Jesus Heals Every Disease!

¹ Large crowds followed Jesus as He came down the mountainside. ² Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached Him and knelt (worshipped) before Him. “Lord,” the man said, “if You are willing, You can heal me and make me clean.” ³ Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” He said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. ⁴ Then Jesus said to him, “Do not tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the Law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy (cf. Leviticus 14:2-32). This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”

⁵ When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer (centurion) came and pleaded with Him, ⁶ “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.” ⁷ Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” ⁸ But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have You come into my home. Just say the word from where You are, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” ¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, He was amazed. Turning to those who were following Him, He said, “I tell you the truth, I have not seen faith like this in all Israel! ¹¹ And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. ¹² But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ¹³ Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.

¹⁴ When Jesus arrived at Peter’s house, Peter’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. ¹⁵ But when Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her. Then she got up and prepared a meal for Him. ¹⁶ That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and He healed all the sick. ¹⁷ This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, “He took our sicknesses (weakness, infirmities) and removed our diseases (cf. Isaiah 53:4).”

¹⁸ When Jesus saw the crowd around Him, He instructed His disciples to cross to the other side of the lake. ¹⁹ Then one of the teachers of religious law (scribe) said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever you go.” ²⁰ But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay His head.” ²¹ Another of His disciples said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” ²² But Jesus told him, “Follow Me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.” Matthew 8:1-22 (NLT)

Following Jesus’ great Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapters 8 and 9 contains ten great miracles of Jesus. Jesus was not only great with words but also with deeds. Matthew 4:23 summarized Jesus’ ministry as “teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people” (Matthew 4:23, NIV).

Coming down the mountain, Jesus first healed a leper with an infectious skin disease (Matthew 8:2-4; see also Leviticus 13). Then, Jesus healed a Roman centurion’s young servant lying in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain (Matthew 8:5-13). The Roman centurion was a Gentile (non-Jew) with exemplary faith (Matthew 8:10). Next, Jesus healed Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, a housewife, who was sick with fever (Matthew 8:14-17). By evening, Jesus healed many demon-possessed people, cast out evil spirits with a simple command, and healed all the sick (Matthew 8:16-17; see also Mark 1:32-34).

For Matthew, Jesus’ miraculous healing power had no limits as Jesus healed every disease and every affliction among the people (Matthew 8:16; see also Mark 1:29-34; Luke 4:38-41). Thus, Jesus’ life and ministry fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy from Isaiah that “He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains” (Matthew 8:17; see also Isaiah 53:4, HCSB). Jesus is “God our Savior” and He has healing power over all sin, sickness, and infirmities to bring our salvation (restoration) (Matthew 11:2-6; see also Psalm 107:19-20; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9). In these verses, Jesus’ miraculous healing revealed His endless tender mercy to save and restore all people – men, women, Jews and Gentiles, young and old – who turn to Him in faith and worship (Matthew 8:2, 13; see also Matthew 15:21-28).

After Jesus’ miraculous healings, Matthew inserts a brief story about discipleship. As great crows continued to follow Jesus, two would-be disciples approached Him. First, a teacher of religious law (scribe) wanted to be Jesus’ disciple (Matthew 8:19). Jesus replied to the would-be disciple that following Him will mean hardship, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20, NLT). With this phrase, Jesus informed the would-be disciple that the Christian life is not one of ease and comfort. Then, another would-be disciple approached Jesus to follow Him but first he requested to bury his father (Matthew 8:21). Some scholars interpret this verse as the would-be disciple’s request to follow Jesus according to his personal scheduling and timing (Matthew 8:21). The point Matthew seeks to make is that no obligation, no job, and no desire can pre-exempt following Jesus (see also Matthew 4:18-22; Matthew 9:9). Even family loyalty does not to take priority over following Jesus. Everything and everyone must yield to Jesus FIRST! True discipleship demands wholehearted love and faithful allegiance to the true and living God and His Son, Jesus (Matthew 6:33-34; see also Deuteronomy 6:4-6; Matthew 10:37; Matthew 22:37).

Also, Matthew 8 gives the first use of Jesus’ title “Son of Man” (Matthew 8:20). “Son of Man” is a title for Jesus that comes from Daniel 7:13-14. This title reveals Jesus’ Messianic name and His claim to Kingship.

Reference                      

Ross, Mark E. Let’s Study Matthew (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2009).

Wiersbe, Warren W. Bible Exposition Commentary – New Testament (Victor Books, 1989).