Matthew 8:16 Komentář

The evangelist having, in the foregoing chapters, given us a specimen of our Lord's preaching, proceeds now to give some instances of the miracles he wrought, which prove him a Teacher come from God, and the great Healer of a diseased world. In this chapter we have, I. Christ's cleansing of a leper (Mat 8:1-4). II. His curing a palsy and fever (Mat 8:5-18). III. His communing with two that were disposed to follow him (Mat 8:19-22). IV. His controlling the tempest (Mat 8:23-27). V. His casting out devils (Mat 8:28-34).

When he was come down from the mountain,.... Into which he went up, and preached the sermon recorded in the "three" preceding chapters: great multitudes followed him: which is mentioned, partly to shew, that the people which came from several parts, still continued with him, being affected with his discourses and miracles; and partly on account of the following miracle, of healing the leper, which was not done in a corner, but before great multitudes, who were witnesses of it: though some think this miracle was wrought more privately.

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet,.... In Isa 53:4 "He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows", here rendered, himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses: very agreeable to the Hebrew text, "he himself", not another; "took up", upon himself voluntarily, freely, as a man lifts up a burden, and takes it on his shoulders; "our infirmities", diseases, sicknesses, whether of body or soul, , "and bare", or carried, as a man does a burden upon his back, "our sicknesses", or diseases, which occasion pain and sorrow. And that these words are spoken of the Messiah, the Jews themselves own; for among the names they give to the Messiah, "a leper" is one; which they prove from this passage (u). "The Rabbins say, "a leper" of the house of Rabbi is his name; as it is said, "surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted". Says R. Nachman, if he is of the living, he is as I am, as it is said, Jer 30:21 Says Rab, if of the living, he is as our Rabbi, the holy.'' Upon which last clause the gloss is, "If the Messiah is of them that are alive, our Rabbi the holy is he, "because he bears infirmities".'' Elsewhere (w) they say, "There is one temple that is called the temple of the sons of afflictions; and when the Messiah comes into that temple, and reads all the afflictions, all the griefs, and all the chastisements of Israel, which come upon them, then all of them shall come upon him: and if there was any that would lighten them off of Israel, and take them upon himself, there is no son of man that can bear the chastisements of Israel, because of the punishments of the law; as it is said, "surely he hath borne our griefs", &c.'' And in another ancient book (x) of their's, God is represented saying to the Messiah, , "wilt thou bear chastisements", in order to remove their iniquities? (the iniquities of the children of God,) as it is written, "surely he hath borne our griefs": he replied, "I will bear them with joy".'' Hence it is manifest, that according to the mind of the ancient Jews, this passage belongs to the Messiah, and is rightly applied to him by the evangelist. But the difficulty is, how it had its accomplishment in Christ's healing the bodily diseases of men; since Isaiah speaks not of his actions and miracles, but of his sufferings and death; and not of bearing the diseases of the body, as it should seem, but of the diseases of the mind, of sins, as the Apostle Peter interprets it, Pe1 2:24. To remove which, let it be observed, that though the prophet chiefly designs to point out Christ taking upon him, and bearing the sins of his people, in order to make satisfaction for them, and to save them from them; yet so likewise, as to include his bearing, by way of sympathy, and taking away by his power, the bodily diseases of men, which arise from sin; and which was not only an emblem of his bearing and taking away sin, but a proof of his power and ability to do it: for since he could do the one, it was plain he could do the other. (u) T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 98. 2. (w) Zohar in Exod. fol. 85. 2. (x) Pesikta in Abkath Rochel, l. 1. par. 2. p. 309. Ed. Huls.

And by the passion of His body, according to the words of the Prophet, He absorbed all the infirmities of human weakness.

