finished her street sweeping early so she could begin her date with destiny. She joined three other scheduled caste women in a protest. As “untouchable” Dalits, the Haddi people are banned from Hindu temples. How can they worship their gods? How can they “gain favor” to reincarnate to a higher status? If they cannot appease the gods, their spirits are doomed to remain untouchable forever. So these four untouchable women trooped into a Hindu temple in a village of Orissa. When the upper caste villagers saw their offense, they joined with Hindu priests to beat the women. The priests shouted filthy language at them. The temple council demanded 1,000 rupees to purify the temple. That money, about $20 US, equals a full month’s income for these Haddi families. Christianity has been and still is seen by most Indians as the religion of the poor, and the “untouchable” Dalits. That’s because when missionaries from William Carey’s day came in contact with the outcastes, and they felt the love and the care of the missionaries, they were the first people to respond. Evangelists and church planters working in all parts of the world have discovered a common factor in reaching the unreached people in their target areas: usually those most receptive to the gospel are those who are the poorest. In all provinces in India the dalits (the “untouchable” communities) have been the most responsive people group when they hear the good news. For those who have nothing to lose, it’s easy to see that change is probably going to be a good thing. They know that they are needy. Power of Touch Dr. Paul Brand, twentieth-century pioneer medical missionary to India, saw firsthand the stigma associated with leprosy. During an appointment, he touched a patient to reassure him treatment was possible. Tears began to stream down the man’s face. An attendant explained the tears to Dr. Brand, saying, “You touched him and no one has done that for years. They are tears of joy.” Early in His ministry, Jesus was approached by a man with leprosy, an ancient label for all types of infectious skin diseases. Because of his disease the man was required by the Old Testament law to live outside his community. If the sick man accidentally found himself in close proximity to healthy people, he had to call out, “Unclean! Unclean!” so they could avoid him (Leviticus 13:45–46). As a result, the man may have gone months or years without human contact. Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. Jesus had the power and authority to heal people with just a word (Mark 2:11–12). But as Jesus encountered a man whose physical illness left him feeling isolated and rejected, His touch assured the man that he was not alone but accepted. Reflect & Pray Lord Jesus, thank You for the personal way You reached out to care for hurting people. Help me to follow Your example and extend compassion in my actions. Caring for others may include a compassionate touch. Okello’s Story, Our Story Read: Luke 5:12-16 [Jesus] put out His hand and touched [the leper]. —Luke 5:13 My friend Roxanne has had some impressive jobs in her life. She has covered the Olympics as a reporter. She has worked in Washington, DC, for noted people and companies. For years, she has written articles about top Christian athletes. But none of those jobs can compare with what she is doing now: giving the love of Jesus to children in Uganda. What are her days like? Consider the rainy Thursday when she walked the muddy pathway to a cancer ward. Once inside, she scooped up little Okello, whose arms bore sores from poor IV care and whose body raged with a high fever. She carried him to the office of the only cancer doctor in the building and stayed with him until he got help and his condition stabilized. Jesus, our example, spent His entire ministry among the suffering, healing them and bringing them the good news of God’s love (Luke 7:21-22). God uses us to show His love To people caught in life’s despair; Our deeds of kindness open doors To talk of God and His great care. —Sper One measure of our likeness to Christ is our sensitivity to the suffering of others. Someone to Touch Read: Luke 5:12–16 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. Luke 5:13 Commuters on a Canadian Metro train witnessed a heart-moving conclusion to a tense moment. They watched as a 70-year old woman gently reached out and offered her hand to a young man whose loud voice and disturbing words were scaring other passengers. The lady’s kindness calmed the man who sank to the floor of the train with tears in his eyes. He said, “Thanks, Grandma,” stood up, and walked away. The woman later admitted to being afraid. But she said, “I’m a mother and he needed someone to touch.” While better judgment might have given her reason to keep her distance, she took a risk of love. Jesus understands such compassion. He didn’t side with the fears of unnerved onlookers when a desperate man, full of leprosy, showed up begging to be healed. Neither was He helpless as other religious leaders were—men who could only have condemned the man for bringing his leprosy into the village (Lev. 13:45–46). Instead, Jesus reached out to someone who probably hadn’t been touched by anyone for years, and healed him. Please help us to see ourselves in the merciful eyes of Your Son. Thankfully, for that man and for us, Jesus came to offer what no law could ever offer—the touch of His hand and heart. No one is too troubled or unclean to be touched by Jesus. INSIGHT: The healing of this leper would have had great significance to the people. Leprosy was a major problem in first-century Israel, with clear processes outlined for diagnosis and response to the disease (Lev. 13:38–39). It would be reasonable to ask: Why did the person go to the priest instead of going to a doctor? To the people of Israel, leprosy was not simply a fatal physical illness. Leprosy was seen as divine judgment for sin—a physical disease with spiritual roots. Since the cause of the disease was considered spiritual, the priest diagnosed the illness and, if the person was stricken with leprosy, prescribed the appropriate verdict: Isolation from family, home, community, and the corporate religious life of the nation. Not only did the Rabbi from Nazareth cleanse the man of his disease, but also by touching him He welcomed him back into the community. Jesus still welcomes outcasts today. Whom can you welcome in today? Seeing Upside Down Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. —Matthew 9:12 Today's Scripture & Insight: Matthew 8:1-4; 9:9-12 In India I worshiped among leprosy patients. Most of the medical advances in the treatment of leprosy came about as a result of missionary doctors, who were willing to live among patients and risk exposure to the dreaded disease. As a result, churches thrive in most major leprosy centers. In Myanmar I visited homes for AIDS orphans, where Christian volunteers try to replace parental affection the disease has stolen away. The most rousing church services I have attended took place in Chile and Peru, in the bowels of a federal prison. Among the lowly, the wretched, the downtrodden—the rejected of this world—God’s kingdom takes root. To gain a new perspective, look at the world upside down as Jesus did. Reflect & Pray We know, Jesus, that You sought the lowly ones who were rejected by others. We want to be like You. Open our eyes and show us how. We long to be used by You to bless others. Do you see a needy world through the eyes of Jesus? F B
