Matthew 8:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.”

NIV: Lord,' he said, 'my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.'

NASB: and saying, 'Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, terribly tormented.'

CSB: "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible agony."

NLT: Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.'

KJV: And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

NKJV: saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”

Jesus has returned to his adopted hometown of Capernaum and has been approached by a Roman centurion, a military officer in charge of as many as several hundred soldiers. This is a man who understands command, authority, and power. His message, delivered by Jewish elders who respected him (Luke 7:1–10), is simple. He has a servant in his home who is paralyzed and suffering. Luke's report reveals that this was a new condition, and the servant was near death.

The centurion calls Jesus "Lord," meaning either that he recognized Jesus as the Messiah or indicating a respectful "sir." In either case, he is absolutely convinced that Jesus could heal his servant. Even more impressive is his recognition that Jesus' power to command the body to heal is just as potent as the centurion's power to command his own men (Matthew 8:8–9). It is this faith that Jesus will find so remarkable, especially coming from one who is not an Israelite.

Matthew 8:5–13 describes Jesus' response to the request of a Roman centurion in Capernaum. The Gentile officer has a servant who is paralyzed and suffering greatly. The centurion says that Jesus does not even need to come to his home, but that He can heal the man with a word. As a man with authority, this soldier recognizes Christ's right to command, even with respect to healing. Jesus applauds this faith, and notes that many Gentiles will be in the kingdom of heaven, along with the Jewish patriarchs. Not all Israelites will be included, however. Jesus tells the Roman officer his servant has been healed.

Matthew begins a series of stories revealing Jesus' authority over sickness, demons, and even the weather. Jesus heals a humble man with leprosy and great faith. He then heals the servant of a Roman centurion who understands that Jesus does not need to come to his home; He can just speak a word. Jesus praises the Gentile man's amazing faith. After healing many more, Jesus and the disciples get caught in a deadly storm on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus stops the storm with a word. Later, He casts demons out of two men and into a huge herd of pigs.

Matthew 8 follows the conclusion of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1–2). He turns to telling a series of dramatic stories to show Jesus' power and authority over every kind of disease, over demons, and even over the weather. Jesus also gives brief teachings about the hard road of following Him on earth. He calms a violent storm with a single command and casts demons from two violently possessed men. Matthew will focus mostly on miracles until shifting focus to Jesus' teachings and parables in chapter 11.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.

Accessed 5/3/2024 3:15:04 AM