Matthew 8:1-17
Today’s Passage: Matthew 8:1-17
In Matthew 8, we see Jesus heal a leper, a servant and many more. At the end of chapter 7, the crowds marveled at the authority that Jesus spoke with, and now we see that authority on display in these miracles.
But more than just Jesus displaying his authority, we see people beginning to understand the authority that Jesus has. The Leper and the Centurion come to Jesus and acknowledge Him not as teacher or healer, but as Lord. They hold Him with high respect and declare that He can perform the miracles in question.
In healing the leper, Jesus makes him clean. Where this man's leprosy separated him from society and separated him from worship, Jesus cleansed him and made a way for him to live in relationship with God and others.
Centurions were Gentile Roman officers and at that time they were considered enemies to the Jews. But the centurion approaches Jesus with humility, coming to Jesus to heal his servant. When Jesus says that He will come to the centurion's house and heal the servant, the Centurion stops Jesus, asserting that he is unworthy to have Jesus under his roof.
Verse 9 shows how the centurion understands who Jesus is. He describes his own job as a Roman officer. He commands people to go and come and do things, and those people listen. When he says this to Jesus, he is affirming that that is the kind of authority that Jesus acts from. That Jesus has authority over all things.
Jesus’ authority is not a magic trick or a formula, He is the Word of God living among us. Just as God spoke everything into existence, Jesus walks with the authority to heal people at a word, and as he heals he fulfills the word.
“He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”
Today we see Jesus as the great healer and we see His authority over all things, but most importantly we see Him living out the Word. As Jesus heals we see the glimpses of how Jesus will ultimately heal creation by taking on our sin on the cross, and defeating our sin at his resurrection. Because of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice and victory we are cleansed, we are reconciled to him, and we can come before God in faith.
In Matthew 8, we see Jesus heal a leper, a servant and many more. At the end of chapter 7, the crowds marveled at the authority that Jesus spoke with, and now we see that authority on display in these miracles.
But more than just Jesus displaying his authority, we see people beginning to understand the authority that Jesus has. The Leper and the Centurion come to Jesus and acknowledge Him not as teacher or healer, but as Lord. They hold Him with high respect and declare that He can perform the miracles in question.
In healing the leper, Jesus makes him clean. Where this man's leprosy separated him from society and separated him from worship, Jesus cleansed him and made a way for him to live in relationship with God and others.
Centurions were Gentile Roman officers and at that time they were considered enemies to the Jews. But the centurion approaches Jesus with humility, coming to Jesus to heal his servant. When Jesus says that He will come to the centurion's house and heal the servant, the Centurion stops Jesus, asserting that he is unworthy to have Jesus under his roof.
Verse 9 shows how the centurion understands who Jesus is. He describes his own job as a Roman officer. He commands people to go and come and do things, and those people listen. When he says this to Jesus, he is affirming that that is the kind of authority that Jesus acts from. That Jesus has authority over all things.
Jesus’ authority is not a magic trick or a formula, He is the Word of God living among us. Just as God spoke everything into existence, Jesus walks with the authority to heal people at a word, and as he heals he fulfills the word.
“He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”
Today we see Jesus as the great healer and we see His authority over all things, but most importantly we see Him living out the Word. As Jesus heals we see the glimpses of how Jesus will ultimately heal creation by taking on our sin on the cross, and defeating our sin at his resurrection. Because of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice and victory we are cleansed, we are reconciled to him, and we can come before God in faith.
Written By: Paulette Black
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