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Matthew 8

When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,

And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.

And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.

And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.

So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.

And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

What does Matthew 8:11 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 8:11 delivers a powerful message about the inclusivity of God's kingdom.

On the surface, it speaks of many individuals coming from the east and west, regions beyond Israel, to recline at the table with the patriarchs of the Jewish faith: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The "east and west" metaphorically represent the entire world, indicating that people of all nations are invited.

The act of sitting down together connotes fellowship and acceptance.

At a deeper level, the verse challenges the contemporary Jewish belief that the Messiah's coming would benefit Jews exclusively. Jesus indicates that faith rather than lineage or ethnicity is what grants access to the kingdom of heaven.

This verse hints at the Gentiles' inclusion in God’s salvation plan and is a foretaste of the global mission of the church to spread the gospel to all nations.

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

At the time when Matthew 8:11 was written, Israel was under Roman occupation, and there was a strong sense of Jewish nationalism and a desire for a Messiah who would restore Israel's independence.

The religious leaders of the day taught that God's promises were exclusively for Israel, the chosen people.

However, Jesus often challenged these exclusionary views in his teachings.

In the context of Matthew 8, this verse follows Jesus' encounter with the Roman centurion, whose servant Jesus healed. The centurion's great faith, despite being a Gentile, impressed Jesus and served as a contrast to the lack of faith He found among His own people.

Theological Insights

The verse Matthew 8:11 offers significant theological insights from various Christian perspectives:

Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity see this verse as a confirmation of the Church's universality and its mission to evangelize. They stress the importance of the Eucharist as the fulfillment of this "sitting down" in God's kingdom where all faithful are united.
Protestantism, particularly within evangelical traditions, often interprets the verse as a call to missions, reflective of Jesus' Great Commission to make disciples of all nations.

Some reformed theologians may also tie this to the doctrine of election, suggesting that God's saving grace extends to those chosen from all corners of the earth, not only to ethnic Israel.

Emerging Christian Thought sometimes uses this verse to discuss inclusivity within the church, suggesting that it points to the breaking down of barriers not only of race and nationality but also of gender, class, and other societal divisions.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, Matthew 8:11 can inspire believers to pursue several applications in their lives:

Embrace Diversity: Christians can apply this teaching by welcoming people from different cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds into their faith communities.
Mission and Evangelism: This verse can motivate Christians to share their faith with people from all walks of life, just as Jesus reached out to the Gentiles.
Hospitality: Believers can show hospitality, as sitting at the table with others is symbolic of fellowship and community.

Cross-References

Luke 13:29: "And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God."
Genesis 12:3: "And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."
Isaiah 49:6: "And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth."
Revelation 7:9: "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;"

Language Study

Key words in Matthew 8:11, when translated from Greek, carry significant meanings:

"Many" (Greek: πολλοί - polloi): This plural word doesn't quantify exactly how many, but suggests a large number or multitude.
"Shall come" (Greek: ἥξουσιν - hēxousin): This is a future tense verb indicating a definite action that will take place.
"Sit down" (Greek: ἀνακλιθήσονται - anaklithēsontai): Traditionally used for reclining at a meal, signifying a position of rest and fellowship at a feast.
"Kingdom of Heaven" (Greek: βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν - basileia tōn ouranōn): Referring to God’s reign or realm, specified by Matthew with "of heaven" to respect the Jewish practice of not articulating the name of God.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Matthew 8:11 finds parallels in other cultures and religions that have concepts of an inclusive afterlife or a place of honor where the faithful convene:

Ancient Greek Mythology often spoke of the Elysian Fields, a final resting place for the worthy.
Islam teaches that people of various backgrounds who are righteous will enter paradise.
Buddhism describes a pure land, Sukhavati, in Mahayana traditions where the faithful can be born again due to their devotion and merit.

Scientific Perspectives

The scientific community typically does not comment on spiritual or metaphysical concepts like heaven given their non-empirical nature.

However, it might examine the social and psychological impacts of inclusive religious beliefs on human behavior and society, including increased social cohesion and reduced prejudice among diverse groups.

Commentaries

Scholars and theologians offer diverse insights into Matthew 8:11:

John Calvin commented on the verse emphasizing the Gentiles' inclusion and warning against the presumption of the Jews of their own place in God's kingdom.
Matthew Henry noted the grace of God extending to the Gentiles and the foreshadowing of the fall of unfaithful Israel.
William Barclay stressed the revolutionary nature of Jesus' statement, highlighting the breadth of God’s love and the openness of the kingdom to all.
Modern Commentators like N.T. Wright point to this as evidence of Jesus' challenging of ethnic boundaries and the declaration of a new family of Abraham based on faith, not blood.

Matthew 8

Matthew 8

What does Matthew 8:11 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 8:11 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?