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Spurgeon notes that the centurion "seeks a cure, but does not prescribe to the Lord how or where he shall work it; in fact, he does not put his request into words, but pleads the case, and lets the sorrow speak.” Craig Blomberg helps us understand the differences between the accounts in Matthew and Luke - The Lukan parallel describes two other groups of individuals who speak with Jesus on behalf of the centurion (Luke 7:3–6). Luke is probably more literal at this point and Matthew more dramatic (cf. his additions in vv. 11–12). Both renderings are legitimate and draw attention to the centurion’s faith rather than his personal presence. We too often use similar literary devices. A news report declares, “The President announced today” when in fact only his press secretary ever spoke to anyone. (NAC-Matthew)
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Spurgeon - He had marveled at men’s unbelief; now he marvels at their faith, so that the thing which touches the wonder of God is man’s unbelief and man’s faith. Found (2147)(heurisko) means to come upon, to happen to find, to find after seeking and searching and thus to discover something, in this case great faith in a most unlikely location, the heart of Roman centurion! The verb even pictures Jesus walking throughout the land of Israel for 3 years, seeking for those who had tender, open hearts that would believe in His Word and in His Person and upon finding such a one shouting something like "Eureka!" "Amen!" I say "Eureka" for heurisko gives us this English word which is used to express triumph upon finding or discovering something. Indeed the primary purpose for the incarnation of Jesus is expressed in His own words "the Son of Man has come to SEEK and to SAVE that which was lost." (Lk 19:10+). Faith (4102)(pistis) is synonymous with trust or belief and is the conviction of the truth of anything, but in Scripture usually speaks of belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervor born of faith and joined with it. Uses of pistis in Matthew (relatively few compared to uses in the Pauline epistles) - Matt. 8:10; Matt. 9:2; Matt. 9:22; Matt. 9:29; Matt. 15:28; Matt. 17:20; Matt. 21:21; Matt. 23:23 R C H
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Spurgeon - There are some ministers who never mention anything about hell. I heard of a minister who once said to his congregation – ‘If you do not love the Lord Jesus Christ you will be sent to that place which it is not polite to mention.’ He ought not to have been allowed to preach again, I am sure, if he could not use plain words!” Will be cast out (ekbállō) into the outer (exoteros) darkness (skotos) - Jesus was unafraid to speak of hell, and did so more than any other in the Bible (11/12 uses of geenna are from lips of Jesus!). The frightening phrase OUTER DARKNESS occurs three times in the Bible (Mt 8:12; Mt 22:13; Mt 25:30) and is always preceded by the definite article ("the") in Greek, which serves to identify it as a specific, real, literal entity! It seems to have denoted an area outside a well-illuminated banquet hall where there was darkness (cf parable of the wedding feast in Mt 22:1-14). In Jesus' parable, the one who managed to sneak into the banquet hall without the proper garment was cast into outer darkness, separated from the feast. In the first two uses, outer darkness refers to the place of suffering for the unbelievers and is in contrast to the light where the believers dwell (1 Jn 1:5-7+, cf Ps 56:13, Ps 89:15). Ps 104:1-2 says "Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty, Covering Yourself with LIGHT as with a cloak, Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain." Ps 44:3 speaks of "the LIGHT of Thy presence." Jesus Himself says "“I am the LIGHT of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the LIGHT of life (IN CONTRAST TO THE "DARKNESS" OF DEATH!)." (Jn 8:12) In Psalm 49:19 we read "He (DESCRIBING A RICH UNBELIEVER) shall go to the generation of his fathers; They will never see the LIGHT." This truth accords with what Paul wrote regarding the tragic fate of all who reject the Gospel stating that "These (DESCRIBED IN 2 Th 1:8+) will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power (WHICH INCLUDES HIS LIGHT see Rev 22:5+)" (2 Th 1:9+). Unbelievers will be thrown into the furnace of fire, whereas believers will shine as the sun in the kingdom of the Father (Mt 13:42, 43+ Da 12:3+). The outer darkness in Mt 8:12 and Mt 22:13 is obviously a description of Géhenna (geenna), the "place of burning" (Mt 5:22, 29, 30+; Mt 10:28+; Mt 18:9). Trapp on outer darkness: “Into a darkness beyond a darkness; into a dungeon beyond and beneath the prison.” Vance Havner adds that "In the simple faith of this centurion our Lord saw a prophetic type of Gentiles being saved while the unbelieving Jews would be cast out (Matt. 8:10-12). How true that is in this present church-age is evident to us all." In that place there will be weeping (klauthmos) and gnashing (brugmos) of teeth - Notice that this is not a term of comparison. In other words Jesus does not say it will be LIKE (A SIMILE) "weeping and gnashing of teeth." The verb will be (estai) is the future tense and middle voice, a voice which is reflexive and could be rendered "they themselves!" They will begin to weep and experience the emotion of weeping themselves (FOREVER!) A literal reading of Jesus' somber words would strongly suggest that their eternal place of doom would be accompanied by eternal torment to the point that they are continually weeping! 