All signs point to Jesus: A journey through the book of Matthew, week 6.

 

WEEK 6

Matthew chapter 8-9 questions. 

Read and answer the questions on your own first.  The questions are meant to understand the content.  Again, I’ve written a small commentary that addresses the theme of this devotion, all signs point to Jesus. Then, I placed the answers to the questions. 

Why did Jesus command the healed man not to tell anyone what He had done? (v. 1-4) 

What did the centurion mean when he spoke about the commands he received from his superiors and those he gave to his soldiers? (v.5-13)

What is indicated by the phrase, “He cast out the spirits with a word” (v. 16)?

Why does it look like Jesus was discouraging these two from following Him? (18-22)

How does the fear of the disciples reveal the ferocity of this storm? (23-27) 

Why did the people of this Gentile city ask Jesus to leave? (28-34)

Chapter 9

How does this passage reflect Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God? (1-8)

How scandalous was it for Jesus to choose a tax collector to be one of His Twelve? (9-13)

Why were John’s disciples troubled by Jesus’ feasting with His disciples and believers? (14-17)

What is remarkable about the woman’s faith? (18-26)

Why did Jesus say the girl was sleeping when she was clearly dead? (18-26)

What did Jesus mean when He said, “According to your faith be it done for you” (v. 29)?

How could the Pharisees and the crowds have such opposite reactions to Jesus’ work? (32-34)

What prompted Jesus to encourage His disciples (and us) to pray for God to raise up more workers for His harvest? (35-38)

 I thought I’d pause here and do a quick recap of what we learned so far about Jesus. 

Chapter 1 Jesus is both human and divine. 

Chapter 2 Jesus saves and loves his enemies 

Chapter 3 Jesus is savior and righteous judge, loved by the Father

Chapter 4 Jesus is worthy, the new Adam, light of the world

Chapter 5-7 Jesus is the long awaiting Messiah. 

My commentary: 

Now that Jesus has taught us in the sermon on the mount, Jesus goes out and does his thing. He goes out to do great deeds.   It is chapter 8-9  we learn something about the authority of Jesus.  By doing these good deeds we soon learn just what it is that Jesus has authority over.  As a practicing physician now for over ten years, I’ve seen enough to know that with each patient that comes to me with a physical malady, there is always, most always a spiritual need.  I love that I worship a God that has authority over both and here we see that. 

Why is there disease? To answer this question, one must also ask why is there suffering?  All suffering in this world goes back to sin. According to Genesis 1, before sin, there was no suffering.  The root problem of suffering is sin. That is what Jesus came to take care of on the cross-to save us from sin’s penalty.   In Matthew 8: 16, Isaiah 53:4 is referenced, ‘he took our sicknesses and removed our diseases’. So if Jesus overcame sin, is it God’s intention for us to live a life free of suffering?  

This is often the misinterpretation when you hear these ‘prosperity gospel’ that you can speak, or ‘will’ or pray hard enough the disease and sin out of our life.   This is not true gospel and far from the truth.

There is The miracles of Matthew’s gospel, are intended to show us how it will be like when we come to the fullness of God’s kingdom, when Jesus finally assets his authority of heaven and earth.  So until then, we will have suffering in this world.  Just because you have been saved from your sins, this does not mean you will not get cancer or some other illnesses.  Jesus even tells his disciples there will be suffering in this world, but there will be a day when that will all end (Rom 8:18). 

Its important to mention there are two kinds of suffering. Some suffering is due to the general effects of sin in the world. The other type of suffering is the suffering that happens due to a particular sin in someone’s life.  Sin will inevitably lead to suffering, physical, emotionally, relationally.  As a healer, I believe all those are connected. The proper response to this type of suffering is to repent and run form your sin. 

In chapters 8-9 we see Jesus authority and prophecies fulfilled. He has authority over disease, demons, death and elements of nature. 

Jesus has authority over sin.  Jesus’ authority penetrates the root of all suffering, sin. Our ultimate need is never physical. It is always spiritual. The good news, God will forgive you. Forgiveness is God’s greatest gift cause it meets our greatest need. 

We don’t just trust Jesus to receive health and wealth. Trust Jesus and you will be made right before God. No matter what you’ve done in your past, big or small, God is gracious and will wash our sins away. 

Will we repent and run from our sin? 

Why did Jesus tell them not to tell anyone? This was my big question when I read about these miracles. I’ve listed the answer to this from the Concordia study along with the other answers. 

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Jesus heals a leper.

Read 8:1–4.

Q 35:

A 35:

Why did Jesus command the healed man not to tell anyone what He had done?

Jesus has the authority to decide how quickly His popularity spreads. He apparently preferred to enter towns and speak with individuals without huge crowds following Him and forcing Him out to wide open spaces. He also frequently gave this command
in Galilee and Judea, where the people were expecting the coming Messiah to establish an earthly kingdom. Meanwhile, Jewish leaders in authority opposed Him—perhaps slowing the spread of His miracles would slow the fear and hatred building within them. When He was outside the jurisdiction of these religious leaders from Judea and Galilee, He permitted those He healed to spread the news.

A Gentile centurion shows his faith.

