[1] When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. [2] And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. [3] And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. [4] And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
Verse 1 Expanded Bible Comments
| When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| When Jesus was still up in the mountain (delivering "The Sermon on the Mount,") were great multitudes with him? | No. Only his disciples were with him. |
| According to this verse, when did the "great multitudes" follow him? | "When he was come down from the mountain," - In other words, the multitudes followed him after he came down, not before. |
Verse 2 Expanded Bible Comments
| And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| Did the leper request that Jesus heal him? | No. He stated his faith that Jesus had the ability to make him clean. |
| What did the leper do before making his request of Jesus? | He worshipped him. |
| Of what significance is there to the leper's statement: "If thou wilt...? | This is similar to the three Hebrews before Nebuchadnezzar. Dan. 3:17-18. |
| What exactly was the leper's request? | To be made clean. |
| What was the attitude of the leper? | Reverential. He came "and worshipped him." and he addressed him as "Lord." |
| What is the significance of this man being a leper? | Leprosy is symbolic of sin. This man pictures the whole world of mankind. If they will be clean from sin they must have an attitude of reverence, an appreciation of their own sinful condition and a desire to be cleansed from that condition. They then must make their request known unto the Lord. |
Verse 3 Expanded Bible Comments
| And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| Is there any significance to Jesus touching him with his hand? | Possibly. It seems to be in accord with other times in scripture that make reference to the "laying on of hands" as being associated with healing, or endorsement. |
| Is there any significance to the sequence of Jesus' response to the leper? | Some. Jesus' response indicates first His willingness and second His ability to grant the request for cleansing. |
| Which came first, Jesus' words or the cleansing of the leper? | Jesus' words. When we remember that Jesus is the first and primary representative of the Father, is it any wonder that He would first speak the words of God. - John 14:10; Isa. 55:11 |
Verse 4 Expanded Bible Comments
| And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| Why wasn't the cleansed leper to tell any man what Jesus had done for him? | Because it was not yet time for the common people of Israel to recognize Jesus as their Messiah. |
| Why was he to show himself to the priest? | As Jesus said: "For a testimony unto them." These leaders represented the nation and it was their responsibility to be watching for God's leading, especially concerning the Messiah. |
| Why was he to "offer the gift that Moses commanded?" | See C168:2 |
[5] And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, [6] And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. [7] And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. [8] The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. [9] For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. [10] When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. [11] And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. [12] But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [13] And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
Verse 5 Expanded Bible Comments
| And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| Where is Capernaum? | It was at the northern tip of the Sea of Galilee.  |
| What was a centurion? | A commander of a century (100 men.) A legion contained 60 centuries or a total of 6,000 men. |
| In what manner did the centurion approach Jesus? | Even though he was accustomed to giving orders and the Romans ruled over Judea, he made urgent request of Jesus. |
| Do we know the identity of this centurion? | Not for certain but it seems likely it was Cornelius. |
Verse 6 Expanded Bible Comments
| And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| How did this Roman Commander refer to Jesus the Jew and what is the significance of this? | He referred to Jesus as "Lord." In this the Roman centurion was acknowledging that this Jewish man was his superior. - This likely would not have set well with other Roman authorities had they heard of it. |
| Was the centurion's request a selfish one? | No. It was for the well being of his servant. |
| What was the difficulty with the centurion's servant? | He was sick of the palsy. |
Verse 7-9 Expanded Bible Comments
| And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. [8] The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. [9] For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. | |
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| Question | Answer |
| What was Jesus attitude towards this Gentile commander? | He was willing to enter his house to heal the man's servant. |
| What significance, if any, is there in Jesus' attitude? | It may have been that Jesus had already read the heart of the centurion and saw an opportunity for further witness to the Jews. Thus he set up a test of offering to enter into his house to heal the servant. |
| Upon hearing that Jesus would come to his house, what was the centurion's response and what attitude on his part did this display? | He knew that the Jews considered the Gentiles to be unclean, and as such they were not to enter into a Gentile's house. Therefore he said "I am not worthy that you should come under my roof." R3755:11
His attitude was one of both respect and humility. |
| What conclusion did the centurion reach? | He concluded that Jesus did not himself have to be present in order to have his servant be healed. All Jesus had to do was issue the instruction for the healing to be done and it would be accomplished. |
