Matthew 8

1 When he was come downe from the moutayne moch people folowed him.

2 And lo ther came a lepre and worsheped him sayinge: Master if thou wylt thou canst make me clene.

3 And Iesus put forthe hys hond and touched hym sayinge: I wyll be thou clene and immediatly hys leprosie was clensed.

4 And Iesus sayde vnto him. Se thou tell no man but go and shewe thy selfe to the preste and offer the gyfte that Moses comaunded in witnes to them.

5 When Iesus was entred into Capernau ther came vnto him a certayne Centurion and besought hym

6 sayinge: Master my seruaunt lyeth sicke at home of ye palsye and ys greuously payned.

7 And Iesus sayd vnto hym: I will come and heale him.

8 The Centurio answered and sayde: Syr I am not worthy yt thou shuldest come vnder my rofe but speake ye worde only and my servaut shalbe healed.

9 For I also my selfe am a man vndre power and have sowdiers vndre me and I saye to one go and he goeth and to anothre come and he cometh: and to my seruaut do this and he doeth it.

10 When Iesus hearde yt he marveled and sayd to them yt folowed hym. Derely I say vnto you I have not foude so great fayth: no not in Israel.

11 I say therfore vnto you that many shall come fro the eest and weest and shall rest wt Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heve:

12 and the chyldren of ye kyngdome shalbe cast out in to vtter darcknes: there shalbe wepinge and gnasshing of tethe.

13 The Iesus sayd vnto ye Centurion go thy waye and as thou belevest so be it vnto the. And his servaunt was healed the selfe houre.

14 And then Iesus went to Peters housse and sawe hys wyves mother lyinge sicke of a fevre

15 and touched her hande and the fevre left hir: and she arose and ministred vnto them.

16 When the eue was come they brought vn to him many yt were possessed with devyllis. And he cast out ye spirites with a worde and healed all yt were sicke

17 to fulfill yt which was spoke by Esayas ye Prophet sayinge. He toke on him oure infirmities and bare oure sickneses.

18 Whe Iesus sawe moche people about him he comaunded to go over ye water.

19 And ther came a scribe and sayd vnto hym: master I wyll folowe ye whyther so ever thou goest.

20 And Iesus sayd vnto him: the foxes have holes and the bryddes of the ayer have nestes but ye sonne of the man hath not whero to rest his heede.

21 A nothre yt was one of hys disciples sayd vnto hym: master suffre me fyrst to go and burye my father.

22 But Iesus sayd vnto him: folowe me and let the deed burie their deed.

23 And he entred in to a shyppe and his disciples folowed him.

24 And beholde there arose a a greate tepest in ye see in so moche yt the shippe was covered wt waves and he was a slepe.

25 And his disciples came vn to him and awoke hym sayinge: master save vs we perishe.

26 And he sayd vnto them: why are ye fearfull o ye of lytell faithe? Then he arose and rebuked ye wyndes and the see and ther folowed a greate calme.

27 And the men marveyled and sayd: what man is this that bothe wyndes and see obey hym?

28 And when he was come to ye other syde in to ye coutre of ye Gergesites ther met him two possessed of devylles which came out of the graves and were out of measure fearce so yt no ma myght go by that waye.

29 And behold they cryed out sayinge: O Iesu the sonne of God what have we to do with the? Art thou come hyther to tormet vs before the tyme be come?

30 And ther was a good waye of fro them a greate heerd of swyne fedinge.

31 Then ye devyles besought him sayinge: if thou cast vs out suffre vs to go oure waye in to the heerd of swyne.

32 And he sayd vnto the: go youre wayes. Then wet they out and departed into ye heerd of swyne And beholde ye whoale heerd of swyne was caryed wt violence hedlinge in to the see and perisshed in ye water.

33 Then ye heerdme fleed and wet their ways in to ye cyte and tolde every thinge and what had fortuned vnto the possessed of the devyls.

34 And beholde all the cyte came out and met Iesus. And when they sawe hym they besought hym to departe oute of their costes.

Matthew 8 Commentary

Chapter 8

Multitudes follow Christ. (1) He heals a leper. (2-4) A centurion's servant healed. (5-13) Cure of Peter's wife's mother. (14-17) The scribe's zealous proposal. (18-22) Christ in a storm. (23-27) He heals two possessed with devils. (28-34)

Verse 1 This verse refers to the close of the foregoing sermon. Those to whom Christ has made himself known, desire to know more of him.

Verses 2-4 In these verses we have an account of Christ's cleansing a leper, who came and worshipped him, as one clothed with Divine power. This cleansing directs us, not only to apply to Christ, who has power over bodily diseases, for the cure of them, but it also teaches us in what manner to apply to him. When we cannot be sure of God's will, we may be sure of his wisdom and mercy. No guilt is so great, but there is that in Christ's blood which atones for it; no corruption so strong, but there is that in his grace which can subdue it. To be made clean we must commend ourselves to his pity; we cannot demand it as a debt, but we must humbly request it as a favour. Those who by faith apply to Christ for mercy and grace, may be sure that he is freely willing to give them the mercy and grace they thus seek. And those afflictions are blessed that bring us to know Christ, and cause us to seek help and salvation from him. Let those who are cleansed from their spiritual leprosy, go to Christ's ministers and open their case, that they may advise, comfort, and pray for them.

