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 8:3 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 8:3 recounts a moment where Jesus performs a healing miracle.

In these passages, a man with leprosy comes to Jesus and expresses faith that Jesus can make him clean.

Leprosy, at the time, was a skin disease often associated with impurity and caused individuals to become social outcasts.

Jesus' response, "I will; be thou clean," indicates a deliberate choice to heal the man.

His touch, which was considered taboo as it defied the customary avoidance of lepers, showcases Jesus' compassion and willingness to break social norms to help the suffering.

The healing is immediate, emphasizing the divine power Jesus possesses.

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Historical Context

At the time Matthew's Gospel was written, leprosy was a feared disease that had no cure.

Leprosy made individuals ritually unclean according to Jewish law, leading to their isolation from the community.

The act of touching a leper would typically render a person ceremonially unclean as well, but Jesus' touch instead brings cleanliness and restoration.

The narrative occurs early in Jesus' ministry, setting a precedent for his role as a healer and his mission to reach marginalized individuals.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, Jesus' healing of the man with leprosy is significant for several reasons.

Firstly, it confirms the Messianic identity of Jesus, as it fulfills the prophecies of miracles accompanying the Messiah.

Secondly, it illustrates the concepts of purity and impurity, with Jesus demonstrating that he is the source of true cleanliness.

Additionally, the nature of Jesus' miracles often illustrates the breaking in of the Kingdom of God, where disease and impurity are abolished.

Different denominations draw various insights from this verse.

For example, Roman Catholics see it as evidence of Jesus' compassion, which underpins many of their social teachings.

Protestant traditions often emphasize the faith of the leper, reinforcing the doctrine of salvation through faith.

Eastern Orthodox Christians might view this event as a manifestation of God's energy, which heals and restores creation.

Practical Applications

This verse encourages believers to express compassion towards the marginalized and to break down societal barriers that separate people.

Practically, this can be reflected in actions like volunteering with vulnerable communities or offering support to those ostracized due to illness or stigma.

It also provides a model for interceding on behalf of others through prayer, particularly when someone is in need of physical or spiritual healing.

Cross-References

Mark 1:40-42: "And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.

And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed."

Luke 5:12-13: "And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean.

And immediately the leprosy departed from him."

Language Study

The key words in this verse in Greek are as follows:

"ἥψατο" (hapsato): "he touched" - The verb not only indicates physical contact but carries connotations of commencing an action and imparting something.
"καθαρίζω" (katharizō): "be thou clean" - Often used for ritual purification, reflecting the not just physical but also religious and social implications of the healing.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In various ancient cultures, lepers were often considered cursed and cast out.

The act of healing a leper could be seen as reversing a curse in those cultures as well.

For instance, in Hinduism, illness could sometimes be perceived as a consequence of karma, and healing would involve a change in one's karmic path.

In the context of Judaism, Jesus' healing demonstrated divine authority over the ritual laws of cleanliness and purity that governed societal interactions.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific point of view, leprosy is known as Hansen's disease and is caused by bacteria.

It is now treatable with antibiotics, though in ancient times, it was incurable and highly stigmatizing.

The immediate healing described in the verse goes beyond natural processes, suggesting that the text is not referring to a naturalistic healing but a miraculous event that supersedes known medical understanding.

Commentaries

Various expert commentaries focus on different aspects of this narrative.

Albert Barnes notes the significance of Jesus not only being willing to heal the leper but also choosing to touch him, an action of deep compassion and disregard for religious impurity.

The Pulpit Commentary discusses the immediate effect of Jesus' word, emphasizing the completeness of the healing as instant and miraculous.

Furthermore, John Calvin speaks to the leper's faith in approaching Jesus, underscoring the belief in Jesus' ability to make him clean, a key element often explored by theologians.

The consensus among commentators is that this verse demonstrates the nature of Jesus' ministry, his divine authority, and the compassionate outreach to those on the fringes of society.

Matthew 8

Matthew 8

What does Matthew 8:3 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 8:3 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?