Read 8:5–13.

© 2019 Concordia Publishing House. Scripture: ESV®.

Q 36:

What did the centurion mean when he spoke about the commands he received from his superiors and those he gave to his soldiers?

A 36:
Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law and a great multitude.

Q 38:

A 38:

Why does it look like Jesus was discouraging these two from following Him?

Jesus wanted them to follow Him, but first they had to count
the cost, that is, to recognize how their lives would change and recognize if they felt the things Jesus had to offer were worth changing their lives. It always is when we recognize the forgiveness, peace, hope, strength, and eternal life He offers.

Because of the authority given him as a centurion, he knew he only needed to speak a word and the soldiers under him would obey his command and do whatever he wished. He was convinced Jesus had far greater authority, over creation and over his servant’s illness.

Read 8:14–17.

Q 37: What is indicated by the phrase, “He cast out the spirits with a word” (v. 16)?

A 37: The mighty Son of God only needed to speak His will and it was done—the same as in Genesis 1 when He commanded, “Let there be light” and there was light. This is the power of God’s Word.

Two would-be disciples ask to follow Jesus.

Read 8:18–22.

Jesus shows His power over a stormy sea.

Read 8:23–27.

Q 39:

A 39:

How does the fear of the disciples reveal the ferocity of this storm?

A large number of Jesus’ twelve disciples grew up fishing on this very lake. They had certainly seen strong storms blow up before. Had this not been an extraordinarily fierce storm, they would not have been afraid. So when Jesus is able to still this killing storm with a word of rebuke, they are completely astonished.

Jesus casts out two demons with a word.

Read 8:28–34.

Q 40: Why did the people of this Gentile city ask Jesus to leave?

A 40: Certainly the destruction of an entire herd of pigs was worrisome, but they probably were also terrified of a man strong enough to drive out the demons who terrorized their neighborhood and barred their way to the tombs.

Jesus heals a paralyzed man.

© 2019 Concordia Publishing House. Scripture: ESV®.

Read 9:1–8.

Q 41:

A 41:

How does this passage reflect Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God?

If Jesus were a mere man, even a great prophet, He never would have dared to forgive this man’s sins on His own authority. The response of the scribes claiming that Jesus was blaspheming makes that very clear. And Jesus underlined His authority as God’s Son to forgive sins by healing the man, again with just a mere word.

Jesus calls Matthew to be one of His Twelve.

Read 9:9–13.

Q 42: How scandalous was it for Jesus to choose a tax collector to be one of His Twelve?

A 42: Tax collectors were seen as traitors who worked against their own people in collaboration with the Roman government. For Jesus
to associate with one and choose him as one of the Twelve was certainly popular with the tax collectors and other social outcasts, but not with the Jewish crowds at large.

John the Baptist’s disciples question Jesus about fasting.

Read 9:14–17.

Q 43:

A 43:

Why were John’s disciples troubled by Jesus’ feasting with His disciples and believers?

They were caught up in John’s preparatory mission, which called on people to repent of their sins in preparation for the coming Messiah. But the Messiah was among them, and He was making everything new. He was calling people to repent as John did, but the kingdom of heaven was now among them, and that called for a new practice—great rejoicing and celebration!

Jesus heals a woman and restores a girl to life.

Read 9:18–26.

Q 44:

A 44:

Q 45:

A 45:

What is remarkable about the woman’s faith?

She is too ashamed to speak directly to Jesus, but she is confident in His healing power. That is why Jesus goes out of His way to find her—so He can speak to her and assure her that He cares about her deeply and personally.

Why did Jesus say the girl was sleeping when she was clearly dead?

Jesus is indicating His intention to raise her from the dead. He also shows His power over death, robbing its power over us by teaching us to think of it as a mere sleep from which God will awaken each of us on the Last Day.

Jesus restores sight to two blind men.

© 2019 Concordia Publishing House. Scripture: ESV®.

Read 9:27–31.

Q 46:

A 46:

What did Jesus mean when He said, “According to your faith be it done for you” (v. 29)?

It was Jesus’ power that gave these men healing, not the strength of their faith. But we receive the benefits of Jesus’ loving work for us— especially His suffering and death—through faith. Perhaps Jesus was also trying to send a message to the Pharisees, who did not believe Him, that they, too, could receive great benefits from Him if they only believed.

Jesus drives out a demon that left a man unable to speak.

Read 9:32–34.

Q 47: How could the Pharisees and the crowds have such opposite reactions to Jesus’ work?

A 47: The crowds believed that Jesus received His authority from God, while the Pharisees thought it came from Satan. Jesus will soon show how ridiculous that notion is.

Matthew summarizes Jesus’ ministry in the cities and villages of Galilee.

Read 9:35–38.

Q 48:

A 48:

What prompted Jesus to encourage His disciples (and us) to pray for God to raise up more workers for His harvest?

Jesus has been accomplishing much work, but He knows how much more work remains to be done. As each new generation comes and the old ones go, there is fresh new work to be done by the Christian Church. We do well to pray for God to keep raising up new workers and keep our eyes open for young people who love God and His Word and could serve in His Church as pastors, teachers, or other vocations.