Matthew - Week 21

The Nature of Authority 

READ 

Matthew 8:8-9 

8 But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 9 I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” 

Jesus said He would come heal the officer’s young soldier and this is the officer’s response. He had confidence that if Jesus just gave the word, the servant would be healed. True, the officer was a man of authority himself, but one wonders how he knew that Jesus could heal without being in the presence of a person. Jesus had actually touched the leprous man, but now, that’s what was asked of Jesus.  

REFLECT 

Ask the Lord to give you the confidence in Him that this Roman officer had. 

RESPOND 

With a fellow believer, check some of the passages that tell what Jesus can do. He is the Word that existed from the beginning and created all things (John 1:1-14). His word exposes the thoughts and desires of people (Hebrews 4:12-13). At His second coming to earth He will speak unbelieving armies out of existence (Revelation 19:11-16). 

Such Great Faith 

READ 

Matthew 8:10-12 

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! 11 And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. 12 But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 

Jesus was astonished to see such great faith displayed by the Gentile Roman officer. Jesus told His followers that the day would come when many believing Gentiles would come from all over the world and “sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven.” On the other hand, many Israelites would not be there because they did not believe in the Messiah who came to die for them. 

REFLECT 

Think about the sobering fact that it is not one’s ancestry that makes the person right with God; it is only by personally trusting in Jesus as Savior.  

RESPOND 

Talk with a Christian friend about how to alert others that their ancestry does not lock them into unbelief nor prepare them for heaven. Salvation is a personal decision each person must make regardless of what one’s parents or ancestors have done.  

It Has Happened 

READ 

Matthew 8:13 

13 Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour. 

There was no need for Jesus to personally visit the ill servant. Based on the belief of the Roman soldier, Jesus told him the healing was already done. Imagine the relief of the military officer that Jesus could heal from a distance as he supposed He might be able to do. 

REFLECT 

Even though Jesus is not physically with us today, do you have confidence to believe He can heal even while being absent?  

RESPOND 

Talk with a friend and visit about the fact that even though Jesus is physically absent from us, He is actually inside of each believer. See Colossians 1:26-28 for this great truth. A “mystery” was something not revealed in the Old Testament but revealed in the New Testament.  

Sick in Bed 

READ 

Matthew 8:14-15 

14 When Jesus arrived at Peter’s house, Peter’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. 15 But when Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her. Then she got up and prepared a meal for him. 

Although the Roman Catholic Church today believes priests should be unmarried, this was not true of the one they consider to be the first pope. Peter had a mother-in-law who was sick and Jesus touched her hand and caused the fever to leave her. She was well immediately and prepared a meal for Him.  

REFLECT 

The Bible never refers to Peter as a pope. Jesus is the only mediator between the believer and God the Father. 

RESPOND 

Read 1 Timothy 2:5-6 that tells of Jesus being the only mediator between God and humanity. Because Jesus was the payment for the sins of all who will believe in Him, He is the only one qualified to be our mediator. 

He Took Our Sickness 

READ 

Matthew 8:16-17 

16 That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. 17 This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, “He took our sicknesses 

and removed our diseases.” 

Notice that Jesus did not get involved in talking to the demons in people; He “cast out the evil spirits with a simple command.” In addition He healed “all the sick.” He did not overlook the seriously ill. Matthew wrote to the Jewish people in particular and here points out that this was a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. His miracles proved He was the promised Messiah of Israel. 

REFLECT 

Think of God using Matthew and guiding him to choose the Messiah’s activities to show the Jewish people—and us—that Jesus was the promised Messiah.  

RESPOND 

With a Christian friend, read Isaiah 53:1-9. This chapter in Isaiah has been used in Jewish evangelism to turn many to Jesus.