Matthew 8:1-27

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 8:18-22

Two Disciples Are Faced Up With The Cost Of following Jesus (8:18-22). Jesus’ command to His disciples to prepare to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 8:18) sparks off the need for some of His followers to face up to the question of discipleship. The question now is, are they going to follow Him all the way? We are given two as an example. The first is a Scribe, an interpreter of the Law (although not necessarily a Pharisee), and the second is one on whom Jesus has His eye,... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 8:18-34

Jesus Is Revealed As Lord Over Nature, Lord Over The Spirit World, and Lord Over Sin and Forgiveness (8:18-9:9). This subsection from Matthew 8:18 to Matthew 9:9 can be seen as united around a series of travel descriptions deliberately used in order to unite them together: a It commences with Jesus command to go to the other side (Matthew 8:18) b That is followed by their entering into a boat and setting sail (Matthew 8:23). c They arrive at the other side (Matthew 8:28). b They cross... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 8:19

‘And there came a scribe, and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’ Matthew in his Jewishness takes particular note of the fact that this would-be close disciple was a Scribe. (For the fact that he was already seen as a disciple, compare ‘another’ in Matthew 8:21). That he was a Scribe was not important to Luke. He wanted his Gentile readers to apply the story to themselves. But Matthew was very much aware of the Scribe’s status in the eyes of the Jews, so he draws... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 8:20

‘And Jesus says to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nesting places, but the Son of man has not where to lay his head.” ’ Jesus’ reply is to point out that while even the lowest of God’s creatures have their own homes and places of security, He Himself has no home, and nowhere to lay His head. To follow Him will involve putting aside all luxury, and even losing an average level of prosperity and security. It will involve facing roughness and hardship. It will be to... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 8:21

‘And another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.” ’ This disciple recognises that to become a truly dedicated disciple will involve leaving his home behind. He acknowledges that while even God’s creatures have their own homes, the disciples of Jesus are different. And he is ready for that, but not just yet. He is not quite ready now. He wants first to achieve his independence. It is an open question whether the disciple means that he wants to go back... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 8:22

‘But Jesus says to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.” Jesus’ reply is that the man must be willing to immediately turn his back on his family life and follow Jesus. The dead can be left to look after their own dead. Here ‘the dead’ is unquestionably figurative in at least one of its uses, for the dead could not literally bury the dead. It therefore refers at least partly, to the dead in soul. What Jesus therefore probably means is that in following Him the man will... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 8:23

‘And when he was entered into a boat, his disciples followed him.’ As had previously been pointed out to the would be disciples, those who followed Him must be ready to put all other considerations to one side. And this is now exemplified. Jesus enters the boat and the disciples follow Him (while others accompany them in other boats). He is master of the situation and in total control (in spite of the fact that those who are with Him include experts when it came to boating on the Sea of... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 8:23-27

Jesus Stills The Storm (8:23-27). The issue of would be followers having been settled Jesus now prepares to go to Decapolis by boat across the Sea of Galilee. Decapolis was a semi-independent confederation of ten Gentile towns which ran their own affairs, loosely watched over by the governor of Syria. But their territory contained many Jews. His disciples probably thought that He was intending to preach to these Jews, although anyone would be welcome to listen. It is very possible that Jesus... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 8:24

‘And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, in so much that the boat was covered with the waves, but he was asleep.’ Once in the boat the experts took over and Jesus went to the rear of the boat where He could lie down. And there, probably totally exhausted, He fell asleep, even though the trip would not last long. The journey was in His Father’s hands and so He had no fear. But as will often happen for those who follow Jesus a huge storm arose, at least partly caused by the winds that... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 8:25

‘And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, “Save, Lord, we perish”.’ They would have fought on as long as they could (pride was at stake), but in the end, with hope gone (literally ‘we have perished’), they fought their way through the water that was filling the boat, clinging on for dear life as the howling winds swept continually around them, and made their way to where Jesus was lying unconscious in the stern of the boat. Once there they no doubt shook Him vigorously, and then they cried,... read more

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