🙏 THOUGHT - Let us not debate Jesus' clear words about the horror of Hell! Instead, may the eternal horror motivate us, enabled by the Spirit, to be bold in our witness (cf Acts 4:31b+) to all in our sphere of influence who do not know Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Today is the acceptable time for us to do this (in Heaven it will be too late) (2Co 6:2+). Today could be the day of salvation for someone with whom you boldly, lovingly, winsomely (cf Col 4:5-6+) share the Good News that Jesus died in time for them on a Cross so they do not have to die eternally in torment. Lord by Thy Spirit and Word make us all bold witnesses while today is still called today for the night cometh when no man can work (Jn 9:4+). In Jesus' mighty saving Name. Amen. D A Carson adds “The definite articles with ‘weeping’ and ‘gnashing’ (cf. Greek) emphasize the horror of the scene: the weeping and the gnashing…Weeping suggests suffering and gnashing of teeth despair.” (Matthew) In hell there is always gnashing of teeth Spurgeon - “What is it that the lost are doing? They are ‘weeping and gnashing their teeth.’ Do you gnash your teeth now? You would not do it except you were in pain and agony. Well, in hell there is always gnashing of teeth.” (WHAT A HORRIBLE THOUGHT!!! MAY THIS TRUTH MOTIVATE US TO SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY!!!) J S Lang comments that Jesus' piercing phrase expresses "the agony of eternal torment (and)...perhaps more than any images of fire and brimstone, the weeping and gnashing of teeth suggests pain, regret, and eternal sorrow of an earthly life wasted. (Lang, J. S.. 1,001 Things You Always Wanted to Know About Angels, Demons, and the Afterlife. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers) In one sense in Luke 13:24+, Jesus is commanding those who have ears to hear His warning to "agonize" (Strive - agonizomai in present imperative) temporally to enter the door, lest they suffer agony eternally because they fail to enter the door! Robert Morey commenting on Jesus' description weeping and gnashing of teeth writes that "The rabbinic picture used by Christ of people “weeping and gnashing their teeth” in the excruciating pain caused by the fires of Gehenna cannot be ignored or downplayed (Mt13:42, 50). In Re 14:10+, Re 14:11+, we are explicitly told that they will be tormented by sulfuric fire…for all eternity…without rest day or night. The words of the Apostle could not be clearer or plainer. The text says “tormented,” not annihilated. (Morey, R. A. BORROW Death and the Afterlife) Steven
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Spurgeon wrote "Your faith will not murder your humility, your humility will not stab at your faith; but the two will go hand in hand to heaven like a brave brother and a fair sister, the one bold as a lion the other meek as a dove, the one rejoicing in Jesus the other blushing at self." Vance Havner on as you have believed - Jesus commanded the centurion, "Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee." It reminds us of His statement to the blind men: "According to your faith be it unto you" (Mt 9:29). Our faith is the measure of our blessing. As we believe, we receive. How naturally follows the conclusion here: "And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour." We blame many things for our meager, pale and tasteless lives today, but we simply do not believe His word enough to go our way. We must see before believing, whereas these believed and then went forth to see the wonder wrought. And the servant was healed (iaomai) that very moment (hora - usually translated "hour") - A what moment? The moment Jesus spoke the word. 🙏 THOUGHT - I love this picture for it reminds me of the awesome power of our Lord Jesus as described in Hebrews 11:3+ recording that "By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the WORD of God (BY THE "WORD" OF HE WHO IS "THE WORD OF GOD"! John 1:1-3+), so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible." Earlier the writer of Hebrews declared that "through (JESUS CHRIST) also He (FATHER) made the world. 3 And He (JESUS) is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the WORD OF HIS POWER. (SO JESUS MADE ALL THINGS WITH HIS WORD AND ALL THINGS HOLD TOGETHER BY HIS WORD - Col 1:16-17+) When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." (Hebrews 1:2-3+). Why do we so often doubt His Word?!!! Lord, forgive us, in Jesus' Name. Amen! 🙏 THOUGHT - The servant's physical healing is an illustration of Jesus' present power to save souls from a far more deadly illness of "infection" with the "sin virus," for unless this "infection" is cured by the Great Physician, the soul will die not only temporally and also eternally! And just as with the healing in this story, Jesus is absent in the flesh, but His Word still has the power to bring about a miraculous cure from sin! Jesus Who spoke the world into existence (Heb 11:3) needs only to speak a word and we are made whole in Him. Hallelujah! Thank You Jesus. Amen. Toussaint has an intriguing comment - "Some see great significance in Matthew's deliberate rearrangement of these miracles. Since Matthew did not follow the chronological order, it seems he intended to illustrate the plan of his Gospel. Accordingly, the first miracle shows Christ ministering to the Jews. His mighty works bore testimony to His person, but His testimony was rejected. Consequently, He turns to the Gentiles, who manifest great faith in Him. Later, He returns to the Jews, represented by the mother-in-law of the apostle to the Jews. He heals her and all who come to Him. This third picture is that of the millennium, when the King restores Israel and blesses all the nations." Was healed (2390)(iaomai) means the centurion's servant was immediately cured and restored to health. Iaomai is used literally of deliverance from physical diseases and afflictions and so to make whole, restore to bodily health or heal. To cause someone to achieve health after having been sick. In the passive it means to be healed or cured. Figuratively, iaomai speaks of deliverance from sin and its evil consequences and thus to restore (to spiritual good health), make whole, renew (Mt 13.15). In the passive, iaomai figuratively means to be restored, to recover or to be healed as in 1Pe 2.24. Iaomai refers primarily to physical healing in the NT (although clearly there is overlap because some of these instances involved demonic oppression - Lk 9:42), and much less commonly to spiritual healing or healing (saving) from "moral illnesses" and the consequences of sin. When used in this sense iaomai has much the same meaning as sozo, to save, make whole, restore to spiritual health. Here are the uses of iaomai used with a spiritual meaning = Mt 13:15, John 12:40, Acts 28:27 - preceding quotes from Isa 6:10, 1Pe 2:24 = quote from Isa 53:5. All the uses in Matthew - Matt. 8:8; Matt. 8:13; Matt. 13:15; Matt. 15:28 Matthew 8:14 When Jesus came into Peter's home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. into - Mt 8:20 17:25 Mk 1:29-31 Lu 4:38,39 mother-in-law lying sick- 1Co 9:5 1Ti 3:2 4:3 Heb 13:4 Matthew 8 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Click to Enlarge for Labels Ruins of Home in Capernaum Purported to be Peter's Home Parallel Passages - Mark 1:29-31+ And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they spoke to Jesus about her. 31 And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she waited on them. Luke 4:38-39+ Then He got up and left the synagogue, and entered Simon’s home. