Matt 8:1-17 Why Jesus Healed CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
When Jesus finished the Sermon on the Mount, he came down and immediately healed three people that are mentioned individually and a host of others. He healed a leper, a centurion’s servant, and Peter’s mother-in-law and then healed all that were brought to him and cast devils out of those that were possessed. While reading, here are some facts of which to be aware. Leprosy is a contagious, mutilating, incurable disease. The command to tell no man was for Matt 12:16-20 spiritually and Mk 1:45 practically. A centurion is a Roman soldier over 100 soldiers. Palsy is a muscular disease that produces shaking as in Parkinson’s disease or muscular fatigue as in Bells palsy. Peter was not a pope, he was married, v.14.
Notice there are many important lessons in this passage that we must not fail to understand.
The healings fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy in v.17 (Is 53:4). He demonstrated that if he could heal them, he could cleanse their sins, as well (Is 53:4-6). Healing is connected with salvation, Jer 30:7, 12-17 [Second Advent passage] when Jesus is on the earth.
One of the healings was in the context of the law (v.4). He told the leper to go to the priest to show himself and to offer the offering. The law was Lev 14:2, 10-11, 21-22. This related him to the prophet of Deut 18:15-18 because he had the power to heal like Moses did and it related him to the priesthood because he touched the leper (Lev 14:14). He’s the high priest (Heb 7:26) after the order of Melchizedek (Heb 7:17). The healings testified to his deity – two of them called him Lord (he accepted worship, 2 [Matt 4:10]).
One of the healings was in the context the kingdom of heaven (v.11). This shows that faith is an element of entrance into the kingdom of heaven and not just Jewish nationality and heritage, v.12. “The just shall live by his faith,” (Hab 2:4). Thus, some of the children of the kingdom (Jews) will be cast into outer darkness for not having faith in God or God’s words. And in the context of the kingdom of heaven, Gentiles will get in on salvation [many shall came from the east and west (the centurion was a Gentile)].
There’s no pattern for getting healed. One asked (v.2), one told (v.6), one said nothing (v.14), and the multitude just came (v.16). He touched two (v.3, 15) but didn’t even see one of them (v.8). In only one of them faith is mentioned (v.10). The healings were immediate, v.3, 13, and 15. He healed them all – no misfires, v. 16. He healed them with his word, v. 8, 16 – didn’t require some magical motion or touch. The modern “healers” can’t do that.
For us, he may or may not heal at this time. He may heal:
With medicine (1 Tim 5:23; Is. 38:21)
Without medicine (Acts 3:7)
Or he may leave you sick (2 Tim 4:20; 2 Cor 12:5-8)
But we will be healed when we get a glorified body (Phil 3:21)