1When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 3And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4And 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.
Many crowds of people were following Jesus when He came down from the mountain, but God arranged for this leper to have one-to-One audience with Him. This leper believed that Jesus had the power to heal him. His only question was whether or not Jesus would be willing to heal him. Perhaps he had said to himself, “How could anyone like Jesus be willing to help someone as disgusting as I am?” But Jesus demonstrated His willingness in the most effective way possible: He reached out His hand and touched this man who was covered with sores. And He said, “I will; be thou clean.” The leper was immediately healed.
Leprosy is the only disease or sickness in the New Testament for which healing is called “cleansing.” According to Leviticus 13:45-46, a leper was to live alone outside the camp of Israel and to warn people about his disease by crying out, “Unclean! Unclean!” It seems that in the Bible, leprosy symbolized sin.
Leviticus 5:3 says that if a person touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal…then he shall be guilty. But Jesus reached out and touched this man that the Mosaic Law declared to be unclean. Was that wrong? In the Sermon on the Mount and throughout the book of Matthew, Jesus emphasizes that it is the intent of the Law that is the issue. The intent of the Law was to teach a separation between holy and unholy, not to hinder mercy or healing.
After He healed the leprous man, Jesus told him not to tell anyone but to go and show himself to the priest and to offer the gift which the Law commanded. It was not Jesus’ goal to attract a bigger crowd or to heal people’s physical illnesses only. He came to bring long-term healing to Israel and to the world through a right knowledge of Him. The Law given to Moses clearly specified what a leper who had been cleansed was supposed to do. On the eighth day after his cleansing the leper was to bring a trespass offering, a sin offering, a burnt offering, and a grain offering with oil. The priest would then do with these offerings as God had commanded (see Leviticus 14:10-32). Each of these offerings pictured the work of Christ in sacrificing Himself for our sins. Jesus told the leper who had been healed that this would be “a testimony to them.” “Priest” is singular, but “them” is plural. When the leper brought these offerings to the priest, he would be giving testimony to the whole nation that he was made clean by what the Messiah would do in His death for them all – and that the Person who healed him was that awaited Messiah.
5And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8The 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. 9For 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.
We know from Matthew 4:13 that Jesus was living at that time in Capernaum, a city on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Luke explains (Luke 7:1-10) that the centurion sent some of the elders of the Jews to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant. The elders came and told Jesus that this centurion was worthy of being helped because he loved Israel and had built the synagogue for them. Then, when Jesus was on the way to the centurion’s house, the centurion sent friends to tell Jesus just to speak the word and his servant would be healed.
But Matthew didn’t mention the Jewish elders or the friends of the centurion at all. Why the difference? Probably Matthew wanted to emphasize that from Jesus’ point of view, this was an encounter with the centurion himself. Matthew’s account tells us that even if there had been no intermediaries, Jesus would still have gone to heal the centurion’s servant.
There is a similar situation in Matthew 20:20-23. In that passage the mother of Jesus’ disciples James and John came to Him and asked that her two sons be allowed to sit at His right and left hand in His kingdom. But when Jesus replied, He did not answer James’ and John’s mother at all. He directed his answer to the two disciples themselves. And when Mark told about the same event (Mark 10:35-40), he didn’t mention the disciples’ mother at all.
The point is that this non-Jewish Roman soldier recognized that Jesus was so great that even he a centurion had no credentials for asking him to come into his house. Also, this Roman soldier believed that Jesus could heal his servant by just commanding that it happen.
10When 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. 11And 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. 12But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13And 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.
Jesus had just come from teaching about the kingdom of heaven in the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew first told us about Jesus’ cleansing of a leper. Now he is telling us about Jesus’ acceptance of the faith of a Roman soldier. Both of these encounters are with outsiders. Both were people that most in Israel would see as defiling. But Jesus makes clear that the criterion for entrance into the kingdom of heaven is not having place physically in the nation of Israel. The requirement is faith.
Jesus said that people will come into the kingdom of heaven from the east and west while others who were born into the nation of Israel will be cast out into outer darkness. Jews were and are “the children of the kingdom” that Jesus spoke of; by birth, they would be the natural heirs of the promises to Abraham, which promises are and will be fulfilled in Jesus’ kingdom. But who gets into the kingdom – an unbelieving person who has a religious heritage or a believing person totally from the outside? Jesus said that people like the believing Roman soldier get in; but unbelievers, even if they have a religious heritage, do not.
Jesus said that in the place called the “outer darkness” there would be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is surely the same place that Jesus called “hell” in Matthew 5:22 and 5:30. In 5:22 He spoke of hell as a place of fire. The gnashing of teeth may refer to the anger of the people who go there (see Acts 7:54). Jesus was warning the Jews at that time about hell, and His warning is also for us today.
14And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. 15And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. 16When 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: 17that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
The world that Jesus came to was not well. Everywhere that He went there was sickness – even in the home of the apostle Peter. And many were brought to Him that were possessed with demons.
