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| 1 And when he had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. |
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| 2 And behold, a leper came up to him and did him homage, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou art able to cleanse me. |
A leper – Leprosy symbolically represents sin. R4576:3[R4576:13]
If thou wilt – He was inspired with faith as far as his knowledge went, and Jesus graciously supplied the missing link by saying, I will. R436:6*
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| 3 And he stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, I will; be cleansed.
And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. |
Put forth his hand – It is a mistake to suppose that healing constituted Jesus' mission as a whole or one of its most important features. R4576:2
Touched him – His healings were performed to: (1) draw attention to his message; (2) illustrate his great future work; or (3) test his own faithfulness. R4576:2
Be thou clean – No suggestion here of the error of the leper's moral mind as claimed by Christian Science. All is real, both the leprosy and the miraculous cure. R4472:2*
Was cleansed – Represents purification from sin. R4576:3
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| 4 And Jesus says to him, See thou tell no man, but go, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses ordained, for a testimony to them.
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Tell no man – The testimony of his Messiahship was to be hidden from the common people until the rulers of the Jewish Church had the opportunity to decide for or against Christ. C168
Telling it forth would tend to make him too popular. R4576:3[R4576:3]
To the priest – This was the demand of the Law. R4576:3[R4576:3]
Representative of the Jewish system. C168
Testimony unto them – To those who would ultimately pass sentence upon him. R4576:5[R4576:5]
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| 5 And when he had entered into Capernaum, a centurion came to him, beseeching him, |
A centurion – Captain of a garrison of Roman soldiers; a Gentile. R5101:4
Probably Cornelius. R1922:6, 2620:6
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| 6 and saying, Lord, my servant lies paralytic in the house, suffering grievously. |
My servant – An interest in his employee which we, as Christians, do well to imitate. R2620:6
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| 7 And Jesus says to him, *I* will come and heal him.
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| 8 And the centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not fit that thou shouldest enter under my roof; but only speak a word, and my servant shall be healed. |
I am not worthy – Being a Gentile, it would be an impropriety for a Jew to enter his house. R3755:5
A lesson of humility of mind in approaching the Lord on any subject; that we have nothing of right or merit to demand, only grace and mercy. R3755:5
Speak the word only – He had this faith because his servants obeyed their authority, and he recognized that Jesus had still higher authority and could so command his messengers. R5101:4
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| 9 For *I* also am a man under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say to this one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my bondman, Do this, and he does it. |
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| 10 And when Jesus heard it, he wondered, and said to those who followed, Verily I say unto you, Not even in Israel have I found so great faith.
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He marveled – The only other instance where Jesus marveled was at the unbelief of the people of Nazareth. (Mark 6:6) R3755:6
No, not in Israel – Nowhere among the whole twelve tribes. C293
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| 11 But I say unto you, that many shall come from the rising and setting sun, and shall lie down at table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens;
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That many – Faithful ones from among the Gentiles, called to be the bride and joint-heir of the true and only heir of all things, Christ Jesus. R1095:2
The world of mankind in the Millennium. R3457:1
Shall come – By a narrow, thorny path of trial. R1095:5
East and the west – Gentiles. R4576:6
Shall sit down – Or, be at rest and peace with God, with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the faithful of the earthly class. R3457:1
With Abraham – The visible representatives of the Kingdom. D619; Q421:3; R4796:1
The Kingdom itself will be spiritual, invisible to men, but its earthly agents will be visible and they will be Jewish. R4796:1
Who will have an honored place for the blessing of regathered Israel, and through them, all the families of the earth. R4577:1
Who died before the ransom was paid and were not therefore called to a place in the spiritual Kingdom. D625
But not the saints. A290
And Isaac and Jacob – And all the ancient worthies. R3457:1, 1634:6; D619
Kingdom of heaven – The earthly phase of the Kingdom. A290
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| 12 but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
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Children of the kingdom – Israelites, children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to whom the Kingdom was first offered. R5101:5
The Lord is here not speaking about the world at all; he is speaking about the Church. Q199:4
