Matthew 8:16,17

Ver16. 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.

Chrys.: Because the multitude of believers was now very great, they would not depart from Christ, though time pressed; but in the evening they bring unto Him the sick. "When it was evening, they brought unto him many that had daemons."

Aug., De Cons. Evan., ii, 22: The words, "Now when it was evening," shew that the evening of the same day is meant. This would not have been implied, had it been only "when it was evening."

Remig.: Christ the Son of God, the Author of human salvation, the fount and source of all goodness, furnished heavenly medicine, "He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick." Daemons and diseases He sent away with a word, that by these signs, and mighty works, He might shew that He was come for the salvation of the human race.

Chrys.: Observe how great a multitude of cured the Evangelist here runs through, not relating the case of each, but in one word introducing an innumerable flood of miracles. That the greatness of the miracle should not raise unbelief that so many people and so various diseases could be healed in so short a space, he brings forward the Prophet to bear witness to the things that were done, "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities."

Rabanus: "Took" them not that He should have them Himself, but that He should take them away from us; "and bare our sicknesses," in that what we were too weak to bear, He should bear for us.

Remig.: He took the infirmity of human nature so as to make us strong who had before been weak.

Hilary: And by the passion of His body, according to the words of the Prophet, He absorbed all the infirmities of human weakness.

Chrys.: The Prophet seems to have meant this of sins; how then does the Evangelist explain it of bodily diseases? It should be understood, that either he cites the text literally, or he intends to inculcate that most of our bodily diseases have their origin in sins of the soul; for death itself has its root in sin.

Jerome: It should be noted, that all the sick were healed not in the morning nor at noon, but rather about sunset; as a corn of wheat dies in the ground that it may bring forth much fruit.

Rabanus: Sunset shadows forth the passion and death of Him Who said, "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." [John 9:5] Who while He lived temporally in the flesh, taught only a few of the Jews; but having trodden under foot the kingdom of death, promised the gifts of faith to all the Gentiles throughout the world.