In the Old Testament record of Israel’s history, there is not much mention of demon possession. Why was it so widespread while Jesus was here? Surely Satan was doing whatever he could to oppose Jesus and to hinder the coming of the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus cast out the spirits of the demons by just speaking a word, and He healed all the sick who were coming or being brought to Him. Verse 17 is a quote from Isaiah 53:4: “Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.” This is very profound. The next verse in Isaiah 53 says, But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Peter speaks of this healing in I Peter 2:24: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. Every descendant of Adam is sick both in soul and in body. Sickness and death are consequences of Adam’s sin that has been placed in the account of and is effective in each of his descendants. At the cross Jesus took on Himself Adam’s sin and our sins. In the future He will raise up from the grave everyone who has believed in Him. We will have a new body that is free from sickness and death.
When Jesus healed the sick while He was here, He showed that He is the One that Isaiah prophesied about. When Jesus healed the sick, He was thus removing a physical consequence of Adam’s sin in those He healed. He did this on the basis of the payment that He would make for that sin at the cross. And, since Jesus healed all the sick in the crowds around Him, we know that His death would be sufficient for the sins of all people.
If Jesus took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses at the cross when He bore our sins, why do people – and especially, why do believers in Him – still get sick? In the letter the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, he said, Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick (II Timothy 4:20). Paul also wrote that his fellow-laborer Epaphroditus was sick nigh unto death (Philippians 2:27). Paul did not say that healing for them was certain. We know that people, including true and faithful believers in Christ, do get sick and do die. Sometimes God restores a person to physical health for a time, but sometimes He does not. If the decision were left with us, we would choose no sickness, no aging, and no death. Thankfully, the time for that will come because Jesus took all the consequences of our sins on Himself at the cross. But when that time comes, God will also give us a new body that is free from sin and its effects.
18Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. 19And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 20And 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. 21And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 22But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
Many crowds of people had gathered around Jesus, but His goal was not to gather crowds. His exaltation would not come through human means, and He knew that He had to go to the cross first. He gave commandment to depart to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Two people approached Jesus at this juncture. They probably were not just part of the crowds of people that were present. The second one is called “another of His disciples.” “Disciple” (Greek: “μαθητης”) means “learner.” Both of these people were learners, men who wanted to hear Jesus’ words. The challenge for both of them at this point was whether or not to become also a “follower” of Jesus.
The first person who approached Jesus was a Jewish religious scribe. Probably he was impressed by this religious teacher Jesus whose words were profound, who did miracles, and was sought after by crowds of people. This scribe said, “Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.” But Jesus answered him by warning him that He Jesus Himself did not even have any certain place to stay.
The second person who approached Jesus said, “Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.” We know that the Law of Moses commanded, Honour thy father and thy mother (Exodus 20:12), but Jesus answered this man by telling him to “let the dead bury their dead.” It seems likely that this man’s father had not yet died. Rather, the man wanted to go and stay with his father until he died and the heirs received their inheritance. In other words, the man didn’t want to risk losing his part. Jesus told this man, “Follow me.”
Both of these men were learners of Jesus’ words. The one who called Jesus “Master” or “Teacher” (Greek: “διδασκαλος”) wanted to follow Him but didn’t understand the cost. The one who called Jesus “Lord” knew that he should follow Him but didn’t want to pay the price.
What does it mean to follow Jesus? Following Jesus is more than just being a believer and a learner. But following Jesus doesn’t always mean getting on a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee. Jesus told the leper in verses 1-4 to go show himself to the priest. The centurion in verses 5-13 went back to his duty as a soldier. Peter’s wife’s mother who was healed in verses 14-15 remained in the home. In Matthew 4:19 Jesus told Peter and Andrew, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Even for Peter and Andrew, following Jesus did not mean always going where He went. It meant “follow in order to be put to work.” Each of us who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ needs to be first a learner of His Word. Then we need to make a decision to follow Him by doing His will for us. That may mean crossing a sea, and it may mean staying at home. But there will be a cost in following Him. We need to be aware of the cost and be willing to pay the price.
Jesus used the title “Son of Man” of Himself 32 times in the book of Matthew. The first time is in verse 20 above. By using this title, Jesus was identifying Himself as the Person that the prophet Daniel saw in his vision 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. 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.
Jesus is the Son of Man, the One who will be exalted as King over all the nations of the earth. But Jesus said that while He was here at His first coming, the Son of Man had no place to lay His head. At His first coming, the eternal Son of God humbled Himself to the point of death to become our Savior.
The title “Son of Man” is used in all four Gospels. It is also found once in the book of Acts and twice in the book of Revelation. But it is never found in any of the epistles of the New Testament. Probably that’s because from the time of Jesus’ resurrection, His humiliation was over. As the commentator Ellicott pointed out (Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers; notes on Matthew 8:20), the fact that the title “Son of Man” is found in the Gospels but not in the epistles is one confirmation of the early date of writing of the four Gospels.
