Matthew 8:15

And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. For the exposition, see the notes at Mark 1:29. The incidents here are two: in the corresponding passage of Luke they are three. Here they are introduced before the mission of the Twelve; in Luke, when our Lord was making preparation for His final journey to Jerusalem. But to conclude from this, as some good critics do, as Bengel, Ellicott, etc, that one of these incidents at least occurred twice-which led to the mention of the others at the two different times-is too, artificial. Taking them, then, as one set of occurrences, the question arises, Whether are they recorded by Matthew or by Luke in their proper place? Neander, Schleiemacher, and Olshausen adhere to Luke's order; while Meyer, de Wette, and Lange prefer that of Matthew. Probably the first inciden...

14-17 Peter had a wife, yet was an apostle of Christ, who showed that he approved of the married state, by being thus kind to Peter's wife's relations. The church of Rome, which forbids ministers to marry, goes contrary to that apostle upon whom they rest so much. He had his wife's mother with him in his family, which is an example to be kind to our relations. In spiritual healing, the Scripture speaks the word, the Spirit gives the touch, touches the heart, touches the hand. Those who recover from fevers, commonly are weak and feeble some time after; but to show that this cure was above the power of nature, the woman was at once so well as to go about the business of the house. The miracles which Jesus did being noised abroad, many thronged to him. He healed all that were sick, though the patient was ever so mean, and the case ever so bad. Many are the diseases and calamities to which...

Verse Matthew 8:15. _HE TOUCHED HER HAND_] Can any thing on this side the unlimited power of God effect such a cure with only a touch? If the Scriptures had not spoken of the divinity of Christ, these proofs of his power must have demonstrated it to the common sense of every man whose _creed_ had not previously blinded him. _MINISTERED UNTO THEM._] αυτοις, _them_, is the reading of most of the _printed_ editions, but αυτω, _to him_, has the utmost evidence in its support from MSS., versions, and fathers. Serving Christ in his ordinances and in his members is the best proof we can give to others of our being soundly restored to spiritual health....

This account is contained also in Mark 1:29, and Luke 4:38. Mark says that Simon and Andrew lived together, and that James and John went with them to the house. He adds, also, that before the miracle they spake to him about the sick person. The miracle was direct and complete. She that had been sick was so completely restored as to attend to them and minister to them. The mention of “Peter’s wife’s mother” proves that Peter either then was or had been married. The fair and obvious interpretation is, that his wife was then living. Compare 1 Corinthians 9:5, and see the note at that place. Peter is claimed by the Roman Catholics to be the head of the church and the vicegerent of Christ. The Pope, accor

EXPOSITION MATTHEW 8:1 MESSIAH'S WORK AS COMPLEMENTARY TO HIS TEACHING. We return in this section to matter which resembles that of Mark and Luke, and undoubtedly belongs to the Framework (_vide _Introduction). St. Matthew has given a lengthy summary of the teaching of the Christ, and he now supplements it by a summary of his daily work. He is not concerned with the chronological connexion of the incidents here narrated, for this is evidently to him a matter of but secondary importance. He only desires to bring out different aspects of the Lord's life. Thus he notices— 1. Christ's miracles of healing, and the secret of his ability to perform them (verses 1-17). 2. The personal t

AND HE TOUCHED HER HAND,.... Sometimes he healed by a word, as the centurion's servant; and sometimes by a touch, as here; and sometimes by both, as the leper. Luke says, that he "stood over her", reached over her to take her by the hand, and lift her up, "and rebuked the fever". Just as he did the winds and sea, having all diseases, as well as the elements, at his beck and control; AND THE FEVER LEFT HER immediately, as the other evangelists say. AND SHE AROSE AND MINISTERED UNTO THEM: the former of these actions is a proof of her being restored to health and strength, in so much that she could rise and walk about of herself; whereas generally, persons after fevers continue very weak a considerable time; which shows what a miracle was wrought upon her by Christ: and the latter of them expresses her gratitude, for the mercy she had received; she rises and serves him and his friends, pr...

Matthew 8:1. _When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him,_ Great multitudes often count for nothing; it is here or there one who is the notable individual. There may be a great company come up outwardly to worship, but it is the soul that comes into contact with Christ that is the most worthy of observation. There is no «Behold!» when the great multitudes are mentioned by Matthew; but there is a «Behold!» before the record of the leper coming to Christ: «Behold, there came a leper and worshipped him.» Let us all be of the leper's mind, let us worship Christ. Surely we may do so, if only out of gratitude for having escaped from so dire a disease; but, inasmuch as, spiritually, by nature that disease is upon us, we have good reason to come to Jesus as the «leper came, and worshipped him,»-...

6. THE KING MANIFESTED BY SIGNS OF DIVINE POWER. Chapter s 8-9. CHAPTER 8 1. The Healing of the Leper. (Matthew 8:1 .) 2. The Healing of the Centurion's Servant. (Matthew 8:5 .) 3. The Healing of Peter's Wife's Mother.(Matthew 8:14 .) 4. The Healing of All. (Matthew 8:16 .) 5. The Self-seeking Scribe and the Test of True Discipleship.(Matthew 8:18 .) 6. His Power over Nature. (Matthew 8:23 .) 7. His Power over the Demons. ...

MATTHEW 8:14 F. SIMON'S WIFE'S MOTHER (Mark 1:29 *, Luke 4:38 f.). Mt. abbreviates and heightens Mk. the cure is wrought by a mere touch. MATTHEW 8:16 F. THE SUNSET HEALINGS (Mark 1:32 *, Luke 4:40 f.). Not _ere_ the sun was set, as the well-known hymn has it, but Mt. omits this note as he does not say it was on the Sabbath. Note his transposition of Mk.'s _all_ brought and _many_ healed; he will not admit the possibility that any were uncured. The unqualified ment

LOVE IN ACTION (Matthew 8:1-34) Of all the gospel writers Matthew is the most orderly. He never sets out his material haphazardly. If in Matthew one thing follows another in a certain sequence, there is always a reason for that sequence; and it is so here. In Matthew 5:1-48; Matthew 6:1-34; Matthew 7:1-29 Matthew has given us the Sermon on the Mount. That is to say, in these Chapter s he has given us his account of the words of Jesus; and now in Matthew 8:1-34 he gives us an account of the deeds of Jesus....