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In this lesson:
The Sermon on the Mount has ended. Jesus has authority over disease and devils. A leper is healed (8:1-4) A Roman soldier's faith (8:5-13). Peter's mother-in-law is cured (8:14-15). Devils are cast out (8:16-17). Foxes have holes; birds have nests (8:18-22). Study Tip: Find the truth in each Bible passage. Ponder what that truth means to you. Apply that truth to your life. |
Moses with the Ten Commandments
by Dutch golden age painter Rembrandt Harmensz van_Rijn. |
Who was -
Moses -
Moses was a Jewish prophet (Deuteronomy 34:10-12), the author of the first five books of the Old Testament (the Pentateuch), and "the mediator of the old covenant." He was a revered Jewish icon, and a great leader, who, with God's help, led approximately 3.000,000 Israelites out of Egyptian bondage to form a new Jewish nation. The son of Amram and Jochebed (Exodus 6:20), Moses was born a Levite Jew in 1571 BC fin a time when the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt (Exodus 1:13-14). Fearful that the Jewish slaves would someday turn against their Egyptian masters (Exodus 1:10), Pharaoh Rameses ordered midwives to reduce the Jewish population by killing all male babies at birth (Exodus 1:15-16). When the midwives refused (Exodus 1:17), Pharaoh ordered all male babies to be "cast into the river" (Exodus 1:22). To save her son, Moses' mother, Jochebed hid him in a basket on the banks of the Nile River (Exodus 2:3). Pharaoh's daughter found Moses (Exodus 2:5-6) and raised him as her son. Growing up, he received an education (Acts 7:22) and all the advantages given to the son of a king. But at the age of forty, Moses killed an Egyptian he found mistreating a Hebrew (Exodus 2:11-12; Acts 7:23-24) and was forced to flee Egypt (Exodus 2:15). Moses fled to Midian, near Sinai, where he married Zipporah. For the next four decades, he lived the simple life of a Shepard (Exodus 3:1).
After forty years (at the age of 80), God appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush (Exodus 3:1-22; Acts 7:30-34). Following God's instructions, Moses returned to Egypt to liberate the Israelites. Following a series of ten miracles/plagues brought down on the Egyptians (Exodus 7:1-12:51) by God, Pharaoh allowed the enslaved Israelites to leave Egypt a free people. They wandered in the wilderness for the next forty years searching for the Promised Land (Canaan). Moses received the Mosaic Law (the First Covenant, the Ten Commandments) from God on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:1-35), prophesied the coming of the Messiah (John 5:46), was likened to Christ (Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 7:37), and appeared with Jesus during the transfiguration (Matthew 17:3-5; Mark 9:2-4; Luke 9:29-30).
Moses lived to be one hundred and twenty years old (forty years in the royal palace, forty years as a fugitive in Midian, and forty years in the wilderness). Moses died on Mount Nebo in Moab (eight miles east of the mouth of the Jordan River) without seeing the Promised Land. In Jude 1:9, we see Satan arguing with Michael the archangel over Moses' body. Naturally, Satan lost the argument and God buried Moses (Deuteronomy 34:5-7). You can find the story of Moses in the Old Testament books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
Moses -
Moses was a Jewish prophet (Deuteronomy 34:10-12), the author of the first five books of the Old Testament (the Pentateuch), and "the mediator of the old covenant." He was a revered Jewish icon, and a great leader, who, with God's help, led approximately 3.000,000 Israelites out of Egyptian bondage to form a new Jewish nation. The son of Amram and Jochebed (Exodus 6:20), Moses was born a Levite Jew in 1571 BC fin a time when the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt (Exodus 1:13-14). Fearful that the Jewish slaves would someday turn against their Egyptian masters (Exodus 1:10), Pharaoh Rameses ordered midwives to reduce the Jewish population by killing all male babies at birth (Exodus 1:15-16). When the midwives refused (Exodus 1:17), Pharaoh ordered all male babies to be "cast into the river" (Exodus 1:22). To save her son, Moses' mother, Jochebed hid him in a basket on the banks of the Nile River (Exodus 2:3). Pharaoh's daughter found Moses (Exodus 2:5-6) and raised him as her son. Growing up, he received an education (Acts 7:22) and all the advantages given to the son of a king. But at the age of forty, Moses killed an Egyptian he found mistreating a Hebrew (Exodus 2:11-12; Acts 7:23-24) and was forced to flee Egypt (Exodus 2:15). Moses fled to Midian, near Sinai, where he married Zipporah. For the next four decades, he lived the simple life of a Shepard (Exodus 3:1).
After forty years (at the age of 80), God appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush (Exodus 3:1-22; Acts 7:30-34). Following God's instructions, Moses returned to Egypt to liberate the Israelites. Following a series of ten miracles/plagues brought down on the Egyptians (Exodus 7:1-12:51) by God, Pharaoh allowed the enslaved Israelites to leave Egypt a free people. They wandered in the wilderness for the next forty years searching for the Promised Land (Canaan). Moses received the Mosaic Law (the First Covenant, the Ten Commandments) from God on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:1-35), prophesied the coming of the Messiah (John 5:46), was likened to Christ (Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 7:37), and appeared with Jesus during the transfiguration (Matthew 17:3-5; Mark 9:2-4; Luke 9:29-30).