The Lord was discussing the earthly Kingdom with the earthly children. Q421:4
Some who, in the end of the age, not being faithful, will be rejected from the light. Q199:4
Cast out – Out of divine favor. R4576:6
Divine grace or favor was to continue with the Jew until three and a half years after the cross. R5100:6
They should not think that God would take them for his elect regardless of their character, faith, obedience, etc. R5101:5
All the unworthy of the Jewish age shall be excluded from the visible, earthly phase of the Kingdom. R1580:1
Outer darkness – God's disfavor, which has been upon Jews, especially since the destruction of Jerusalem. R4576:6, 4577:1, 3105:6; Q421:3
As outcasts from God's favor and from the special light of prophecy which for 1800 years had enlightened them. R1095:2
That which is common to the world in general. R4445:2, 4577:1
If any of us do not walk carefully, we will not continue to be children of light. Q199:4
Not like purgatory or hell-fire, because the normal view of these is very light, bright and hot. Q199:4
There shall be – Those that rejected the Lord found a great time of trouble at the end of the Jewish age. Q421:3; R3105:6
Weeping – The Jewish nation has suffered for 18 centuries and will continue to suffer until God will forgive them and save them. R4577:1, 1095:5
Grief is indeed implied, but not one word about an eternity of grief and pain. HG303:2
Gnashing of teeth – Signifying chagrin, disappointment, savage animosity; as in the case of Stephen, "They gnashed on him with their teeth." (Acts 7:54) R4329:1; Q732:2
Darkness respecting transpiring events and, ultimately, the severity of the trouble, figuratively called "weeping and gnashing of teeth." R3105:6
A metaphor describing trouble, distress, perplexity and persecution. R1095:5
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| 13 And Jesus said to the centurion, Go, and as thou hast believed, be it to thee.
And his servant was healed in that hour. |
As thou hast believed – Those who cannot exercise faith cannot have a share in the blessings offered under the Gospel call, but must wait for the demonstration of the Millennial Kingdom. R4576:6
Some were healed in answer to their own faith (Mark 5:34); and some, as here, in answer to the faith of another. R759:3
Was healed – No miracle of healing was ever wrought by the Savior upon any of his disciples. R4577:4
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| 14 And when Jesus had come to Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law laid down and in a fever; |
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| 15 and he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she arose and served him. |
The fever left her – Some, as here, were healed instantly; some gradually. (Mark 8:24,25) R759:3
Ministered unto them – Demonstrating that her cure was miraculous, since the operation of the mind could not have restored at once the strength lost by the fever. R3311:1
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| 16 And when the evening was come, they brought to him many possessed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were ill; |
And healed – The miracles of healing which our Lord performed were incidental to his preaching. R4137:2
The healings had three ends in view: (1) to draw attention to his message; (2) to illustrate his great future work; and (3) to test his consecration vows. R4576:3
All that were sick – "Virtue (vitality) went out of him and healed them all." (Luke 6:19) R5096:4, 4576:3; A230; E124; F645
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| 17 so that that should be fulfilled which was spoken through Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities and bore our diseases. |
Himself – The gift which costs nothing cannot be so highly esteemed as that which costs much. R4138:2
Took our infirmities – At his own expense, his own sacrifice. R4576:3, 4138:1, 574:4; E106, E124
"Touched with the feeling of our infirmities." (Heb. 4:15) E106; F632
Perfection is the opposite of infirmity. E122
Greek, asthenioas; used in the singular when the sickness of Lazarus is spoken of (John 11:4); proof from the Scriptures that Jesus was sick and so able to sympathize with us in our sicknesses. R2767:4*
Greek, astheneo, meaning without strength. R4099:6, 2*
Our Lord, who had none of the imperfections of the fallen race, needed to take from men their sicknesses in order that he might be touched with a feeling of our infirmities. R2029:6
Not because pain, sickness and death had hold of him, but that they had hold of our race, and he, full of love and sympathy, was bearing the burdens of others. R574:5
The weaknesses going to him as "there went virtue out of him and healed" the multitude. (Luke 6:19) F632
Experiencing, instead of vitality, a sense of the weakness and suffering of those whom he relieved. F645
Since he himself was not the sinner, all the penalties of sin which could rest upon him must be result of his taking the sinner's place and bearing for us the stroke of justice. E127
Thus our Lord fulfilled his consecration and began to lay down his life for others. R3727:5
He who spake "as never man spake" also sympathized as none of the fallen race could sympathize with the fallen conditions, troubles and afflictions of humanity. E126
"That he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God," "in all points tempted like as we are." (Heb. 2:17,18; 4:15,16) E128
It is expedient also that all who would be acceptable to God as members of the Bride should be similarly touched with a feeling of the world's infirmities and have sufficient sympathy to voluntarily bear some of the sorrows and griefs of those about them. R4138:4; F645