"When the even was come, they brought unto Him many that were possessed with devils: and He cast out the spirits from them with a word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Esaias, that He took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." Seest thou the multitude, by this time growing in faith? For not even when the time pressed could they endure to depart, nor did they account it unseasonable to bring their sick to Him at eventide. But mark, I pray thee, how great a multitude of persons healed the evangelists pass quickly over, not mentioning one by one, and giving us an account of them, but in one word traversing an unspeakable sea of miracles. Then lest the greatness of the wonder should drive us again to unbelief, that even so great a people and their various diseases should be delivered and healed by Him in one moment of time, He brings in the prophet also to bear witness to what is going on: indicating the abundance of the proof we have, in every case, out of the Scriptures; such, that from the miracles themselves we have no more; and He saith, that Esaias also spake of these things; "He took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." He said not, "He did them away," but "He took and bare them;" which seems to me to be spoken rather of sins, by the prophet, in harmony with John, where he saith, "Behold the Lamb of God, that beareth the sin of the world." How then doth the evangelist here apply it to diseases? Either as rehearsing the passage in the historical sense, or to show that most of our diseases arise from sins of the soul. For if the sum of all, death itself, hath its root and foundation from sin, much more the majority of our diseases also: since our very capability of suffering did itself originate there.

(Vers. 16-18.) But when evening came, they brought to him many who were demon-possessed; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.” And seeing great crowds around him, Jesus gave orders to go to the other side. Everyone is healed not in the morning, not in the afternoon, but in the evening, when the sun is setting: when a grain of wheat dies in the ground in order to bring forth many fruits (John 12).

It should be noted, that all the sick were healed not in the morning nor at noon, but rather about sunset; as a corn of wheat dies in the ground that it may bring forth much fruit.

(Cons. Ev. ii. 22.) The words, Now when it was evening, show that the evening of the same day is meant. This would not have been implied, had it been only when it was evening.

Why didn’t anyone bring them by day? Maybe it was out of respect for the scribes and Pharisees, or like Nicodemus, from embarrassment at their infirmities. Maybe it was because the sick people had no one to carry them to Jesus.

Christ the Son of God, the Author of human salvation, the fount and source of all goodness, furnished heavenly medicine, He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick. Dæmons and diseases He sent away with a word, that by these signs, and mighty works, He might show that He was come for the salvation of the human race. He took the infirmity of human nature so as to make us strong who had before been weak.

Took them not that He should have them Himself, but that He should take them away from us; and bare our sicknesses, in that what we were too weak to bear. He should bear for us. Sunset shadows forth the passion and death of Him Who said, While I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:5.) Who while He lived temporally in the flesh, taught only a few of the Jews; but having trodden under foot the kingdom of death, promised the gifts of faith to all the Gentiles throughout the world.

"When the evening was come, they brought unto Him many who were possessed with demons, and He cast out the spirits by His word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, He Himself took our weaknesses, and bore our diseases." At the end of the day and on into the evening, they brought the sick to Him and He, in His love for man, healed them all. Then Matthew brings forward the witness of Isaiah (See Is. 53:4), lest you disbelieve that He could heal so many sicknesses in so short a time. Although the prophet spoke concerning sins, Matthew has applied these words to illnesses, for the majority of illnesses occur as a result of sins.

That evening... Here God's power is confirmed: first, the evangelist mentions the multitude; secondly, he quotes a text of scripture. He says, therefore, that he cured demoniacs and sick people. By demoniacs can be understood those who sin from malice; by the sick, those who sin from ignorance. Hence he says, that evening; consequently, note that this was not on the Sabbath day, when they held it was not fitting to cure, but in the evening when the Sabbath was over. They brought to him many who were possessed with demons. Or, it is called evening, because our Savior came in the evening: "The sun rises and sets," i.e., Christ (Ec 1:5). He cast out merely with a rebuke; hence at the mere sound of his voice the demons fled. And all who were sick, so that the words of Acts (10:38) apply to him: "He freed all possessed by the devil."

HEALING OF A LEPER. ( = Mar 1:40-45; Luk 5:12-16). (Mat 8:1-4) When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.