23And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26And 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. 27But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
In verse 18, Jesus “gave commandment to depart unto the other side.” Then He got into a ship, and His disciples followed Him. As they sailed from Capernaum toward the other side of the Sea of Galilee, a storm arose. But this storm was not like other storms that took place on that sea. The word translated “tempest” in verse 24 is found 14 times in the New Testament. In all of the other occurrences of this word it is translated “earthquake.” What happened that day on the Sea of Galilee was an earthquake. The ship was covered with the waves. At least four of the disciples were fishermen by trade, but even they could see no way to survive this storm by natural means.
But Jesus was asleep. His disciples woke Him up, saying, “Lord, save us: we perish.” Jesus first reproved the disciples for the littleness of their faith and then rebuked the winds and the sea. The result was a great calm. The fact that Jesus rebuked the winds and the sea tells us that there was a personal force behind the storm. Satan wanted to destroy Jesus and His disciples.
What was it that the disciples should have held onto in the middle of an earthquake at sea? How could they have had more faith in a time like that? Jesus had given commandment that they go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. If Jesus was just a man, then the journey might not work out as He’d said. But if Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, then they could be sure that they would make it to the other side. Also, Jesus’ sleep was itself both a sign and a test for the disciples. If He was just a man, then His being asleep could mean that things had gotten out of control. But if Jesus was God’s Anointed One, the Son of God, then He was perfectly governed by the Holy Spirit at all times. If His Father said that it was safe to sleep, then it was safe. For the disciples, the storm forced the issue of who Jesus really was.
The disciples’ faith was “little,” but it wasn’t zero. They did believe that Jesus could save them. And in their fear, they were right to go to Him. Through this storm they got a clearer understanding of Jesus’ authority. Verse 27 says that “the men marvelled.” Probably there were other men in the boat besides Jesus and His disciples. All of them recognized that no ordinary man could command and be obeyed by the winds and waves. They had to recognize that Jesus was different from all other men.
28And 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. 29And, 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? 30And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. 31So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. 32And 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. 33And 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. 34And, 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.
When Jesus arrived at the other side of the Sea of Galilee, two men indwelt by demons came out from an area where there were graves and met Him. Matthew says that the two men were “exceeding fierce.” They cried out to Jesus, “What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” Clearly the demons within the men knew Jesus’ name, they knew that He was the Son of God, and they knew that He had the authority and power to torment them then if He chose to do so. Their words, “before the time” tell us that the demons also knew that there would come a time in the future when they would be judged in a final way.
At some distance away from the place where the two men met Jesus, there was a herd of many pigs. Mark tells us that there were about 2000 of them (Mark 5:13). This area across the Sea of Galilee was part of the land that Moses had given to the tribe of Manasseh (see Deut. 3:13-15; Joshua 13:29-31). The covenant of Law that God made with Israel was still in effect at that time, and the Law forbade the eating of pork (Leviticus 11:7-8). So Jesus encountered several bad situations at the same time – two men whose lives were brutalized by demon possession, the presence of the demons themselves, and a herd of pigs grazing on land that rightly belonged to Israel.
The demons understood that Jesus was going to cast them out of the two men. They asked Him to let them go into the herd of pigs. We know from Matthew 12:43-45 and from this passage that demons seek embodiment. Jesus told the demons to go. When the demons entered the pigs, the whole herd rushed down the slope into the waters of the Sea of Galilee and were drowned. This link with the herd of swine is a clear proof that the two men were not just insane. Demonic beings went out of the two men and went into a herd of 2000 pigs.
The keepers of the herd of swine went into the town and told people what had happened to the herd of pigs and to the men whom Jesus saved from demon possession. Both Mark and Luke speak of only one man from whom Jesus cast out the demons. Mark and Luke tell us that when the people from the town came to see what had happened, they found the man sitting, clothed, and in his right mind (Mark 5:15; Luke 8:35). When Jesus left that area, this man asked Jesus to let him go with Him (Mark 5:18; Luke 8:38). Probably that’s why Mark and Luke told about only one man; they told about the one who wanted to follow Jesus after he was saved from the demons. Jesus told the man to go home and tell others what God had done for him.
The response of the people from the town was not as enlightened as that of the man who had been rescued from the demons. Luke tells us that the people were afraid (Luke 8:37), so they asked Jesus to leave. If they had responded differently, surely many more people in that region would have experienced Jesus’ saving work in their lives.
In these verses we see Jesus’ authority over Satan. Also, we see that He worked in such a way that two evils destroyed one another. The demons asked to enter the pigs. The pigs drowned themselves, thus leaving the demons with no home. In the matter of the swine, Jesus did not accommodate His working to the ways of the pigs’ owners who were doing contrary to God’s Law. And especially, Jesus brought complete wellness to two men who had been brutalized by Satan’s emissaries.
Note: All Scriptures are quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.