Bare our sicknesses – Not the sicknesses of the Church, but those healed at the first advent, to illustrate greater works and grander healings in which we may participate, now and in the Kingdom. F632; R4138:3
A comparison of Isa. 53 with Heb. 4:15 and Mark 5:30 and Luke 6:19 shows us clearly that this prophecy was completely fulfilled at the first advent. R2028:6
It was necessary for Christ to do this that he might be touched with a feeling of our infirmities. F645
Being free from sin, he was free also from pain. Since he could not suffer pain and sickness because of sin, he was placed for a time among sinners, where their weaknesses and pains bore down upon him. R2000:1, 809:2
We do not know that our Lord was sick with any of the ordinary maladies. It would appear that his healing merely exhausted his vitality, and thus left upon him the weight of our sicknesses. R4138:3
It is the most refined and perfect organisms which can suffer most. R454:3
The healing of the new creature and the healing of the flesh are different things. The new creature's soul-sickness is cured by the Good Physician, even though his flesh may suffer pain and go into death. R4979:6
For God's consecrated people to ask for physical healing would be to attempt to take back what they have consecrated to the Lord "even unto death." R4980:1
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| 18 And Jesus, seeing great crowds around him, commanded to depart to the other side. |
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| 19 And a scribe came up and said to him, Teacher, I will follow thee whithersoever thou mayest go. |
I will follow thee – Evidently with the thought that one so gifted must be wealthy. R5370:6
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| 20 And Jesus says to him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven roosting-places; but the Son of man has not where he may lay his head.
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Hath not where – No home of his own. Only the very sincere would be attracted to follow a leader in such a condition. R5370:6
It seems that persecution from his earthly kindred was not lacking and that he was unwelcome in the home of his childhood. R1069:3
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| 21 But another of his disciples said to him, Lord, suffer me first to go away and bury my father. |
Bury my father – Leave your service and serve my father until he dies. R1987:1; Q217:1
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| 22 But Jesus said to him, Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.
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Follow me – Jesus did not mean that the young man should not attend his father's funeral, but that if he left the Lord's service too long he might never return. R1987:1
Let the dead – The legally dead. Q760:4
Here unbelievers are referred to as still dead because of having no union with the life-giver. F697
He was referring to the mass of mankind, all dead under condemnation, and the one who believed in him was the only one that was even reckonedly alive. HG195:3; Q717:4
We are all walking in the valley of the shadow of death and are now far down below the mountain tops of life and perfection. R360:3
From God's standpoint all who are under the sentence of death are considered as though already dead. A150, A289; Q717:4, 760:4; CR131:2; R5371:1, 3378:4, 2153:5, 1231:3, 1077:1; NS253:5
Especially those who are unbelievers and hence have no union with the life-giver. F697
"The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God." (John 5:25) R2435:1
Bury their dead – The actually dead. Q760:4
Let the dead, the condemned and legally dead world, look out for its own affairs. CR131:2
There are plenty in the world who can attend to the earthly things. R5371:1
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| 23 And he went on board ship and his disciples followed him; |
Entered into a ship – The Master launched out with them occasionally to obtain rest and quiet. R4577:1
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| 24 and behold, the water became very agitated on the sea, so that the ship was covered by the waves; but *he* slept. |
A great tempest – Its violence may be judged from the fact that even the Apostles, who were experienced on the sea, were alarmed. R4577:2
Probably the Adversary was permitted to develop the storm on Lake Galilee for the very promise of the lesson it gave to the apostles. R4577:3
All are subject to the storms of life in which mighty billows threaten our destruction. R4577:2
Picturing the experiences of the Church during the long night of 18 centuries in which she has been tempest-tossed. R3325:2
Picturing the great time of trouble. R5239:5
In the sea – The Sea of Galilee is quite subject to such windstorms. R3324:2
But he was asleep – Evidently thoroughly exhausted with the labors of his journey and ministry. R3324:3; HG459:2
Evidently the Lord's providence had something to do with his prolonged sleep under such circumstances, to test the faith of his disciples. R3324:3, 5239:3
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| 25 And the disciples came and awoke him, saying, Lord save: we perish. |
Lord, save us – If we have trials and difficulties, or inner storms or passion, anger, resentment, we should cry unto the Lord for help. R5239:4
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| 26 And he says to them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?