| What was his reasoning that led him to that conclusion? | Based on his own experience as a commander, having people obey his instructions, he knew that he did not have to do everything himself but gave instructions and those instructions would be carried out by those who were under his authority. |
Verses 10-12 Expanded Bible Comments
| When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. [11] And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. [12] But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| Why did Jesus marvel? | Because of the degree of faith demonstrated by the centurion. |
| Was there a particular reason Jesus stressed that he had not seen that kind of faith in Israel? | "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Matt. 15:24. It was therefore quite a remarkable thing that this Gentile soldier would show this kind of faith. |
| What did Jesus mean by many coming from the east and west? | From outside of Israel, i.e., from the Gentiles. |
| In this context, who are "the children of the kingdom?" | The Jews, the natural descendants of Abraham through his promised son Isaac. Rom. 3:1-2; Amos 3:2 |
| How could these sit with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob while "the children of the kingdom shall be cast out?" | Our Lord was referring to the Millennial Age when many Gentiles will successfully walk up the highway of holiness while some of the Jews who witnessed Jesus' works and heard His words, still will not demonstrate the proper condition of heart and thus will not completely walk up that highway. |
| Jesus said they will sit with these "in the kingdom of heaven." Does this indicate that these who come from the east and west will have a heavenly reward? | No. This has reference to the arrangements under the New Covenant during the Mediatorial phase of the Kingdom of God on Earth. It is called "the Kingdom of Heaven" because "the law will go forth from Zion (the spiritual or heavenly phase of the Kingdom) and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem (the earthly phase of the Kingdom.) |
| Does this preclude the Gentiles from entering the spiritual phase of the kingdom? | Not at all. |
| Does this have a dual application? | |
| Does this mean that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will have a heavenly reward? | No. It seems to have the same meaning as in the prior question. ** This does not preclude (nor does it seem to endorse) the thought that these Ancient Worthies might receive a Heavenly reward after the Mediatorial Phase of the Kingdom is complete. ** |
| Why would "the children of the kingdom" be cast into outer darkness? | The "children of the kingdom" had reference to the natural seed of Israel, i.e., the Jews. This does not mean that all Jews except those who became part of the Church class will be cast into outer darkness. Remember that Jesus' audience was the Jewish people but these remarks were particularly aimed at that hypocritical class, the Scribes and Pharisees. |
| What is meant by "weeping and gnashing of teeth?" | Please see Expanded Bible Comments. |
Verse 13 Expanded Bible Comments
| And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| What lesson do we gain from what Jesus said to the centurion? | The importance of faith. Jesus seems to imply that the degree of the man's faith would determine if his servant would be healed, and Jesus had already stated that he had "not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." |
| What happened to the centurion's servant? | "His servant was healed in the selfsame hour." |
[14] And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. [15] And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. [16] 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 Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
Verses 14, 15 Expanded Bible Comments
| And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. [15] And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| What did Jesus find when he went to Peter's house? | His mother was sick with a fever. |
| What did Jesus do about this situation? | He healed her. |
| What was the response of Peter's mother-in-law? | "She arose, and ministered unto them. |
| What lessons can we take from this account about the use of our talents? | "Do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." Gal. 6:10. Also there is no record here of Jesus asking to be paid for his services as a physician. So likewise we should not be charging the Brethren if we are able to help them in some way. "Verily, they have their reward." |
| What lessons do we learn about being the recipient of a gift? | After receiving the gift of being healed, Peter's mother in law responded by ministering unto them. So we too should show our appreciation of having received a gift by attempting to use our talents in the service of others, especially to the gift giver. |
| It is claimed by our Catholic friends that Peter was the first Pope. Is there anything in this account which would seem to disprove that? | It is forbidden for the Pope to be married. In verse 14 it is clear that Peter had a wife. |
Verses 16,17 Expanded Bible Comments
| 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 Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| Is daemon possession real or is it a myth? | It is altogether too real. |
| What did Jesus cast out of those brought to him? | Spirits. This confirms the thought that these are those "angels which kept not their first estate." Jude 6 |
| What else does vs. 16 say Jesus did? | Healed the sick. |
| Does this imply that there is a connection between daemon possession and sickness? | Perhaps, but this does not prove it. The obvious connection is that both are related to rebellion. We know about the rebellion of the "angels which kept not their first estate," whom we refer to as the "fallen angels." These are the ones Jesus was casting out. The other connection is that sickness is part of the dying process which is the result of Adam's rebellion in Eden. In both cases it is rebellion against God that is involved. This is why the scriptures command that "thou shalt not suffer a witch to live," because they are connected to these rebellious fallen angels. We are also told that "rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft." Jude 6; Exo. 22:18; 1 Sam. 15:23 |
