Day 9: Matthew 8
Today's evening devotion is Matthew 8, a chapter documenting many signs (can I call these "miracles"?) performed by Jesus, including one of my favorites titled, "The Faith of a Centurion" in ESV.
When Jesus healed a leper at the beginning of the chapter, it seemed odd to me why Jesus would command the individual to offer a gift as a "proof to them". Who was "them"? And why did they need proof beyond the fact that the leprosy was gone?
After reading a few commentaries on Bible Hub, I think it makes sense that the gift is probably something defined in Leviticus, and "them" refers to the people in the leper's local community.
The reason why the healed man should show himself to a priest is because, at that time, priests were the only legal authority who could determine whether a person had a leprous disease or not. The miracle that Jesus worked would be validated when a priest proclaims the healed man to be clean.
It's easy to believe something when you see it with your own eyes. But difficult to believe something you have never witnessed before. These are the reasons why the centurion's faith is so remarkable, and it's a reminder for Christians that just because signs aren't directly visible doesn't mean that God isn't at work.
And Jesus made it so.
Why did Jesus give a seemingly mismatched response to the scribe who wished to follow him?
Perhaps Jesus was simply warning the scribe that following in the path of righteousness would be difficult. Holes for foxes and nests for birds are all places of rest. By having "nowhere to lay his head", I think Jesus was implying that the road ahead would be far from comfortable.
But ultimately worthwhile.
I'm not sure why Jesus's comment about leaving the dead to bury themselves stood out to me, other than its poetic value.
I'm sure Jesus meant no disrespect to the disciple's father. Perhaps in this case the disciple was the only living descendant of the deceased father, a fact that Jesus in his omnipotence would've known. Given this premise, perhaps there would be no real point to burying the deceased?
Alternatively Jesus was simply testing the disciple, to see whether the disciple was capable of putting Jesus, and by extension God, above all else in the material world.
A proof to them
When Jesus healed a leper at the beginning of the chapter, it seemed odd to me why Jesus would command the individual to offer a gift as a "proof to them". Who was "them"? And why did they need proof beyond the fact that the leprosy was gone?
And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” (Matthew 8:4 ESV)
After reading a few commentaries on Bible Hub, I think it makes sense that the gift is probably something defined in Leviticus, and "them" refers to the people in the leper's local community.
The reason why the healed man should show himself to a priest is because, at that time, priests were the only legal authority who could determine whether a person had a leprous disease or not. The miracle that Jesus worked would be validated when a priest proclaims the healed man to be clean.
True faith needs no visual confirmation
It's easy to believe something when you see it with your own eyes. But difficult to believe something you have never witnessed before. These are the reasons why the centurion's faith is so remarkable, and it's a reminder for Christians that just because signs aren't directly visible doesn't mean that God isn't at work.
But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. (Matthew 8:8 ESV)
And Jesus made it so.
And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment. (Matthew 8:13 ESV)
Nowhere to lay his head
Why did Jesus give a seemingly mismatched response to the scribe who wished to follow him?
And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:19-20 ESV)
Perhaps Jesus was simply warning the scribe that following in the path of righteousness would be difficult. Holes for foxes and nests for birds are all places of rest. By having "nowhere to lay his head", I think Jesus was implying that the road ahead would be far from comfortable.
But ultimately worthwhile.
Leaving the dead to bury their own dead
I'm not sure why Jesus's comment about leaving the dead to bury themselves stood out to me, other than its poetic value.
Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.” (Matthew 8:21-22 ESV)
I'm sure Jesus meant no disrespect to the disciple's father. Perhaps in this case the disciple was the only living descendant of the deceased father, a fact that Jesus in his omnipotence would've known. Given this premise, perhaps there would be no real point to burying the deceased?
Alternatively Jesus was simply testing the disciple, to see whether the disciple was capable of putting Jesus, and by extension God, above all else in the material world.
Why a herd of pigs?
The last story in Matthew 8 is curious for a number of reasons, reasons in the form of questions that probably aren't significant but still puzzle me nonetheless. Why do the demons ask to be sent into a herd of pigs? And why did the demon-possessed pigs run off a cliff to drown in the sea?