Then, having arisen, he rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
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A great calm – Waters, thus lashed to a fury, cannot be quickly calmed except by a miracle. R3324:4
Typifying the great rest from the Evil One for a thousand years, now near at hand. R3325:4
Rebuked the winds – Illustrating the manner in which the time of trouble will come to an end. A171
What the Lord is doing for the Church now, and what he will do in the future for the world. R5239:5
Jesus would not have rebuked the storm if it had been caused by the Father. Satan probably thought he could destroy Jesus by this storm. R5239:3
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| 27 But the men were astonished, saying, What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him? |
What manner of man – In general his wonderful personality seemed really incongruous with his general demeanor. SM749:3
During the Messianic Kingdom, all will know Jesus as having been a man, The Sent of God, and as the now Highly Exalted One, far above men and angels. SM754:2
Not until the disciples learned this lesson were they prepared to trust him with all their trials, difficulties and interests. R4577:2
Similarly we, realizing that our Lord now has "all power in heaven and in earth" (Matt. 28:18), can fully trust him and rest in his loving care. R4577:2
The sea obey him – The power to deliver from literal waves gives confidence that he is able to deliver from every trouble. R4577:2; SM749:1
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| 28 And there met him, when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, two possessed by demons, coming out of the tombs, exceeding dangerous, so that no one was able to pass by that way. |
Two possessed – Using the human body as their medium, their body. R4577:5
Intelligent physicians recognize that probably more than half of the inmates of insane asylums are demon-possessed. R4577:5, 5044:2; SM197:T
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| 29 And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Son of God? hast thou come here before the time to torment us? |
They cried out – Knowing their final destiny, they tremble as the time draws near. (Jas. 2:19) R606:5
Thou Son of God – The devils acknowledged Christ when they had an object in so doing. R2014:1
Admitting his lordship and power over them. F626
To do with thee – In common with thee. R3772:2
To torment us – To destroy us; the fear of destruction being doubtless inculcated by witnessing man's death on account of sin. R254:5, 3772:1
These imprisoned spirits had in mind destruction as their final doom; but their suppositions were incorrect, for Satan had misrepresented Jehovah's plan to them. R697:1,4; HG729:6
The word "torment" here does not have the same thought as our word torment. It would mean "do us distress," as a landlord is said to put a tenant in distress for his rent; that is, he will put him out of the premises for failure to pay his rent. Q222:4
This was the language of the demons. Whatever the fallen spirits might say would not be good theology with any good Christian. Q222:4
We shall consider it an interference with our rights if deprived of the privilege of tormenting this man. R3772:1
Before the time – The demons evidently understood that the time for the overthrow of the powers of evil was still future. R3727:2, 1722:4
Showing their expectation of some future termination of their present restraint or imprisonment, a culmination of judgment in their case. F626
A plea for extension of time in which to come out of the man. R3772:1
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| 30 Now there was, a great way off from them, a herd of many swine feeding; |
An herd – Probably hundreds. It would appear that there were enough demons to supply one for every hog, because, unlike sheep, a hog is independent in its action. R4577:5[R4577:12]
Many swine feeding – The chief industry of that place. R4587:1
Contrary to the Jewish Law and therefore contraband. R3772:4
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| 31 and the demons besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine. |
So the devils – Not attempting to deny their own identity, but admitting his lordship and power over them. F626
These evil spirits were surely beings and not merely a disease of the man's mind; else, how could they enter the swine? R3772:5
Besought him – Evidently fallen angels cannot impose themselves upon even the dumb animals until given some sort of permission. R2173:3
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| 32 And he said to them, Go. And they, going out, departed into the herd of swine; and lo, the whole herd of swine rushed down the steep slope into the sea, and died in the waters. |
And perished – The destruction of everything obnoxious to the divine will, even as swine were contraband to the Jewish law. R4577:6[R4577:14]
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| 33 But they that fed them fled, and went away into the city and related everything, and what had happened as to those possessed by demons. |
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| 34 And behold, the whole city went out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to go away out of their coasts. |
He would depart – So today, the multitudes are moved specially by temporal interests; the great blessings of the Lord go unnoticed. R4577:6
Out of the coasts – Wherever the true gospel goes its effect is to cause division and uproar in the kingdom of darkness. R1633:3
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