Author: drthomasclothier

²³ “And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. ²⁴ And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. ²⁵ And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” ²⁶ And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. ²⁷ And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” (Matthew 8:23–27 (ESV)

Following Jesus’ response to the disciple’s declaration, He rose from His cushion in the boat’s stern (Mark 4:35-38) and rebuked the winds and sea. To rebuke (ἐπιτιμάω; epitmao) means to command, denounce and express strong disapproval.

If you and I were to rebuke the wind and sea, it would be of no effect. Our words would prove useless. However, when the Creator gives an order to His creation, it complies. Matthew records that there was a great calm (γαλήνη; galena). The surface of the water was unruffled. It was like a sheet of glass or a mirror.

“A calm after a storm may be referred to figuratively in some languages as ‘the water lay down’ or ‘the waves sank down again’ or ‘the water became like a table top,” explains one commentator.

“When God rebukes the storm, it flees. He rides the wind; He makes the clouds His chariot and rides on the wings of the wind (Psalm 104). God rules the elements. He sets boundaries beyond which the storm cannot pass (104:9). He is sovereign. When men cry to the Lord in their trouble, He delivers them. He stills the storm (Psalm 107:25, 28-29),” explains commentator Daniel M. Doriani.

Today’s text reveals that God is in providential control of His creation. What God creates, He sustains and controls. He upholds the universe by the word of His power (Heb. 1:1-3).

“The central point of the doctrine of providence is the stress on God’s government of the universe. He rules His creation with absolute sovereignty and authority. He governs everything that comes to pass, from the greatest to the least,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“Nothing ever happens beyond the scope of His sovereign, providential government. He makes the rain to fall and the sun to shine. He raises up kingdoms and begins them down. He numbers the hairs on our head and the days of our life.”

In the Lord we live, and move and have our being (Acts 17:22-28). May each of us live today in the truth of God’s providential peace in the midst of our storms.

Soli deo Gloria!

²³ “And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. ²⁴ And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. ²⁵ And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” ²⁶ And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. ²⁷ And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” (Matthew 8:23–27 (ESV)

While in the midst of a ferocious storm on the Sea of Galilee, the disciple woke Jesus and continuously said, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” The disciples commanded Jesus to rescue them from dying. This statement is significant when you consider that at least four of Jesus’ disciples (Peter, Andrew, James and John) were professional fishermen (Mark 1:16-20). They were used to sailing on this lake and probably experienced such sudden storms. If so, this indicates the ferociousness of the gale.

The disciples were focused, understandably so, upon the storm. Their own efforts to combat their circumstances proved futile. In desperation they came to Jesus as a last resort.

Before we judge the disciple too harshly, what about us? What is our immediate reaction to the storms in our lives? Do we go to the Lord in prayer as a first strike, or, when all else fails, as a last resort? The Lord is as close to us in proximity as He was to the disciples in the boat.

Psalm 107:23–32 (ESV) is a pertinent text in considering this scene with Jesus and His disciples. It says, “²³ Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; ²⁴ they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. ²⁵ For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. ²⁶ They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; ²⁷ they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end. ²⁸ Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. ²⁹ He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. ³⁰ Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. ³¹ Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! ³² Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.”

The LORD of Psalm 107 was the same LORD who was in the boat with His disciples. He is the same LORD who is with us in all of our circumstances of life.

What was Jesus’ response to His disciples? Jesus asked them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” The disciples called Jesus Lord, but they did not evident trust in, commitment to or a dependence upon Him. Our talk of faith is cheap when our walk of faith contradicts what we say.

“Why are you afraid is a valid question. After all, they did just call Jesus ‘Lord.’ They seem to think He can save them—they just told Him to do so, in fact. And they have witnessed His power on a consistent basis: healing the sick, casting out demons, with nothing more than His will, His word,” explains commentator Daniel M. Doriani.

“So, they ought to be hopeful. On the other hand, they have never seen Jesus solve a problem like this before. Why are they afraid? Because the situation is out of their control. Because they foresee their death.”

Have you ever faced the storm of death? Have you considered your own mortality when encountering difficulties and illness in this life? Consider the words written on a plaque in my office; “Don’t tell God how big your storm is. Tell your storm how big God is.”

Have a blessed day in the Lord. The Lord is with us; even when you’re scared in the mist of stormy weather.

Soli deo Gloria!

²³ “And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. ²⁴ And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. ²⁵ And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” ²⁶ And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. ²⁷ And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” (Matthew 8:23–27 (ESV)

Prior to Jesus’ conversations with a scribe and another disciple about the cost of discipleship (Matt. 8:19-22), He had given orders, presumably to the twelve disciples to go over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (Matt. 8:18). This would have been done by boat (Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25).

Boats mentioned in the Bible were driven by oars or sails and used for fishing or travel. It is most likely that the boat(s) in this narrative were open, small fishing boats, approximately 26.5 ft. in length, 7.5 ft. wide with a single mast and rudder. It is estimated that this vessel held up to fifteen individuals.; Jesus proceeded to get into the boat. His disciple followed Him.

Once on the lake, a great storm arose on the sea. The Sea of Galilee is about thirteen miles long and eight miles wide. It is situated about 680 feet below sea level. The Mediterranean winds often rush through the valleys of Galilee and swoop down into the basin of the Sea of Galilee causing strong, and sudden, storms.