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Him to help her. And standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and she immediately got up and waited on them. When Jesus came into Peter's home - Matthew does not record Jesus' coming out of the synagogue (Mk 1:29). The service probably ended around noon. 🙏 THOUGHT - All our homes at some time or another become homes of grief. But if Jesus is a guest, how richly He pays for His entertainment! For when we tell Him, somehow or other the burden is lifted. Not that the sickness, or whatever be the particular cause of anxiety, is at once removed, but the pain and grief are assuaged, and a blessed peace fills the soul. How can the effect be better expressed than in the words the evangelist uses about Peter's wife's mother—"the fever left her"? That is exactly it! In the midst of our troubles and grief, when we feel the healing, cooling touch of Christ, the fever—the ache, the pain—passes out of our souls. (J D Jones) He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever - Matthew does not mention the disciples asking Jesus to help her (Lk 4:38+, Mk 1:30+). Lying sick is the verb ballo which means putting someone somewhere (in this case in bed) and in the perfect tense which speaks of her having become sick in the past and is still ill. So this does not suggest a short time illness. Note that puresso is in the present tense which also implies this was an ongoing problem. She was "burning up with fever" as we might say today. Mother-in-law (3994)(penthera) means a wife's mother, the mother of one's spouse. 5x in NT - Matt. 8:14; Matt. 10:35; Mk. 1:30; Lk. 4:38; Lk. 12:53 12x in Septuagint (Lxx) most often of Ruth's mother-in-law Naomi - Deut. 27:23; Ruth 1:14; Ruth 2:11; Ruth 2:18; Ruth 2:19; Ruth 2:21; Ruth 2:23; Ruth 3:1; Ruth 3:6; Ruth 3:16; Ruth 3:17; Mic. 7:6; Fever (4445)(puresso from puretós = fiery heat, fever from púr = fire) means to "be on fire," to be ill of a fever. Only used here and Mt 8:14 = "When Jesus came into Peter’s home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever." Thayer says Greek word for fire, pur, is from Sanskrit word pu = “to purify.” Matthew 8:15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on Him. touched - Mt 8:3 9:20,29 14:36 20:34 2Ki 13:21 Isa 6:7 Mk 1:41 Lu 8:54 Ac 19:11-13 and waited on Him - Lu 4:38,39 Joh 12:1-3 Matthew 8 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries HEALED BY THE TOUCH OF JESUS! How many of us could echo those words! Every one of us who have been touched by Jesus and healed from the otherwise eternally fatal affliction of the "sin virus!" He touched her hand, and the fever left her - Mark says Jesus came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her (1:31+). Of course to raise her up, He would have had to touch her. Luke adds that Jesus stood "over her" and "rebuked (epitimao) the fever and it left her." (Lk 4:39+). And she got up and waited on Him - Matthew adds a subtle change compared to both Mark and Luke who record she waited on them. Matthew by contrast states she waited on HIM! Jesus Alone is worthy! Earlier after His temptation in the wilderness, behold, angels came and began to minister to Him. (Mt 4:11+, Mark 1:13+)
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Spurgeon - I wonder if this man thought, ‘Well, now, I am a scribe. If I join that company, I shall be a leader. I perceive that they are only fishermen, the bulk of them; and if I come in amongst them, I shall be a great acquisition to that little band. I shall no doubt be the secretary.’ Perhaps he may have thought that there was something to be made out of such a position; there was one who thought so (Judas Iscariot).” D. A. Carson observes, “Little has done more to harm the witness of the Christian church than the practice of filling its ranks with every volunteer who is willing to make a little profession, talk fluently of experience, but display little of perseverance.” (EBC) John
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Spurgeon has an interesting note that "Much of the concerns of politics, party tactics, committee meetings, social reforms, innocent amusements, and so forth, may be very fitly described as burying the dead. Much of this is very needful, proper, and commendable work; but still only such a form of business as unregenerate men can do as well as disciples of Jesus. Let them do it; but if we are called to preach the Gospel, let us give ourselves wholly to our sacred calling.” Disciples (3101)(mathetes from manthano = to learn which Vine says is "from a root math, indicating thought accompanied by endeavor". Gives us our English = "mathematics" - see matheteuo) describes a person who learns from another by instruction, whether formal or informal. Discipleship includes the idea of one who intentionally learns by inquiry and observation (cf inductive Bible study) and thus mathetes is more than a mere pupil. A mathetes describes an adherent of a teacher. Mathetes itself does not necessarily convey a spiritual association, and thus was used to describe superficial followers of Jesus (Jn 6:66). Lord (2962)(kurios from kuros = might or power, related to kuroo = to give authority) primarily means the possessor, owner, master, the supreme one, one who is sovereign possessing absolute authority, absolute ownership and uncontested power. Kurios is used of the one to whom a person or thing belonged, over which he has the power of deciding, the one who is the master or disposer of a thing (Mk 7:28) Permit (aorist imperative)(2010)(epitrepo from epi = upon + trepo = to turn) means to turn to, entrust, hence to permit. In Mark 5:13, John 19:38, and Acts 21:39 it carries the sense of release from restraint in order to have freedom of choice. For example, in Mark 5:13 Legion gained freedom from being sent away, and instead was permitted to enter a herd of swine (Mark 5:8-13). Matthew 8:22 But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead." follow - Mt 4:18-22 Mt 9:9 Joh 1:43 and - Lu 15:32 Eph 2:1,5 5:14 Col 2:13 1Ti 5:6 Matthew 8 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries A PRIORITY CHECK-UP Jesus' reply means no disrespect for the man's father. He is simply telling the potential disciple that he must make following Him his highest priority. But Jesus said to