| How (in what manner) did Jesus heal the sick? | "With his word." John 14:10. |
| Where in Isaiah do we find this prophecy? | Isa. 53:4 |
| Did this healing work cost Jesus anything? | Yes. It cost him his strength, his vitality. Luke 6:19; Luke 8:48 |
[18] Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. [19] And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. [20] And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. [21] And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. [22] But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
Verse 18 Expanded Bible Comments
| Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| "Depart to the other side." The other side of what? | When we remember that he had just been in Capernaum, he probably had reference to The Sea of Galilee where Capernaum was located. |
| What thing prompted Jesus to determine it was time to depart? | He saw the multitudes. |
| Why would that cause him to make that determination? | Possibly because he recognized that "his time was not yet come" and had he stayed he would have continued to heal them. This would have sapped his vitality to soon and he may not have had enough to complete his appointed mission at the right time. |
Verses 19-20 Expanded Bible Comments
| And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. [20] And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| We know that Jesus often chided the Scribes and Pharisees. Were they all wicked? | No. Here we have the account that at least one Scribe wanted to follow Jesus. We also learn from the response of Jesus that he did not fully understand what that meant and (even though it does not here directly say it) that Scribe likely did not follow him. At least not in the same manner as the twelve. |
| What was the main point Jesus was making by His response to the Scribe? | He was walking a very narrow and difficult (from the worldly standpoint) way. |
Verses 21,22 Expanded Bible Comments
| And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. [22] But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. | |
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| Question | Answer |
| Another man wanted to follow Jesus but had just lost his father and wanted to take care of his burial. Is there anything wrong with that? | From the standpoint of the world this man's request was extremely proper. He needed to take care of his own, to fulfill his obligations to his family. However, from the standpoint of what is most important, if one is to follow our Lord, He must come first in all things. |
| What kind of man was this who wanted to first bury his father? | A disciple of Jesus. |
| What did Jesus tell him to do? | Actually it was an invitation. He said "Follow me." |
| What did Jesus mean by "let the dead bury their dead?" | When someone dies, they are (of course) dead. That is one of the two groups Jesus is here referring to. The other group Jesus has here classified as "dead" is the dead world of mankind, those whose end is sure because they were already in sin before they were born (Psa. 51:5) and "the wages of sin is death." (Rom. 6:23) In other words, the whole world of mankind is under the sentence of death and can thus be referred to as "the dead." Some have referred to these as "the walking around dead." This is the first group Jesus referred to as "dead" who then need to bury those of their number who have completed their journey into death and have no breath remaining in them. These they bury. |
[23] And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. [24] And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. [25] And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. [26] And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. [27] But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
Verses 23, 24 Expanded Bible Comments
| And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. [24] And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. | |
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| Question | Answer |
| What happened while they were in the ship? | So great storm arose that the waves were going over the ship. |
| What was Jesus doing during all this? | He was asleep. - This answers the question: Does a perfect man need to sleep? |
Verses 25, 26 Expanded Bible Comments
| And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. [26] And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| What was the reaction of the disciples to this great storm? | They were in fear for their lives. "We perish!" |
| What action did they take? | They went to the one in whom they had confidence. They went and told Jesus. |
| What did Jesus do? | He "rebuked the winds and the sea." |
| What was the result of Jesus' action? | "There was a great calm." |
| Is there any significance to Jesus rebuking the wind? | Satan is described as the prince of the power of the air. (Eph. 2:2) In effect He was demonstrating authority over the fallen angels. |
| Is there yet to be a symbolic or antitypical fulfillment of this event? | Yes. The great time of trouble is the result of the loosing of the four winds (Rev. 7:1-3.) When Jesus takes full control He will command the winds of strive (which began to blow in 1914 - Biv:1) to cease and the world will experience a great calm. |
Verse 27 Expanded Bible Comments
| But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| How did the disciples react to Jesus' actions? | They 'marvelled,' i.e., they were stunned, amazed, overwhelmed at what they had just witnessed. They now knew that this was no ordinary man. |
[28] And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. [29] And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? [30] And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. [31] So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. [32] And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. [33] And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. [34] And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.