Verses 5-13 This centurion was a heathen, a Roman soldier. Though he was a soldier, yet he was a godly man. No man's calling or place will be an excuse for unbelief and sin. See how he states his servant's case. We should concern ourselves for the souls of our children and servants, who are spiritually sick, who feel not spiritual evils, who know not that which is spiritually good; and we should bring them to Christ by faith and prayers. Observe his self-abasement. Humble souls are made more humble by Christ's gracious dealings with them. Observe his great faith. The more diffident we are of ourselves, the stronger will be our confidence in Christ. Herein the centurion owns him to have Divine power, and a full command of all the creatures and powers of nature, as a master over his servants. Such servants we all should be to God; we must go and come, according to the directions of his word and the disposals of his providence. But when the Son of man comes he finds little faith, therefore he finds little fruit. An outward profession may cause us to be called children of the kingdom; but if we rest in that, and have nothing else to show, we shall be cast out. The servant got a cure of his disease, and the master got the approval of his faith. What was said to him, is said to all, Believe, and ye shall receive; only believe. See the power of Christ, and the power of faith. The healing of our souls is at once the effect and evidence of our interest in the blood of Christ.

Verses 14-17 Peter had a wife, yet was an apostle of Christ, who showed that he approved of the married state, by being thus kind to Peter's wife's relations. The church of Rome, which forbids ministers to marry, goes contrary to that apostle upon whom they rest so much. He had his wife's mother with him in his family, which is an example to be kind to our relations. In spiritual healing, the Scripture speaks the word, the Spirit gives the touch, touches the heart, touches the hand. Those who recover from fevers, commonly are weak and feeble some time after; but to show that this cure was above the power of nature, the woman was at once so well as to go about the business of the house. The miracles which Jesus did being noised abroad, many thronged to him. He healed all that were sick, though the patient was ever so mean, and the case ever so bad. Many are the diseases and calamities to which we are liable in the body; and there is more, in those words of the gospel, that Jesus Christ bore our sicknesses and carried our sorrows, to support and comfort us under them, than in all the writings of the philosophers. Let us not grudge labour, trouble, or expense in doing good to others.

Verses 18-22 One of the scribes was too hasty in promising; he proffers himself to be a close follower of Christ. He seems to be very resolute. Many resolutions for religion are produced by sudden conviction, and taken up without due consideration; these come to nothing. When this scribe offered to follow Christ, one would think he should have been encouraged; one scribe might do more credit and service than twelve fishermen; but Christ saw his heart, and answered to its thoughts, and therein teaches all how to come to Christ. His resolve seems to have been from a worldly, covetous principle; but Christ had not a place to lay his head on, and if he follows him, he must not expect to fare better than he fared. We have reason to think this scribe went away. Another was too slow. Delay in doing is as bad on the one hand, as hastiness in resolving is on the other. He asked leave to attend his father to his grave, and then he would be at Christ's service. This seemed reasonable, yet it was not right. He had not true zeal for the work. Burying the dead, especially a dead father, is a good work, but it is not thy work at this time. If Christ requires our service, affection even for the nearest and dearest relatives, and for things otherwise our duty, must give way. An unwilling mind never wants an excuse. Jesus said to him, Follow me; and, no doubt, power went with this word to him as to others; he did follow Christ, and cleaved to him. The scribe said, I will follow thee; to this man Christ said, Follow me; comparing them together, it shows that we are brought to Christ by the force of his call to us, ( Romans 9:16 ) .

Verses 23-27 It is a comfort to those who go down to the sea in ships, and are often in perils there, to reflect that they have a Saviour to trust in and pray to, who knows what it is to be on the water, and to be in storms there. Those who are passing with Christ over the ocean of this world, must expect storms. His human nature, like to ours in every thing but sin, was wearied, and he slept at this time to try the faith of his disciples. They, in their fear, came to their Master. Thus is it in a soul; when lusts and temptations are swelling and raging, and God is, as it were, asleep to it, this brings it to the brink of despair. Then it cries for a word from his mouth, Lord Jesus, keep not silence to me, or I am undone. Many that have true faith, are weak in it. Christ's disciples are apt to be disquieted with fears in a stormy day; to torment themselves that things are bad with them, and with dismal thoughts that they will be worse. Great storms of doubt and fear in the soul, under the power of the spirit of bondage, sometimes end in a wonderful calm, created and spoken by the Spirit of adoption. They were astonished. They never saw a storm so turned at once into a perfect calm. He that can do this, can do any thing, which encourages confidence and comfort in him, in the most stormy day, within or without, ( Isaiah 26:4 ) .

Verses 28-34 The devils have nothing to do with Christ as a Saviour; they neither have, nor hope for any benefit from him. Oh the depth of this mystery of Divine love; that fallen man has so much to do with Christ, when fallen angels have nothing to do with him! ( Hebrews 2:16 ) . Surely here was torment, to be forced to own the excellence that is in Christ, and yet they had no part in him. The devils desire not to have any thing to do with Christ as a Ruler. See whose language those speak, who will have nothing to do with the gospel of Christ. But it is not true that the devils have nothing to do with Christ as a Judge; for they have, and they know it, and thus it is with all the children of men. Satan and his instruments can go no further than he permits; they must quit possession when he commands. They cannot break his hedge of protection about his people; they cannot enter even a swine without his leave. They had leave. God often, for wise and holy ends, permits the efforts of Satan's rage. Thus the devil hurries people to sin; hurries them to what they have resolved against, which they know will be shame and grief to them: miserable is the condition of those who are led captive by him at his will. There are a great many who prefer their swine before the Saviour, and so come short of Christ and salvation by him. They desire Christ to depart out of their hearts, and will not suffer his word to have place in them, because he and his word would destroy their brutish lusts, those swine which they give themselves up to feed. And justly will Christ forsake all that are weary of him; and say hereafter, Depart, ye cursed, to those who now say to the Almighty, Depart from us.