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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 8:26 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 8:26 recounts an event where Jesus exhibits command over the natural elements as he calms a stormy sea.

The verse takes place after Jesus' disciples awaken him, terrified by a violent storm while they are out at sea in a boat. Jesus' question, "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" is a rebuke of the disciples' lack of trust in him despite having witnessed his miracles.

The phrase "O ye of little faith" is a common expression used by Jesus in the Gospels to address a lack of trust or reliance on God.

After questioning their faith, Jesus "rebuked the winds and the sea," causing a "great calm" to ensue.

His actions demonstrate his divine authority and power over creation, and make an implicit statement about the nature of faith in the face of fear and uncertainty.

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Historical Context

This event occurs in the Gospel of Matthew, which is generally believed to have been written for a Jewish-Christian audience between 80-90 AD.

The historical context of this account includes both the Jewish traditions regarding God's power over creation and the daily life experiences of those living around the Sea of Galilee, where sudden and fierce storms were not uncommon.

Furthermore, many of Jesus' disciples were fishermen and would have been acutely aware of the dangers these storms represented. The portrayal of Jesus calming the storm would have been a powerful image to Matthew's audience, illustrating Jesus' messianic role and divine authority.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, the calming of the storm is often interpreted as a sign of Jesus' divinity. The action underscores Jesus' sovereignty over the natural world, which in the Hebrew Scriptures is a characteristic attributed only to God.

Additionally, Jesus' challenge to his disciples about their fear and faith is a critical theological point. It implies that faith in Jesus should provide reassurance even in the most perilous circumstances.

Christian theology frequently emphasizes the importance of trusting in God's power and presence, interpreting events such as this as opportunities to deepen one's faith.

Practical Applications

The teaching of this verse can affect daily life in the form of increased trust in difficult or frightening situations.

The idea is not to dismiss fear but to confront and overcome it through faith.

Practically speaking, an individual facing hardship might draw courage and peace from the belief that God is ultimately in control, reassuring them in moments of trouble.

It can also encourage believers to emulate Jesus' peace in crisis, acting as a stabilizing influence for others.

Cross-References

Mark 4:39: "And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.

And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm."

Luke 8:24: "And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish.

Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm."

Psalm 107:29: "He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still."

Language Study

The original Greek words used in this verse carry significant meaning:

"Rebuked" (ἐπετίμησεν - epetimēsen) in the Greek can mean to censure or admonish vehemently, which implies authority over the rebuked object.
"Winds" (ἄνεμος - anemos) and "sea" (θάλασσα - thalassa) are mentioned, both literal and representative of chaotic forces in the ancient world.
"Great calm" (γαλήνη μεγάλη - galēnē megalē) indicates not only the physical calmness of the weather but also symbolically the restoration of order and tranquility by Jesus' command.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient cultures, deities were often believed to have power over natural elements. For example, in Greek mythology, Poseidon was the god of the sea and could both create and calm storms.

The Hebrew Scriptures present God as sovereign over nature, as seen in stories like the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus.

In calming the storm, Jesus is shown as having a similar authority, aligning him with the divine power found in the Hebrew tradition and distinguishing him from pagan deities by emphasizing his unifying force and protective care.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific standpoint, the command for the storm to cease and its obedience is a suspension of natural laws, which usually doesn't occur.

Typically, faith and science address different realms of human experience; in this case, the verse isn't trying to offer a natural explanation but instead communicates a theological truth about Jesus' authority.

Commentaries

Commentaries on this verse vary, but many agree on its primary function to illustrate Jesus' divine authority and encourage faith.

Some emphasize the disciples' human fear contrasting with Jesus' divine calm.

Others point out the literary structure where this miracle story acts as a teaching moment for the disciples and the reader about the nature of fear and faith.

The historical setting also influences commentaries, with some scholars considering the cultural and religious background that would shape the original audience's understanding of this event.

Matthew 8

Matthew 8

What does Matthew 8:26 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 8:26 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?