Matthew 8v1-17

Again, here are the notes from LightHouse with discussion questions:

What does it look like for Jesus to have authority over our lives? How does that show itself day by day?

Read through the passage together what surprises you, what questions do you have about it?

King and kingdom are key themes in Matthew’s gospel. It opens with the great genealogy which proves Jesus kingly line, then Herod reacts with fury to the threat to his kingship that a new born king poses. And the early chapters are littered with references to the Old Testament prophecies fulfilled in Jesus, the Messiah, God’s long promised rescuing king.

In 4:23 in Galilee Jesus is “teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing disease and illness among the people.” And 9:35 acts as another bookend echoing that summary statement about Jesus work as the king teaching about and proclaiming the coming of the kingdom with the healings displaying his kingly authority. In chapter 5-7 we hear Jesus authoritative teaching and now in 8-9 we see Jesus authority as king of the kingdom. And as his authority and kingship are revealed we also see a growing clash between two kingdoms. We are going to pick out some of the themes in the healings in these verses.

The King revealed in his authority over sin
The Bible has two ways it sees illness. All illness is a result of sin, but some illnesses are a direct result and consequence of a specific sin, whilst others are simply the result of living in a sin sick world. As Jesus confronts sickness and heals he is revealing his authority and rule not just over illness but over the cause of that illness sin itself. As Jesus removes the effects of sin he is giving a glimpse of his power as King and of what life will be like in his kingdom when it is fully realised.

Let’s look at the passage. Jesus comes down from the mountain and meets this man with leprosy. **What does the leper say to Jesus? “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” **What assumption does the leper make? That Jesus can heal, notice that he does not say ‘if you are able to’, but he recognises and puts his faith in Jesus authority, the question is not ‘can he?’ because the leper believes he can the only question is will he. (3)**What does Jesus do? He willingly and instantly heals the man, but notice something else, **what accompanies Jesus words? “Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.”

Now that was a ‘no, no’ in those days. Leprosy was a defiling disease, it made you unfit and unclean, it meant you had to leave people and go off into isolation, and you could not approach the temple. To touch a leper transferred the defilement, it would make you unclean. But notice what happens here, normally a lepers’ touch would make you unclean, but here Jesus touch cleanses the leper and doesn’t defile him. Jesus has authority like no-one else.

(5-13)Again Jesus is asked to heal someone but **what are the differences this time? It is a healing from a great distance and it is a request from a Gentile, but (13) distance is no barrier for Jesus “his servant was healed at that very hour.”

But the biggest difference is in the space given to the Centurions words(8-9) because what he says is significant. The Centurions words provide the key theology which helps us understand what Matthew wants his readers to learn from these incidents. The Centurion again is confident that Jesus can heal, in fact he is so confident that he believes Jesus doesn’t even need to come to his house but can heal with just a word from distance. The question is why does he believe that? He gives us the answer (9)and it is all about authority. When the Centurion speaks his soldiers obey, **why? Because he is their commanding officer, but also because his words are effectively the words of the emperor, when he speaks it is as if Rome speaks. Do you see why it is so significant, because he says the same is true of Jesus, when Jesus speaks God speaks, when Jesus acts God acts.

His faith is not in Jesus as miracle worker but in Jesus as the authoritative voice and representative of God. God’s promised King bringing his kingdom.

(14-17)confirm the Centurion’s conclusion about Jesus as he again many heals and overcomes not just sin and its affects seen in illness but now defeats the evil spirits themselves.

Jesus authority is seen in fulfilling scripture as he brings people back to God
As Jesus heals he is also doing something else. **Who does he heal? A leper, a Gentile, a woman, the demon possessed all on the margins of society, all kept out of the temple or with only restricted access to the temple. But in each case Jesus makes the unclean clean, he opens up access to God, he brings the marginalised back into relationship with God.

But did you notice something else again as so often in Matthew he is keen for his readers to see that Jesus fulfils scripture, he is the one the Old Testament pointed to as God’s coming king. There is the witness of the miracles but there is also the witness of scripture, God’s own testimony.

So look at (4) **what does Jesus tell the man to do? “...show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” When a leper was made clean he had to offer sacrifices and be declared clean by the priest. As Jesus sends the man to do just that he describes it as a testimony to them. But the question is; a testimony to what? A testimony to the one who could make him clean, the one who could take away defilement. Jesus sends the man to perform what the Old Testament law demanded and in doing so the law points to Jesus as God’s authoritative King.

Little quiz question for you, **what were the 4 promises God made to Abraham? People, place, protection, plan. There have been glimpses of the last part, of Abraham being a blessing to all the nations, throughout the OT; Rahab, Ruth, and so on, but still as the Old Testament ends the prophets look forward to a day when the Gentiles will stream to worship God. And here Jesus welcomes this Centurion, a Gentile, and praises his faith even holding up his faith as an example to Israel. There can be no doubt that this Gentile Centurion through his faith in Jesus has entered the kingdom.