him, "Follow (akoloutheo) Me and allow (aphiemi) the dead to bury their own dead - Jesus gives 2 commands, follow in the present imperative, indicating this is to be one's lifestyle (same command is given to all believers today and is only possible by the depending on the enabling power of the Holy Spirit). The second command is allow (aphiemi) in the aorist imperative meaning to do this without delay. Allow is a somewhat "mild" rendering of the Greek. The ESV rendering is better - "leave the dead to bury their own dead." Follow is the same command Jesus gave to His original disciples "And He said to them, “Follow (deute) Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”Immediately they left their nets and followed (akoloutheo) Him." (Mt 4:19-20+) Some will "drop their nets" when Jesus calls, but others will choose not to drop and follow. As D A Carson said “If the scribe was too quick in promising, this ‘disciple’ was too slow in performing.” Jesus is not looking for excuses but for total trust. The meaning of "dead" is the spiritually dead. Paul writes to the saints at Ephesus "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, (Ephesians 2:1+). The young man was actually proposing to wait and follow Jesus after his father died, whenever that might be. As an aside there is a popular television show called "The Walking Dead." It strikes me that we actually do not need to watch the show, for the more realistic version of "The Walking Dead" is the majority of people we meet each day! They are spiritually dead and sadly headed straight for eternal punishment! In many ways, this young man's excuse was quite legitimate, but Jesus' point was that excuses to delay heeding His call are not valid. Period! Hell will be filled with many who procrastinated and made excuses for why they could not follow Jesus and they will have all eternity to ponder their tragic personal choice! Allow (863)(aphiemi from apo = prefix speaks of separation, putting some distance between + hiemi = put in motion, send) conveys the basic idea of an action which causes separation. More than 1/3 of the 133 NT uses convey the idea of forgive, which pictures "sending the debt" away from a person. This is exactly what God did when He places the sins of the world on the Sacrificial Lamb of God (Jn 1:29+), foreshadowed beautifully by the scapegoat in the Day of Atonement because the scapegoat was sent into the wilderness symbolically depicting the sending of Israel's sins away! (see Lev 16:21, 22+, cf Micah 7:18, 19+ - did you read the last part of Mic 7:19?) The person who truly wants to follow Christ must be totally committed to Him. John Broadus on allow the dead to bury their own dead - This cannot mean let the dead bury each other, i. e., let them remain unburied, for that is a forced explanation and an idea unworthy of our Lord. We must understand the dead spiritually and the dead literally, as in Rev. 3:1. (Comp. John 11:25 f.) Such a play upon words is natural and pleasing to the Oriental mind, and different forms of it occur frequently in Scripture, including many passages where it cannot be preserved in translation. (Comp. on 16:25.) The idea here is that there were enough of those who were spiritually dead to perform all the offices of affection to the dead, and so Christ’s followers were at liberty to devote themselves to their own far higher work. (Comp. 10:37.) In Luke’s account (9:60, Bib. Un. Ver.), we have the, addition, ‘but go thou and announce the kingdom of God.’ It does not follow that Jesus would require all his followers, under all circumstances, to neglect the burial of their dead, in order that they might work exclusively at spreading the gospel; any more than he extends to every one the command laid upon the rich young ruler, to sell all he had and give to the poor. (19:21.) But we can easily conceive of circumstances now, in which it would be proper to hold in abeyance the strongest promptings of natural affection, in order to do our duty to Jesus; just as a soldier may see his brother fall at his side in a charge, and yet sometimes cannot pause to care for him, but must rush on. A T
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Spurgeon reminds us that "Behold is a word of wonder; it is intended to excite admiration. Wherever you see it hung out in Scripture, it is like an ancient sign-board, signifying that there are rich wares within, or like the hands which solid readers have observed in the margin of the older Puritanic books, drawing attention to something particularly worthy of observation." I would add, behold is like a divine highlighter, a divine underlining of an especially striking or important text. It says in effect "Listen up, all ye who would be wise in the ways of Jehovah!" Storm (4578)(seismos from seio = to shake) means an agitation or shaking as a series of violent movements, usually of the earth, but once of a storm or tempest at sea (Mt 8:24). One can picture the height of the huge waves in this supernatural seismos! No wonder the disciples thought they were perishing (Mt 8:25)! Matt. 8:24; Matt. 24:7; Matt. 27:54; Matt. 28:2; Mk. 13:8; Lk. 21:11; Acts 16:26; Rev. 6:12; Rev. 8:5; Rev. 11:13; Rev. 11:19; Rev. 16:18
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Spurgeon quips He spoke to the men first, for they were the most difficult to deal with: wind and sea could be rebuked afterwards.” Corrie Ten Boom, author of The Hiding Place and survivor of the German concentration camps, said that people often came up to her and said, “Corrie, my, what a great faith you have.” She would smile and respond, “No, it’s what a great God I have.” Our faith in trials should point people toward our great God. David Guzik makes a great point that "They actually had many reasons to have faith, even great faith. (1) They had just seen Jesus do significant miracles, showing great power and authority. (2) They had seen an example of great faith with the centurion who trusted Jesus to heal his servant.