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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 8:13 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 8:13 is a verse that captures a moment of healing and faith involving Jesus, a Roman centurion, and the centurion's gravely ill servant.

Jesus acknowledges the centurion's exceptional faith in his ability to heal from a distance and assures the centurion that his servant will be healed just as he believed.

Implicit in this verse is the idea that the centurion's faith itself is a powerful force in the healing process.

The healing is said to have occurred in the same hour, indicating an immediate response to faith and an affirmation that Jesus' power transcends physical presence and constraints of time.

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

This verse is situated within the Gospel of Matthew, which was written primarily for a Jewish audience in the first century AD.

Matthew often highlights how Jesus fulfills Hebrew prophecies and emphasizes the extension of God's promises beyond the Jews to include the Gentiles.

The centurion, as a Roman officer, represents a Gentile figure who exhibits faith in Jesus.

This occurs in a context where Jewish leaders were often depicted as lacking faith, thus furthering the theme of the inclusive nature of Jesus' ministry and the burgeoning Christian movement.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse offers several insights:

Faith and Healing: It illustrates the Christian belief in the connection between faith and miraculous healing.
Authority of Jesus: The centurion's recognition of Jesus' authority, even over illness, without requiring His physical presence, suggests a high Christological view of Jesus – one that acknowledges his divine power.
Inclusivity of the Gospel: The healing of a Gentile's servant by Jesus reinforces the theological concept of the universal offer of salvation and the breaking down of barriers between Jews and Gentiles.
Power of the Word: It highlights the power inherent in Jesus' word.

The healing at a distance implies that Jesus' commands are effective irrespective of spatial limitations.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, Matthew 8:13 can be applied in the following ways:

Faith in Action: Encourages individuals to actively trust in God's ability to work beyond human understanding or limitations.
Inclusivity: Prompts believers to embrace a spirit of inclusivity, reflecting on the centurion as an example of faith regardless of ethnic or social background.
Prayer and Healing: Supports the practice of prayer for healing, suggesting that physical proximity is not a prerequisite for divine intervention.
Authority and Submission: Teaches believers about the importance of recognizing and submitting to the authority of Christ in all aspects of life.

Cross-References

Matthew 15:28 - "Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.

And her daughter was made whole from that very hour."

Luke 7:6-10 - Discusses a parallel account of the centurion's faith and his servant's healing.
Mark 11:24 - "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."
Matthew 9:22 - "But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.

And the woman was made whole from that hour."

Language Study

The key words in the original Greek language of this verse are pivotal for understanding:

"πιστεύω" (pisteuō) - translated as "believed," this verb carries the meaning of trusting or having faith in.
"γένηται" (genētai) - often rendered "be it done," a form of the verb "γίνομαι" (ginomai), which means to become or come to pass.

It is in the imperative mood, indicative of a command.

"ὥρα" (hōra) - translated as "hour," signifying a definite, often short, period of time, emphasizing the immediacy of the servant's healing.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In this verse, one can draw comparisons with other cultures and religions that have stories of miraculous healings or reverence for faith:

Ancient Roman tales often depicted gods or demigods performing healings based on pleas or offerings.
Within other religious texts, such as the Hindu epics, there are instances where characters display faith in the divine, and miracles occur in response.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern science approaches healing in the context of evidence-based medicine.

While faith is often seen as outside the realm of scientific analysis, the placebo effect acknowledges that patients' beliefs and expectations can sometimes result in perceived or actual improvement in health.

Commentaries

Reputable biblical scholars and theologians offer various interpretations:

William Barclay notes the centurion's understanding of authority and connects it with Jesus' spiritual authority over life and health.
John Calvin emphasizes the necessity of faith in receiving God's promises, taking the centurion as an example of true confidence in Christ's word.
**R.T.

France** discusses the implications of a Gentile's faith being commended by Jesus in the predominantly Jewish religious context of the time.

Matthew 8

Matthew 8

What does Matthew 8:13 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 8:13 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?