Matthew 8

Christ cleanseth a leper, 1. Hhealeth thhe Centurions Servant, 5 Peters mother in law, 14. and many more, 16. Declares his poverty, to a Scribe that would follow him, 18. and commands another to follow him without delay, 21. Still the Templest on the sea , 23. drives out the Devils of two that were possessed, and permits them to enter into Swines, 28.

1. Now when he was come down from the mountain, Namely, on which he went up to preach, Matth.5.1] many multitudes followed him.

2. And behold, a laper [Leprosie, in those hot Countries, was a very grievous and filthy disease, or scurf, proceeding from corrupt blood in men, and was a pleague insecring not only men, but like garments and house. se Levit chapter 13. and 14.] came and worshiped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

3. And Jesus stretching forth his hand, touched him, [Namely, to heal him. Other wise , they were unclean according to the Law , that touched the Lepers, Levis 14. 46.] saying, i will, Be thou cleansed. And immediately [he] was cleansed [from] his leprosie.

4. And Jesus said unto him; see that thou tell [this] to no man. The reason hereof, see Matth 12.16.] but go thy way, shhew thy self to the Priest [Namely, to be viewed, or looked upon by him, whether he were truly cleansed. See Lev 14. verse 2. from whence auricular confession cannot be proved; seeing Christ sends him not to be cleansed, but to have it declared that he was cleansed] and offer the gift which Moses commanded [or instituted. see Leviticus 14:4, etc.] for a testimony unto them. [or, conviction, namely, that they did evil in rejecting Christ, of whose miracles they themselves had given testimony.]

5. Now when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came to him a Centurian intreating him,

6. And saying, Lord, my servants lyeth at home sick of the palsie; and endures grievous terments.

7. And Jesus said unto him, i will come, and head him.

8. And the centurion answering, said, Lord, i am not worthy, that thou shouldest come under my roof; but speak a word only, and my servant shall be healed.

9. For i also am a man under power [of their] [that is to say, if i, who stand under the command of others, have such authority over those that are under me, & are men also as i am; how much more must all things stand under thy command, who art Lord over all?] having soulders under me, and i say unto this (men), Go, and he goeth, and the other, come, and he cometh and to my servant, do that, and he doth it.

10. Now Jesus hearing [this] marvelled, and said unto that followed [him], Verily is say unto you, i have not found great faith, even in Israel it self, [Namely, as in this Heathenish Captain]

11. But i say unto you, that many shall come from the East, and from the West, [Gr. from the rising and setting, [Namely, of the sunne: that is, out of all quarters of the world; whereby is foretold, the calling, conversion, and salvation of the Gentiles, John 11:52.] and shall sit down with Abraham, and Iscaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdome of the Heavens

12. And the children of the Kingdome [That is, the Jews; with whom God had indeed made external Covenant, but who by their unbelief, had made themselves unworthy of it, Acts 13:46] shall he cast out into the outmost darkeness, [that is, which is without the Kingdome of Heaven; namely, into Hell] ther shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

13. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way, and be it done unto thee like as hasth believed. And his servant was healed in the self same hour.

14. And Jesus being come into the house of Peter, saw his wife mother, [From whence it appears that the Apostle Peter was married, and being made an Apostle, did not forsake his wife. See also 1 Cor. 9. 5.] lie [bedrid] [Gr. cast] having a Fever.

15. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose, and ministred unto them.[Otherwise him,]

16. And when it was become late [or, evening] they brought unto hhim many possed of the devil, and he cast out the [evil] spirit with a word, [that is, by his command only] and he healed all [namely, that come, or were brought unto him, see Matth. 4.24.] that were ill at ease.

17. That it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the Prophet Esaias. saying; He took our infirmittes [ipon him] and bare [our] sickness. [This Esa. 53.4. is principally understood of our spiritual infirmities and sickness, i.e. of our sins; which Christ took from us upon himself to satisfie for the same , and thereby to redeem us from them; which he likewise gave to understand by the hhealing of bodily sickness.]

18. And Jesus seeing may multitude round about him, gave command to pass over the other side. [namely, of the Sea of Galilee, towards the land of the Gergesenes, over against Capernaum. see verse 5. and ver. 28.]

19. And there came a certain Scribe unto him, and said unto him, Master, [or, Doctor, (or teacher)] i will follow thee, whithersoever thou goest

20. And Jesus said unto him: The foxes have holes, and the fowls of the Heaven [that is, of the Air, as chapter 6. verse. 25] nest, [or, resting – places; where they go rest as under a Tent, like as the Greek word properly imports] but the son of man hath not where he may lay down his head.

21. And another of his Disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me that i may first go nad bury my Father.

22. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me, and let the dead [those that live in their sins, are called spiritually dead, 1 Tim. 5.6. Revelation 3:1.] bury their dead.

23. And when he was gone into the ship, his Disciples followed him,

24. And behold, thhere arose [Gr. was] a great Tempest [or, commotion] in the sea, so that the ship was covered of the waves: but he slept.

25. And his Disciples coming to [him] rouzed him up, saying, Lord, save us, we perish.

26. And he said unto them, Why are ye timorous, o ye of little faith? The he arose rebuked the winds and the sea, [Commanding them to be still. see Mark. 4 . 39.] and there was a great calm.

27. And the men marvelled, saying, what manner of (man) is this, that even the winds and the sea are obedient unto him?

28. And when he was come over the other side, into the Countrey of the Gergesenes, [Mark 5:1. and Luke 8:26. say, of the Gadarens, for those Cities Ggadara and Gargessa lay by one another on the sea of Galilee over against Capernaum] there met him two possessed of the Devil, coming out of the Graves, [the graves there, were much in caves, holes, or vaults without the Cities, as to be seen, Matth. 27.60.] which were very fierce, so that no man could pass by that way.

29. And behold, they cryed, saying, Jesus the Son of God, what have we [to do] with thee? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time? [Appointed by God foe their torment, which shall be in the last judgement. See Jude verse6. 2 Pet. 2.4.]

30. And far off from them there was an herd of many swine feeding [These places were much inhabited by Greek or Heaten, for whose use these swine were fed; for the Jews were forbidden to eat swines flesh. See Lev chap 11.]

31. And the Devil besought him, saying, if thou cast us out, suffer us that we may go unto the Herd of swine.

32. And he said unto them, Go your way. And they going forth, went their way into the Herd of Swines: And behold, the whole herd of Swine rushed head – long down from a steep place into the sea, and died in the water.

33. And those that fed them, fled: and when ther were come into the city, they told all [those] things, and what [was befallen] to those that were possessed.

34. And behold, the whole City went out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they desired that he would depart out their coasts.