Moses lived to be one hundred and twenty years old (forty years in the royal palace, forty years as a fugitive in Midian, and forty years in the wilderness). Moses died on Mount Nebo in Moab (eight miles east of the mouth of the Jordan River) without seeing the Promised Land. In Jude 1:9, we see Satan arguing with Michael the archangel over Moses' body. Naturally, Satan lost the argument and God buried Moses (Deuteronomy 34:5-7). You can find the story of Moses in the Old Testament books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
The Gospel According to St. Matthew
The King James Bible
The King James Bible
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Matthew 8:1-22
Jesus heals 1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. 14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. 15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. 16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. 18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. 19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. |
Margin notes:
"When he was come down from the mountain." (8:1) - Jesus left the mountain after giving the Sermon on the Mount. "There came a leper and worshipped him." (8:2) - "A leper approached Jesus and bowed down before Him." Leprosy is a highly contagious skin and nerve disease that causes disfigurement. There are several forms of leprosy, some more contagious than others. Leprosy is transmitted through personal contact and can incubate for up to thirty years. Few people recovered from leprosy, and it often led to paralysis, gangrene, amputation, and death. In Jesus' time leprosy was considered a punishment from God, and lepers were treated cruelly. Lepers were banished from society (Leviticus 13:46; Numbers 5:2-3) and kept at a distance. Today, leprosy is commonly called Hansen's disease. If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." (8:2) - The leper believed Jesus could heal him but was unsure if He would. For an additional account refer to Mark 1:40-44. "Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him.." (8:3) - Since lepers were shunned by society, onlookers would have been shocked to see Jesus touch one (Luke 5:13). According to Jewish law, touching a leper made you ceremonially unclean. Jesus could have healed this man with just a word, but by touching the leper, He demonstrated His deep love and compassion. "Tell no man." (8:4) - Jesus instructed the cured leper not to share how he was healed. Jesus wanted the focus to be on His message and not on His miracles. Unfortunately, the leper did not listen (Mark 1:45). "Shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded." (8:4) - The Mosaic Law required recovered lepers to present an offering of two birds to a priest (Leviticus 14:3-4). Lepers were considered clean only after a priest declared them so (Leviticus 13:1-46; 14:2-32; Luke 5:13-14). This was called "the law of the leper." "Centurion." (8:5) - A Roman army officer commanding one hundred men. "Beseeching." (8:5) - Means "Pleading." "Sick of the palsy." (8:6) - "Paralyzed." "Verily." (8:10) - "Truly." "Many shall come from the east and west." (8:11) - "Many will come from all over the world." The "many" refers to Gentiles sharing in God's salvation. "The children of the kingdom." (8:12) - Jews. "In the selfsame hour." (8:13) - "At that very same hour." "His wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever." (8:14) - The story of Jesus healing Peter's mother-in-law is confirmed in Mark 1:29-31 and Luke 4:38-39. "When the even was come" (8:16) - "When evening had come." "They brought unto him many that were possessed." (8:16) - This story is also told in Mark 1:32:34. "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias." (8:17) - Seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Esaias (Isaiah) wrote that the coming Messiah would bear our grief and carry our sorrows (Isaiah 53:4). "Depart unto the other side." (8:18) - "Go to the other side (of the Sea of Galilee)." "I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest." (8:19) - "I will follow you wherever you go." Luke 9:57-60 also tells this story. "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests." (8:20) - Jesus' words can also found in Luke 9:57-62. "The Son of man." (8:20) - Jesus called Himself "the Son of Man" eighty-three times in the four Gospels. "Suffer me first to go and bury my father." (8:21) - "Allow me to bury my father first." Since Jews were required to bury the dead before sunset, this man's father was probably still alive. With all the preparations that needed to be made, it is doubtful he would be visiting Jesus if his father had died that day. In Jesus' day, "let me bury my father first," was the same as saying, "I'll do it later." It was the procrastinator's way of putting things off. This man was invited to follow Jesus and told the Messiah, "some other time." "Follow me." (8:22) - Jesus repeatedly invites us to follow Him (Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:14; Luke 9:59; John 1:43; 21:19). "Let the dead bury their dead." (8:22) - Jesus is talking about the spiritually dead. |
New Living Translation
Matthew 8:1-22
Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy
1 Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside.
2 Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt 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, "Don't 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. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed."
The Faith of a Roman Officer
5 When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer 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 haven't 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.
Jesus Heals Many People
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 and removed our diseases."
The Cost of Following Jesus
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 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."
The "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word-for-word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy
1 Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside.
2 Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt 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, "Don't 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. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed."
The Faith of a Roman Officer
5 When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer 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 haven't 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.
Jesus Heals Many People
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 and removed our diseases."
The Cost of Following Jesus
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 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."
The "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word-for-word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
Key verses from this passage
"And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed." (8:2-3)
"The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed." (8:8)
"And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them." (8:14-15)
"When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." (8:16-17)
"And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed." (8:2-3)
"The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed." (8:8)
"And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them." (8:14-15)
"When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." (8:16-17)
Today's Question:
1. Why did Jesus touch the leper as He healed him? (8:3)
The crucial step in Bible study is applying what you learn into your life.
1. Why did Jesus touch the leper as He healed him? (8:3)
The crucial step in Bible study is applying what you learn into your life.
Answer: (Do you agree?)
1. By touching the leper, Jesus broke an Old Testament law. Touching anything or anyone deemed unclean was forbidden by Mosaic Law (Leviticus 5:2). By touching an "untouchable," Jesus demonstrated His authority over the law and showed that He cared more about people's needs than religious rituals.
Application thought for the day:
The most vital component of Christianity is faith.
Without faith, there is no salvation.
It is through your help that we can connect to more unbelievers.
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Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen, published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur, published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham, published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Atlas of the Bible" edited by Joseph L. Gardner, published by Readers Digest, Pleasantville, New York; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The New Testament" Recovery Version published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, California; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The New Scofield Reference Bible" published by Oxford University Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course, the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
© 2025 evolke
© 2025 evolke