Verse 28 Expanded Bible Comments
| And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| "When he was come to the other side.." The other side of what? | Murdock translates as "the farther shore." They had been Capernaum and they appear to have docked at Gergesa, a voyage of about 5 miles. |
| Where is the country of the Gergesenes? | Wescott and Hort claims this is not Strong's 1086 (Gergesene) but 1046 (Gadarene) or inhabitant of Gadara.  While we may not be too positive, if we base this on likely location, it seems to make more sense that it is Gergesa as it is much closer to Capernaum. Also, verse 32 speaks of the swine running into the sea. Gergesa is right on the coast of the Sea of Galilee, whereas Gadara is 5.5 miles inland. |
| Who met Jesus when he got there? | Two possessed with devils. It does not specifically say "two men." In the parallel accounts given in Mark 5:1-20 and Luke 8:26-39 it simply indicates one man. This suggests that the other (of the two) may have been either a woman or a child. |
| Where had these two been? | In the tombs. |
| How are these two described? | Exceeding fierce. |
| Why were they like that? | Because of being possessed by daemons. |
| What effect did their presence have on travelers there? | It was not safe to travel by them. |
Verse 29 Expanded Bible Comments
| And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| What did these daemon possessed men do when they saw Jesus? | They cried out. |
| Besides addressing Jesus by name, how else did they describe Him? | As "thou Son of God." |
| What were the two questions they asked Jesus? | 1) What have we to do with you? 2) Have you come here to torment us before the time? |
| What was the meaning of the first question? | Why would you Jesus, the righteous one, have anything to do with us? - See 2 Cor. 6:14. |
| What was the meaning of the second question, and what does that tell us about the Divine Plan? | These devils knew that their judgment was to come during the Day of Judgment. They also knew that they were not yet in that day when Jesus was there. (See 1 Cor. 4:5) However, when the Day of Judgment did come they expected to be "tormented." -- The word "tormented" might better be translated as "vexed."
G928
βασανίζω
basanizō bas-an-id'-zo From G931; to torture: - pain, toil, torment, toss, vex. |
Verses 30-32 Expanded Bible Comments
| And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. [31] So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. [32] And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| Were the two who were daemon possessed keeping the herd of swine? | No, they were "a good way off." |
| Does verse 30 have anything to do with their geographical location? If so, what? | They were on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. While this is in the territory originally given to the half tribe of Manasseh, this was beginning to get into Gentile territory. Perhaps this may explain why the towns-people had "a herd of swine," which is against Jewish law. |
| What did the devils ask of Jesus? | That they might be cast into the herd of swine. |
| What do we learn from this question? | That Jesus had authority over the daemons (fallen angels) and they needed permission to enter even animals. R2173:7 |
| What happened next? | The devils entered into the swine and they ran into the sea and perished. |
Verses 33, 34 Expanded Bible Comments
| And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. [34] And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts. | |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer |
| What did the keepers of the herd of swine do? | They fled into the city and told what they saw. |
| What happened next? | The whole city came out and urged Jesus to go somewhere else. |
| What, likely, was their reason for urging Jesus to leave? | Probably a combination of fear and greed. They were afraid of what might happen to them after hearing about the herd of swine. They also had just had their livelihood destroyed and wanted nothing more to do with the one who cost them so much. |