(3) They had Jesus with them in the boat. And, they saw Jesus sleep; His peace should have given them peace." (Enduring Word Commentary) Afraid (1169)(deilos from from deídō = to fear) means to be cowardly, timid, fearful (Mt 8:26; Mk 4:40); of persons showing fear in a shameful way coward (Rev 21:8+) Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea - Mark 4:39+ has Jesus "said to the sea “Hush, be still.” Earlier in this chapter we saw the Roman centurion affirm that (1) Jesus was a Man of authority and (2) He was able to command with the Word (Mt 8:8) his servant's illness would be healed. Here we see another manifestation of the authority of Jesus over the Creation. In so doing He was teaching His disciples what the Gentile centurion seemed to understand better than Jewish these men following closely behind Jesus. Got up (1326)(diegeiro from dia = through and verb used in previous verse = egeiro = awaken, rouse) in the active voice means to cause to wake up or to awaken (Mt 1:24+) and in the passive voice to become awake (Mk 4:39+). It is interesting that this same verb diegeiro is used figuratively in Jn 6:18 to describe the sea "began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing." And so in the present context, Jesus was stirred awake and quieted the stirred up sea. Rebuked (2008)(epitimao from epi = upon + timao = to honor) means literally to put honor upon, then to mete out due measure and then to find fault with, to censure severely, this last sense of course being the meaning in this passage. This verb is used in all 3 synoptic accounts (Matt. 8:26+, Mk 4:39+ and Lk 8:24+). In a somewhat similar use in the Septuagint (Lxx), epitimao is used in Ps 106:9 "Thus He rebuked (Lxx - epitimao) the Red Sea and it dried up, and He led them through the deeps, as through the wilderness." Epitimao is used in God's addressing Satan in Zech 3:2 where "The LORD said to Satan 'The LORD rebuke (Lxx - epitimao) you, Satan," and again in Jude 1:9+ "Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke (epitimao) you!” However, these latter two uses in the rebuke of Satan should not be taken as evidence that Satan was the instigator of the storm of the wind and the waves in the present context. "In classical Greek the verb epitimaō can mean both “to honor” and “to censure or penalize.” The positive and negative meanings are similar to those carried by the English word citation." (Gilbrant) Winds (417)(anemos) as rapidly moving air or "a blowing atmospheric phenomenon." (BDAG) "Anemos included different kinds of winds such as gales, breezes, directional winds, and even the breath of a person blowing. The qualities of wind as invisible yet strong, effective but uncontainable, often made it a suitable metaphor." (Gilbrant) And it became perfectly calm - The creation obeys its Creator! Notice this is a "double miracle" of stilling the wind above the sea, but also the current below the sea. "The winds and the waves were synchronized into solemn silence." (Bill) What the Creator created, He controls! God is behind the scenes and controls the scenes He is behind. This scene recalls the proverb "Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His Son’s name? Surely you know!" (Proverbs 30:4) Calm (1055)(galene) is a tranquility, quietness or stillness of the sea, "an unruffled surface on a body of water," (BDAG), or that which is calm and is used often to describe the weather. In NT it is used only to describe sea as calm - Mt 8:26, Mk 4:39, Lk 8:24. In Classic Greek it is used metaphorically to describe the spirit of serenest calm, Aesch.; in calm, Soph. God is in Control Twila Paris This is no time for fear This is a time for faith and determination Don't lose the vision here Carried away by the motion Hold on to all that you hide in your heart There is one thing that has always been true It holds the world together God is in control We believe that His children will not be forsaken God is in control We will choose to remember and never be shaken There is no power above or beside Him, we know God is in control History marches on There is a bottom line drawn across the ages Culture can make its plan Oh, but the line never changes No matter how the deception may fly There is one thing that has always been true It will be true forever He has never let you down Why start to worry now? (2x) He is still the Lord of all we see And He is still the loving Father Watching over you and me Terror Or Trust? Read: Mark 4:35-41 In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me. —Psalm 56:4 A sudden squall swept down with almost hurricane force through the funnel-like ravines above the lake of Tiberias, 682 feet below sea level. Huge waves washed into the little boat, threatening to sink it. Terrified, the disciples of Jesus wakened Him. How could He sleep through the shrieking winds and ship-tossing tempest? (Jesus was sleeping because He was exhausted after a day of strenuous ministry.) “Do You not care that we are perishing?” they shouted (Mk. 4:38). Calmly Jesus arose and commanded the raging storm to cease. Then, amid the calm and the darkness, He asked two questions of His awe-stricken disciples: “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (v.40). Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea, Or demons, or men, or whatever it be, No water can swallow the ship where lies The Master of ocean and earth and skies. —Baker Better to go through the storm with Christ than to have smooth sailing without Him. Life’s Storm-Tossed Sea Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. —1 Peter 5:7 Today's Scripture: Mark 4:35-41 Emilie, wife of 19th-century Ger man pastor Christoph Blumhardt, envied his ability to pray for his parishioners and then effortlessly fall asleep. So one night she pleaded, “Tell me your secret!” He answered, “Is God so powerless that my worrying would help the well-being of our parish?” Then he added, “There comes a moment each day when we must simply drop what weighs on us and hand it over to God.” One evening Jesus and His disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee. Weary after a long day of ministry, He fell asleep in the stern of the boat. A fierce squall suddenly arose—so fierce that even the Lord’s fishermen-turned-disciples were terrified. But Jesus continued to sleep serenely until His frightened followers woke Him, crying out, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38). You see, Jesus was in the habit of entrusting Himself to His heavenly Father. Having made that commitment, He could sleep through the turbulent squall. Jesus knows the pain you feel, He can save and He can heal— Take your burden to the Lord And leave it there. —Tindley Drop what weighs you down by giving it to God. Risky Business He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. —Matthew 8:26 Today's Scripture: Matthew 8:23-27 Denis Boyles knew it would be challenging to interview a man on a roller coaster—especially when the interview took place during an attempt to set a world’s record for continuous riding. After several times around the track, Denis was so overcome with fear he could hardly talk. Then the man showed him how to use his body and feet to lean into the loops, twists, and turns. Writing in AARP Magazine, Boyles explained how that took away the terror. It also taught him a lesson about risk and fear. The roller coaster felt risky though it was quite safe. But driving his car to the amusement park posed a far greater risk of injury. Risk and fear are easily confused. As Jesus and His disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee, a storm came up and waves swept over their boat. Incredibly, Jesus was asleep. The disciples woke Him and said, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” (Matt. 8:25). In a gentle rebuke, Jesus asked, “‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?’ Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm” (v.26). But we see Jesus! Oh, what peace! What balm for troubled heart! His very name brings rest and calm And bids the fears depart! —Adams Keep your eyes on Jesus and you’ll soon lose sight of your fears. Thunderstorm Thoughts The God of peace will be with you. — Philippians 4:9 Today's Scripture: Matthew 8:23-27 I laugh every time I hear the radio commercial that has a woman shouting to her friend in conversation. She’s trying to talk above the sounds of the thunderstorm in her own head. Ever since a storm damaged part of her home, that’s all she hears because her insurance company isn’t taking care of her claims. I’ve heard thunderstorms in my head, and maybe you have too. It happens when a tragedy occurs—to us, to someone close to us, or to someone we hear about in the news. Our minds become a tempest of “what if” questions. We focus on all the possible bad outcomes. Our fear, worry, and trust in God fluctuate as we wait, we pray, we grieve, and we wonder what the Lord will do. It’s natural for us to be fearful in a storm (literal or figurative). The disciples had Jesus right there in the boat with them, yet they were afraid (Matt. 8:23-27). He used the calming of the storm as a lesson to show them who He was—a powerful God who also cares for them. Fierce drives the storm, but wind and waves Within His hand are held, And trusting His omnipotence My fears are sweetly quelled. —Brown To realize the worth of the anchor, we need to feel the stress of the storm. Breton fishermen on the coast of France have a brief prayer that humbly acknowledges God's control of nature and life: "God, Your sea is so great and my boat is so small." In recognizing that the sea belongs to God, the fishermen see God as the only source of safety for their boats. In calming the Sea of Galilee, Jesus taught the disciples not only about His power over nature but also about external and internal peace. The lesson about external peace was the easier of the two; He stopped the storm. Dealing with the storm inside the disciples was more difficult; fear had replaced the disciples' faith. Trust and tranquility are twins in the spiritual life. Perfect peace comes from complete trust (ls 26:3). —D. J. De Haan Better the storm with Christ, than smooth waters waters without Him Sometimes God calms the storm, sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child. Matthew 8:27 The men were amazed, and said, "What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" Mt 14:33 15:31 Mk 1:27 6:51 7:37 Matthew 8 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Parallel Passages - Matt. 8:23–27; Mark 4:35–41; and Luke 8:22–25 Mark 4:41+They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” Luke 8:25b+ And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?” The men were amazed, and said, "What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" - Compare a similar reaction by Jesus to the disciples in Mark 8:17-21; 9:19. Timidity was their frequent response - Mark 5:15, 33; Mk 6:50; 9:32; 10:32; 11:18; 16:8. Their lack of faith thus made them fearful in the crisis. They were afraid before the storm and now they were afraid after the storm! They were suddenly conscious that they were in the presence of the One Who had miraculously stilled the storm. And so they reacted much like Isaiah in Isa 6:5+ "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts” or like Peter in Luke 5:8+ who when he "saw that (the catch of fish as a result of Jesus' direction), he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!”" The creation is personified as obeying its Creator! Clearly the implication is that Jesus is the Lord over Creation. One can picture this little band of disciples buzzing over this miracle. And remember Judas Iscariot witnessed this and yet refused to believe in Jesus! Miracles of Jesus have never saved anyone! Only faith in Jesus saved then and now and forever. Amen Their question in a sense shows some ignorance of their own Psalms for "Psalm 89:8-9 would have given them a clear answer to what kind of a man Jesus was - "O LORD God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty LORD? Your faithfulness also surrounds You. You rule the swelling of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them." 🙏 THOUGHT - “Who then is this?” is the crucial question. Clearly, this Jesus is fully human. He had a body that got so exhausted that He could sleep in the midst of this storm. The full humanity of Jesus Christ should be of tremendous comfort to us when we are suffering from the limitations of our bodies. “We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:15). But not only is our Lord fully human, He is also fully divine. He merely had to speak the word and the howling winds ceased and the surging waves were instantly as smooth as glass. Just as Jesus’ full humanity encourages us because He understands, so His full deity should encourage us because He is powerful to act on our behalf. Nothing is too difficult for the living God. Not a breath of wind or a drop of water can defy His sovereign will. The better we know Him, the better we can trust Him in our trials. (What to do When Life Gets Stormy)
Mateus 8
Spurgeon reminds us that "Behold is a word of wonder; it is intended to excite admiration. Wherever you see it hung out in Scripture, it is like an ancient sign-board, signifying that there are rich wares within, or like the hands which solid readers have observed in the margin of the older Puritanic books, drawing attention to something particularly worthy of observation." I would add, behold is like a divine highlighter, a divine underlining of an especially striking or important text. It says in effect "Listen up, all ye who would be wise in the ways of Jehovah!" Lowell
