CRITICAL NOTES
Matthew 8:16. When the even was come.—Or, as St. Luke has it, “while the sun was setting.” There were two reasons why the time should be thus specified.
1. It was natural that the sick should be brought in the cool of the evening, rather than in the scorching heat of the afternoon.
2. It was the Sabbath, and the feeling which made the Pharisees question the lawfulness of a man’s carrying the bed on which he had been lying (John 5:10), would probably have deterred the friends of the sick from bringing them as long as it lasted. But with sunset the Sabbath came to a close, and then they would feel themselves free to act (Plumptre). Possessed with devils.—Or demoniacs. Persons who had lost hold of the helm of self-control, and who were, in both body and mind, steered hither and thither, without any regard to the chart of reason, by malevolent spirits (Morison). But some hold a different view. “We cannot find more in this so-called devil-possession than an attempt to explain cases of disease which were obscure then, and are obscure still” (Tuck).
Matthew 8:17. Himself took our infirmities, etc. (Isaiah 53:4).—A more literal translation of the original Hebrew than is given in our Old Testament version (Morison).
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Matthew 8:14-17
One and all.—These two narratives, though in some respects different, may well be taken together. Both illustrate the special nature of the healing work of the Saviour. In the first story we see its singular completeness. In the second, its amazing extent. In the comment made on this second story, its wonderful depth.
I. Its singular completeness.—We see this, on the one hand, in the state of things with which the Saviour began. Coming into the house of Peter He finds his wife’s mother suffering from a fever. It appears to have been an attack of fever of a very serious kind. St. Luke, as a physician, seems to have especially noted this fact, and speaks of it as “great” (Luke 4:38). Its effects, however, of themselves, seem to have testified sufficiently to this fact. The sufferer’s strength had altogether given way under its fury. She was “laid”—almost she had “flung herself”—on the bed. Not even for such a guest as Jesus was she able to rise. The state of things that finally followed on this. Touching her hand—and “lifting her up” (Mark 1:31)—the Saviour both banished the fever and brought back her strength. Also (Mark 1:31 again), He did this “immediately” Also, yet more, He did it so that all her vigour came back. She was immediately as strong as she had been before the fever came on, and was soon engaged again in the same kind of duties as she attended to then. “She arose and ministered unto them”—unto Him (so some)—thus showing, if we adopt that reading, that He had touched her heart as well as her hand; and so that there was nothing deficient, in any way, in what He had done.
II. The amazing extent of Christ’s work.—How wide, in every way, in the second narrative is the area touched by His mercy! How wide, to begin, in mere number and magnitude. “When the even was come”—probably the eve after the Sabbath (Mark 1:31-32), when it would be lawful to do so—they “brought unto Him many.” So many (we learn from Mark 1:33), that “all the city was gathered together at the door.” How wide in variety also. Those who were “possessed with devils,” and so, in all probability, would not have come by themselves. Those who were suffering from sickness, and so, in all probability, could not have come by themselves. All these—all such of all sorts on that memorable evening to be found in that populous city—met together outside that door. What an assemblage they were! All differing in the nature, but none in the fact—and probably in the extremity—of their needs. Such and so, however, in no case, were they allowed to remain. The more there came the more there were “healed” (Matthew 8:16). He healed them “all.” The more varied their needs, the more varied His help. The greater their extremity, the more present His power (cf. Luke 5:17).
Oh! in what divers pains they met!
Oh! with what joy they went away!
III. Its wonderful depth.—There was more here beneath the surface than there was even upon it. There was the hidden power, in the first place, of the spirits of evil. All sickness is spoken of sometimes as being not unconnected with them (Job 2:6; Luke 13:16; Acts 10:38, etc.). There were some sicknesses which are spoken of as being in a special way connected with them. Such are mentioned here in Matthew 8:16; and still more explicitly in the parallel passage of Mark 1:32; Mark 1:34. We cannot doubt, therefore, even though we do not know how, that these were at work in this case. Also here again, beneath the surface—though not in such a way, therefore, as to be minutely followed by us—there was the operation of sin. For what is sin but the shadow of death? And what is “death” but “the wages of sin?” (Romans 6:23). And how could there be the shadow without the substance that casts it? And how the substance without its cause? And is not this truth implied also in those striking words of the prophet (Isaiah 33:24)? Not to say, also, that the general truth of the hand of the evil one in our sicknesses carries with it also the general truth of the presence of sin? For what could he do against us, with all his power, were it not for our sin? Lastly, there was here, beneath the surface, the atoning passion of Christ. How was it that He could so far deliver these victims of Satan and sin? Because He was about to do that which should deliver them from still worse! Because “by death” He was about to “destroy him that had the power of death, i.e. the devil” (Hebrews 2:14). Because as the “Lamb of God,” He was about to “take away the sins of the world;” and to “bear our sins in His own body on the tree.” Such were His sympathy with us, and His work for us in connection with our sins. It was the same spirit which He shows here in regard to our sorrows. “Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses.” We may say this because He actually did thus with regard to their roots.