And **how does Matthew end this section? With a quotation from Isaiah 53:4, but **do you notice something about the quotation? Matthew seems to have misquoted, but given that this is inspired we ought to be asking ourselves why he has phrased it like this? What point is he trying to make?

Matthew knows that the same power that heals forgives sin, and ultimately Jesus is giving a glimpse of what his reign will be like, a place where all the ill effects of sin are removed. Matthew is viewing Isaiah 53:4 in its whole context, here he is explicitly linking Jesus healings and authority with his role as suffering servant, saviour, and kingdom bringing king. Jesus the king deals with sin and suffering and will do so through suffering, bringing people back to God.

Just think about our society for a moment, who are those on the margins either of society or of our reach as a church? Who are those who feel alienated and far from God because of perceptions about the welcome they will receive in church? The illiterate, the single parent, the co-habiting couple, the young?

Jesus welcomes and brings those on the margins, those excluded and pushed away from God by religion back to God, because he comes to do his Father’s will as his Father promised. The gospel is for everyone, it can bring anyone back to God.

Jesus authority will lead to a clash of kingdoms
How do you react to authority? How do you react to being under someone’s command? As Jesus claims and shows that he has authority and as others come to believe in him there is a challenge to everyone else, what will we do with his claims?

Here we see the first signs of the coming storm which will break over Jesus head. These incidents are a bit like the distant rumblings of thunder which herald a far greater storm. Jesus is claiming authority in his teaching and in his actions, and he is proclaiming that the kingdom in come in him. You would expect Israel to welcome him, to see that he is fulfilling scripture, that his miracles are further authentication of his claims.

But look at (10-12), **how does Jesus react to the Centurions faith? He is amazed by it and part of what he is amazed at is that such faith in him, such recognition of who he is comes from a Gentile not from Israel. And then comes the warning, you can’t be part of two kingdoms. Those listening would have been pleased with the picture of the feast, even seeing that Jesus is fulfilling Messianic expectations in talking about those from the East and West coming to worship God and be part of the realised kingdom with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

But then comes the bomb shell (13)Jesus warns the ‘sons of the kingdom’ a term used to describe Israel, that they will be expelled from the feast – a picture of Jesus kingdom realised when he returns - unless they come like this centurion and put their faith in Jesus. Jesus loves them so much that he warns them, he will not let them continue complacently believing they are in the kingdom when they have not come to him and put their faith in him. Love leads him to warn them.

There is no other way into the kingdom but by bowing the knee to its king. Jesus has authority, God speaks and acts as he speaks and acts. The question is how will they react to his authority? Often the biggest clash is between the gospel and organised religion, a religion that is inflexible and unloving. Here we see it in Jesus coming clash with the Jewish systems and exclusion of the unclean. But it can be just the same today, so often the biggest clash is between Jesus and the religious.

The question also applies to us; how will we react to Jesus rule and authority? His words and actions proves who he is, how will we react to Jesus authority? He speaks the very words of God, listening to him, responding to him by faith is the only way to be part of his kingdom.

Jesus claim to authority doesn’t just clash with their kingdom but with our kingdom, with my kingdom. There is only ever room for one authority in your life. There can only ever be one ruler of your heart, and whoever it is will govern and direct every action you take. Who is the ruler of your heart?  Are there places where you feel this clash of kingdoms, where your authority is battling with Jesus authority? Where you are tempted to elevate your thinking over his teaching?

Look at the kingdom Jesus brings; a kingdom of forgiveness, a kingdom where the king will die for his subjects, a kingdom where his rule is for their good, a king whose authority is not self centred but God glorifying. Jesus kingship is the polar opposite of ours, Jesus kingdom is the polar opposite of ours, he is king whose rule it is a delight to live under.

And look at the future the king offers; a kingdom where sin is not our master, where he has won the victory and we get to share in his victory, a kingdom where one day there will be no sin and where now we enjoy living under his rule. How foolish of us to opt for our kingdom, to refuse his loving rule which is only ever for our good and God's glory.  We need to respond like the Centurion; recognise Jesus words are God’s words, hear his authority and live life under it, responding by faith, trusting him for the future.

Disscussion Questions:
Who are the unreached and marginalised from church in today’s society? What will it look like to try to reach them with the gospel of Jesus?

Are you bowing to Jesus kingship or battling it? Why? Where is this seen in us as individuals, as a church, in our friends?

A friend asks you ‘what difference does it make to you that Jesus is your Lord, Saviour and King?’ What answer would you give and why?