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Spurgeon adds that "This is the old cry, ‘Mind your own business! Do not interfere with our trade! Let us alone, and go elsewhere!’ Devils never like to be interfered with. But if the devils have nothing to do with Jesus, he has something to do with them.” Note also as discussed below, not only do demons have faith in God, assurance of a future judgment, but they also believe in prayer! Their "theology" would put to shame the theology or lack of theology of most men, sadly even including some who profess to be believers! Note the striking contrast in reactions to Jesus between the... Disciples - Mt 8:27 “What kind of a man is this" Demons - Mt 8:29 "Son of God." Luke 4:41+ records "Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ." NET Note on What business do we have with each other Literally = "what to us and to you?" (an idiom). The phrase ti hemin kai soi is Semitic in origin, though it made its way into colloquial Greek (BDAG 275 s.v. ego). The equivalent Hebrew expression in the OT had two basic meanings: (1) When one person was unjustly bothering another, the injured party could say "What to me and to you?" meaning, "What have I done to you that you should do this to me?" (Judg 11:12, 2 Chr 35:21, 1 Kgs 17:18). (2) When someone was asked to get involved in a matter he felt was no business of his own, he could say to the one asking him, "What to me and to you?" meaning, "That is your business, how am I involved?" (2 Kgs 3:13, Hos 14:8). These nuances were apparently expanded in Greek, but the basic notions of defensive hostility (option 1) and indifference or disengagement (option 2) are still present. BDAG suggests the following as glosses for this expression: What have I to do with you? What have we in common? Leave me alone! Never mind! Hostility between Jesus and the demons is certainly to be understood in this context, hence the translation: "Leave us alone…." Son of God in the Gospels - Matt. 4:3; Matt. 4:6; Matt. 8:29; Matt. 26:63; Matt. 27:40; Matt. 27:43; Matt. 27:54; Mk. 1:1; Mk. 3:11; Mk. 15:39; Lk. 1:35; Lk. 3:38; Lk. 4:3; Lk. 4:9; Lk. 4:41; Lk. 22:70; Jn. 1:34; Jn. 1:49; Jn. 3:18; Jn. 5:25; Jn. 10:36; Jn. 11:4; Jn. 11:27; Jn. 19:7; Jn. 20:31; Cried out (2896)(krazo) refers to a loud cry or vociferation, and is a strong word expressing deep emotion. Krazo is one of those onomatopoeic words, the very pronunciation of which imitates the hoarse cry of the raven (listen), and can be an inarticulate and brutish sound or an exclamation of fear or pain. Abbott-Smith says "generally used of inarticulate cries, to scream, cry out (Aesch., etc.)" It is used of the cry of an animal, the barking of a dog and two men in a quarrel, trying to bawl each other down (so Aristophanes, Knights, 1017)" 'The prophet in awful earnestness, and as with a scream of anguish, cries over Israel' (Morison)" Krazō was also a technical, rabbinic term to refer to the loud summons of a prophet, needing to be heard. In Lk 18:39+ the blind beggar cried "to cry clamorously; to scream or shriek." (You can almost hear hid shrieking! He is motivated because he is blind and thinks this Man might help him see!) Have You come here to torment us before the time?" - What irony -- the tormentor speaking about being tormented in the future, an interesting example of reaping what you sow! They knew there was a day when they would be eternally damned! Once again the demons show us that they have good theology and eschatology. Note the plural "us" indicating there was more than one demon, which is called Legion in Luke 8:30+ a name Luke says refers to "many demons." Mark adds that it took 2000 swine to carry away all the demons into the deep (Mk 5:13+). Notice the time phrase before the time. In contrast to many men and women today, the demons believed in future judgment! They know that their ultimate fate will be eternal torment, as John records in (Rev 20:10+) It is sad that the demons are more sensitive to the finite amount of time they have to do their damage and as a result diligently seek to "redeem the time" (in a negative sense), while most believers have little appreciation of the preciousness of each day and the opportunities that are letting slip away (see Redeem the Time). Spurgeon - This is the old cry, ‘Mind your own business! Do not interfere with our trade! Let us alone, and go elsewhere!’ Devils never like to be interfered with. But if the devils have nothing to do with Jesus, he has something to do with them.”
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Spurgeon comments on the way the demons affected the swine “Swine prefer death to devilry; and if men were not worse than swine, they would be of the same opinion.” “They run hard whom the devil drives.” “The devil drives his hogs to a bad market.” David
Mateus 8
Spurgeon - Surely, this legion of demons must have had the same effect on them as on the poor man when Christ first came to him. These foolish people took up the same cry as the poor demoniac: “The whole multitude besought him to depart from them? Christ sometimes hears this kind of prayer. There is many a man who has entreated that his conscience might not be troubled any more, and it never has been troubled again. But what an awful prayer for any people to pray! “The whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them.” David Gooding has an interesting note on the people's reaction to Jesus Who had freed them of the fear of the demoniac - What a sad comment on man’s fallen and unregenerate state it is, that man should feel more at home with demons, than with the Christ who has power to cast out demons. Yet is often so. Men who would try to help a criminal or a drunkard, or, if they should prove incorrigible, would want the one imprisoned and the other put into hospital, find it embarrassing and somewhat frightening if the criminal is saved by Christ and turned into a sane, wholesome, regenerate disciple. (According to Luke) John
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Spurgeon - Surely, this legion of demons must have had the same effect on them as on the poor man when Christ first came to him. These foolish people took up the same cry as the poor demoniac: “The whole multitude besought him to depart from them? Christ sometimes hears this kind of prayer. There is many a man who has entreated that his conscience might not be troubled any more, and it never has been troubled again. But what an awful prayer for any people to pray! “The whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them.” Kent Hughes has frightening comment, especially if you have been procrastinating regarding belief in Jesus -- Tell Him to leave you alone, and He will. And if you tell Him enough, there will come a time when the opportunity for repentance will be gone. If you have not already done so, turn to Christ for salvation. Come to Christ for healing. If He is speaking to you, you must respond now, for this may be the last time! (See Luke: That You May Know the Truth) Rabbi, begone! Thy powers Bring loss to us and ours. Our ways are not as Thine. Thou lovest men, we—swine. Oh, get you hence, Omnipotence, And take this fool of Thine! His soul? What care we for his soul? What good to us that Thou hast made him whole, Since we have lost our swine? John Oxenham J C