Two brief pregnant truths follow from this:—
1. Jesus is the Saviour of all.—However many, however diverse, however needy those who come to Him for salvation, they cannot exhaust either His love or His power. “All fullness”—of every kind—“dwelleth” in Him.
2. Jesus is the Saviour of each.—He is as ready for one as He is for the multitude (Matthew 8:2; Matthew 8:6; Matthew 8:14; Matthew 8:16). “Him that cometh to Me”—not only them that come to Me—“I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37).
HOMILIES ON THE VERSES
Matthew 8:14-15. The healing of Peter’s wife’s mother.—
1. Marriage is lawful and honourable in the preachers of the gospel.
2. Christ will not disdain to visit the families of His own, how mean soever they be.
3. The special thing our Lord taketh notice of in the house He cometh unto is what aileth any in it, and what need they stand in of His help.
4. Christ will show His goodness and power as need be, for the comfort of His friends.
5. Although this might seem no great matter, in comparison of other miracles, yet faith will observe Christ’s Divine power in a little matter, as clearly as in the greatest work.
6. What benefit we receive of Christ ought to be employed for service to Him and His followers.—David Dickson.
Simon’s wife’s mother.—The noticeable features of the transaction are these:—
I. That this healing was done at the request of those around Jesus (Luke 4:38).—Jesus sought out many cases Himself, and healed them unasked. Here He gives examples numberless of the converse—for this was only the first of a whole crowd of such answered requests that afternoon and evening (Matthew 8:16)—direct seals of His own maxim, “ask and ye shall receive.” Ask, not only for yourselves, but for others. “Ask believing, and it shall be done unto you.”
II. The specific action with which the cure was accompanied.—The laying His hands upon the patient. This action seems to have characterised the whole group of healings which took place on this occasion, for St. Luke says of this great transaction, that “He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them” (Luke 4:40). The action, though not invariable, was a very frequent one with Him. We may regard it as giving a sacramental character to these healings. It was significant that the Sent of God and the Saviour of men should use such an action. It means that He comes as well to reverse the curse of disease and suffering as to remove the sin which brought it. That He absolves both from the guilt and from the yoke of sin and restores men to the favour of God.
III. The immediate and entire recovery of the patient.—In addition to the statement common to all the synoptic Gospels, that the completeness of the recovery was proved by the good dame’s prompt help at the table, St. Luke records the “rebuke” of the fever—a detail which would strike the mind of a physician. The transaction is utterly removed by these details out of the category of an ordinary event.—Prof. Laidlaw, D.D.
Matthew 8:14. Sin as a fever.—Sin may be likened unto a fever:—
I. In regard of the origin thereof.—Both arise within.
II. In regard of the nature thereof.—
1. The substance of the fever is a heat besides nature, which extinguisheth the natural heat. So the fire of concupiscence and lust of sin, doth extinguish the fire and heat of zeal.
2. The fever ariseth diversely, from divers humours. So sin sometimes ariseth from the lust of the flesh, sometimes from the lust of the eyes, sometimes from the pride of life.
3. There are two kinds of fever: a continual fever and a fever with some intermission. Some sin with intermissions of repentance, some sin perpetually.
III. In regard of the manner of the proceeding thereof.—
1. At first the fever makes us cold, but by and by we burn. So at first we are afraid of sin, by and by fearless thereof.
2. The fever inflames the whole body. So sin wounds and enfeebles us, from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot.
IV. In regard of the effects.—
1. The fever debilitates and weakens the whole man. So by sin we are so weakened that we are neither able to walk in the ways of God, nor run the race that He hath set before us, nor work out our salvation.
2. The fever in the understanding disturbs and takes away the use of reason, making a man not know what he saith or doth. And this is very often mortal and deadly. So, when men grow obstinate and bold in sinning, and are neither sensible of sin nor punishment, but will do whatsoever they will, it is an argument of a soul not distant from death.
3. The fever in the appetite produceth these effects:
(1) It loathes the most wholesome things. So sin makes us loathe good works and good counsel.
(2) It longs for that which is unwholesome. So we love the vain pleasures of sin, etc.
