Mat 8:4 | JFB | STEP | 4. And Jesus —"straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away" ( ), and saith unto him, See thou tell no man —A hard condition this would seem to a grateful heart, whose natural language, in such a case, is "Come, hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul" ( ). We shall presently see the reason for it. but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded — ( ). for a testimony unto them —a palpable witness that the Great Healer had indeed come, and that "God had visited His people." What the sequel was, our Evangelist Matthew does not say; but Mark thus gives it ( ): "But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to Him from every quarter." Thus—by an over-zealous, though most natural and not very culpable, infringement of the injunction to keep the matter quiet—was our Lord, to some extent, thwarted in His movements. As His whole course was sublimely noiseless ( ), so we find Him repeatedly taking steps to prevent matters prematurely coming to a crisis with Him. (But see on ). "And He withdrew Himself," adds Luke ( ), "into the wilderness, and prayed"; retreating from the popular excitement into the secret place of the Most High, and thus coming forth as dew upon the mown grass, and as showers that water the earth ( ). And this is the secret both of strength and of sweetness in the servants and followers of Christ in every age. . HEALING OF THE CENTURION'S SERVANT. ( = ). This incident belongs to a later stage. For the exposition, see on . . HEALING OF PETER'S MOTHER-IN-LAW AND MANY OTHERS. ( = ). For the exposition, see on . . INCIDENTS ILLUSTRATIVE OF DISCIPLESHIP. ( = ). The incidents here are two: in the corresponding passage of Luke they are three. Here they are introduced before the mission of the Twelve: in Luke, when our Lord was making preparation for His final journey to Jerusalem. But to conclude from this, as some good critics do (as BENGEL , ELLICOTT , &c.) that one of these incidents at least occurred twice—which led to the mention of the others at the two different times—is too artificial. Taking them, then, as one set of occurrences, the question arises. Are they recorded by Matthew or by Luke in their proper place? NEANDER , SCHLEIERMACHER , and OLSHAUSEN adhere to Luke's order; while MEYER , DE WETTE , and LANGE prefer that of Matthew. Probably the first incident is here in its right place. But as the command, in the second incident, to preach the kingdom of God, would scarcely have been given at so early a period, it is likely that it and the third incident have their true place in Luke. Taking these three incidents up here then we have, I. The Rash or Precipitate Disciple ( ).

Matthew 8:4

4. And Jesus—"straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away" (Mr 1:43), and

saith unto him, See thou tell no man—A hard condition this would seem to a grateful heart, whose natural language, in such a case, is "Come, hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul" (Ps 66:16). We shall presently see the reason for it.

but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded— (Le 14:1-57).

for a testimony unto them—a palpable witness that the Great Healer had indeed come, and that "God had visited His people." What the sequel was, our Evangelist Matthew does not say; but Mark thus gives it (Mr 1:45): "But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to Him from every quarter." Thus—by an over-zealous, though most natural and not very culpable, infringement of the injunction to keep the matter quiet—was our Lord, to some extent, thwarted in His movements. As His whole course was sublimely noiseless (Mt 12:19), so we find Him repeatedly taking steps to prevent matters prematurely coming to a crisis with Him. (But see on Mr 5:19, 20). "And He withdrew Himself," adds Luke (Lu 5:16), "into the wilderness, and prayed"; retreating from the popular excitement into the secret place of the Most High, and thus coming forth as dew upon the mown grass, and as showers that water the earth (Ps 72:6). And this is the secret both of strength and of sweetness in the servants and followers of Christ in every age.

Mt 8:5-13. HEALING OF THE CENTURION'S SERVANT. ( = Lu 7:1-10).

This incident belongs to a later stage. For the exposition, see on Lu 7:1-10.

Mt 8:14-17. HEALING OF PETER'S MOTHER-IN-LAW AND MANY OTHERS. ( = Mr 1:29-34; Lu 4:38-41).

For the exposition, see on Mr 1:29-34.

Mt 8:18-22. INCIDENTS ILLUSTRATIVE OF DISCIPLESHIP. ( = Lu 9:57-62).

The incidents here are two: in the corresponding passage of Luke they are three. Here they are introduced before the mission of the Twelve: in Luke, when our Lord was making preparation for His final journey to Jerusalem. But to conclude from this, as some good critics do (as BENGEL, ELLICOTT, &c.) that one of these incidents at least occurred twice—which led to the mention of the others at the two different times—is too artificial. Taking them, then, as one set of occurrences, the question arises. Are they recorded by Matthew or by Luke in their proper place? NEANDER, SCHLEIERMACHER, and OLSHAUSEN adhere to Luke's order; while MEYER, DE WETTE, and LANGE prefer that of Matthew. Probably the first incident is here in its right place. But as the command, in the second incident, to preach the kingdom of God, would scarcely have been given at so early a period, it is likely that it and the third incident have their true place in Luke. Taking these three incidents up here then we have,

I. The Rash or Precipitate Disciple (Mt 8:19, 20).