(3) There is a thirst not to be quenched or satisfied. So many are furious in sinning, and cannot cease to sin.
V. In regard of the end thereof.—Sometimes a fever ends in health and life of itself; sometimes it ends in health and life by the use of good means and the help of the physician; sometimes it ends in a sickly and weakly estate; sometimes it ends in death. Sin differs from a fever in that it cannot be cured of itself. It is cured and healed by Christ the only Physician of the soul.—Richard Ward.
Matthew 8:16. The healing Christ.—
1. No time was unseasonable to Christ, when people came to Him. “When the even was come,” when rest was due to Christ.
2. Among other effects which sin hath brought upon men, this is one, to be bodily possessed with devils.
3. There is no method of liberating men of devils but that they come, or be presented by others, to Christ.
4. Christ by His word or command can easily deliver men from deepest possession.
5. Never man came to Him to be helped whom He cured not; therefore justly do they perish who come not unto Him.—David Dickson.
Matthew 8:17. Christ bearing our sicknesses.—It is, at first blush, paradoxical to quote words which seem to express, not what the recovered crowds and their friends were enjoying, but what the Healer Himself was undertaking. But note the occasion. Not without significance are these words quoted in connection with this remarkable Sabbath day’s work. From morning to evening, and beyond evening into night, had Jesus been curing diseases—bodily, mental, and spiritual. He was, doubtless, much fatigued. Much virtue had gone out of Him. Much compassion had been excited within Him. He had found many harrowing cases of possession to deal with. Many sore distresses had been subjected to His view. True, He had been victorious over them all. It was a day of gladness in that place such as had never been seen since it was a place of human habitation, and doubtless the soul of Immanuel rejoiced in this outpouring of God-like help. But this well chosen citation directs our attention to some other aspects of the Lord’s healing offices. Think of the Son of God, the Eternal King of a city where no inhabitant can ever say, “I am sick,” now sojourning among suffering men. See what work ready for Him, what evils to grapple with in one little town of one obscure province of this dark earth, on one Sabbath afternoon. Then, think of His three years’ ministry, day after day healing, helping, suffering with and for men. Think, further, of the tremendous mass of human misery which Jesus Christ, through His blessed gospel, has come to remove, of the weight of His glorious but mighty undertaking, as it lay upon His mind during that compassionate, open-eyed public life of His in Judæa and Galilee. Think, finally, of the innumerable evils of humanity meeting upon Him—Him alone—who was to redeem us from them, and the force of the words will make itself felt.—Prof. Laidlaw, D.D.
Christ’s vicarious sufferings.—It is a further surprise, leading to a further expansion in the sense of this great utterance, to note that the words “took” and “bare” will not admit of being rendered merely “took away” or “carried off.” They are the proper terms for representative, place-taking, substitutionary suffering. Scholarship admits no other rendering of them. Now, at first sight, or on a superficial view, it does seem strange to say that Jesus “bare” or “carried,” like a surety or substitute, men’s sicknesses and infirmities when, in point of fact, He was sympathising with them, or better still, was relieving and removing them. But the truth is, in a great deal of our Christian teaching the central doctrine of atonement has been shrivelled up to a mere test-point of orthodoxy, instead of taking in the breadth of the Scriptures. Is not this quotation of the Evangelist a fresh light thrown on the vicarious work of Jesus? Not His death alone bare that character, but His life as well. The same redeeming energy was shown in these blessed healings as when in the latest and highest phase of it, He, through the Eternal Spirit, offered Himself without spot unto God. And the connection of the two sides of this great redemptive work becomes clear when we read the Scriptures in their own light. Accept the doctrinal standpoint of the sacred writers, and the whole becomes clear as a sunbeam. Suffering and disease are effects of sin and types of sin. The removal of disease, then, is an effect and a symbol of the removal of sin itself. And He who takes away the sin of the world is He who takes it upon Himself in life and death. As Jesus wrought these mighty and merciful works throughout the towns and villages of Galilee, He was showing Himself, by type and foretaste, the suffering, yet conquering Redeemer upon whom the Lord had laid that iniquity of us all from which all our pains and diseases flow.—Ibid.
Christ and affliction.—This central thought brings the diseases and sufferings of the children of God in every age within the sweep of that healing ministry of Jesus. There is more in this one line of the Gospel to support suffering Christians than in all the writings of the philosophers. Sicknesses and infirmities are to God’s children no longer of the curse, but within the covenant. He bore them for us in His passion; He bears them with us in His compassion. He can be touched with a feeling of them all. He touches them with the transmuting power of His love, and so makes them “light afflictions which are but for a moment, working out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”—Ibid.