This particular storm was so furious that the waves were consistently swamping, or covering, the boats (Mark 4:36).Mark also records that the boat was filling up with water (Mark 4:37). Luke records that the disciples were in danger (Luke 8:23). However, Jesus was in the stern (rear) of the boat sleeping on a cushion (Mark 4:38).

The disciple woke Jesus and continuously said, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” The disciples commanded Jesus to rescue them from dying. This statement is all the more significant when you consider that at least four of Jesus’ disciples (Peter, Andrew, James and John) were professional fishermen (Mark 1:16-20). They were used to sailing on this lake and probably experienced such sudden storms. If so, this indicates the ferociousness of the gale.

The disciples were focused, understandably so, upon the storm. Their own efforts to combat their circumstances proved futile. In desperation they came to Jesus as a last resort.

Before we judge the disciple too harshly, what about us? What is our immediate reaction to the storms in our lives? Do we go to the Lord in prayer as a first strike, or, when all else fails, as a last resort? The Lord is as close to us in proximity as He was to the disciples in the boat.

What was Jesus’ response to His disciples? What was their response to Jesus? We will answer both questions when next we meet.

Have a blessed day in the Lord. The Lord is with us; even in the mist of stormy weather.

Soli deo Gloria!

²¹ “Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” ²² And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.” (Matthew 8:21–22 (ESV)

Matthew groups together nine stories containing ten specific miracles in chapters 8–9. There are three miracles in 8:1–17, teaching on true discipleship (8:18–22), and then three more miracles (8:23–9:8). This is followed by Jesus’ teaching again about true discipleship (9:9–17), and finally three more miracle stories; one of which includes two miracles (9:18–33). Today, we begin examining the cost of following Jesus (8:18-22).

Jesus’ disciples must follow Jesus on His terms. Just as Jesus has authority over disease (Matt. 8:1-17), so also does He wield authority over His followers.

Jesus interacts with two individuals. Were they willing to follow Jesus; whatever the cost? The first individual was a scribe (8:18-22). The second was an unidentified man. Nothing is known of him except that he was a disciple.

Upon hearing Jesus’ interaction with the first man, the second individual said to Jesus, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” On the surface, this does not seem like an unreasonable request. All of us have experienced the death of a loved one; perhaps even a father. What could more appropriate than to first conduct a funeral and burial of one’s family member before following Jesus? However, the statement needs clarification.

The second man’s statement did not mean that his father had died. Rather, he meant that he would not follow Jesus until his father died and then receive his rightful inheritance. “The phrase “I must bury my father” was a common figure of speech meaning, “Let me wait until I receive my inheritance,” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

The word bury (θάπτω; thapto) means to take care of a father until his death; not because of his death. The man was saying that he had to wait until his father died before he could be the Lord’s disciple.

Jesus replied, ““Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.” Jesus used a play on words to mean the spiritually dead are to take care of those who physically die. Was Jesus being insensitive to family responsibilities?

“One of an eldest son’s most basic responsibilities (in both Greek and Jewish cultures) was his father’s burial. The initial burial took place shortly after a person’s decease, however, and family members would not be outside talking with rabbis during the reclusive mourning period immediately following the death,” states commentator Craig Keener.

“It has recently been shown that what is in view here instead is the secondary burial: a year after the first burial, after the flesh had rotted off the bones, the son would return to rebury the bones in a special box in a slot in the tomb’s wall. The son in this narrative could thus be asking for as much as a year’s delay.”

What the man was wanting was an unspecified amount of time before his father’s death, and then up to another year following his father’s death, before he would follow Jesus.

How are we like this man? Perhaps it’s when we place conditions on our discipleship. I’ll serve you Lord, but first let me do this; whatever “this” is. It may mean marriage, money, power, position, pleasure, etc. We place the pursuit of “this” above the pursuit of Jesus. This is idolatry.

“The scribe was rejected by Christ as a follower because he made his offer without consideration and imagined that he would enjoy an easy life. The person whom Christ retains had an opposite fault. He was prevented from immediately obeying the call of Christ by the weakness of thinking it a hardship to leave his father. However, whatever duties we owe to men must give way when God enjoins upon us what is immediately due to himself. All ought to consider what God requires from them as individuals, and what is demanded by their particular calling, that earthly parents may not prevent the claims of the highest and only Father of all from remaining entire,” states John Calvin.

We must count the cost if we are going to follow Christ. We must be willing to pay the price if we’re going to follow Jesus. Have a blessed day in the Lord.     

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁸ “Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. ¹⁹ And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” ²⁰ And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:18–20 ESV)

Matthew groups together nine stories containing ten specific miracles in chapters 8–9. There are three miracles in 8:1–17, teaching on true discipleship (8:18–22), and then three more miracles (8:23–9:8). This is followed by Jesus’ teaching again about true discipleship (9:9–17), and finally three more miracle stories; one of which includes two miracles (9:18–33). Today, we begin examining the cost of following Jesus (8:18-22).

“As people witnessed the mighty deeds of Jesus, as they saw crowds gathered around, many concluded that they might wish to become disciples. Seeing this, Jesus had to explain what discipleship entails. He wants no one to underestimate the cost. People may want to follow Jesus on their terms. But just as Jesus wields authority over disease and over nature, so He exercises authority over His disciples. Disciples must follow on His terms,” explains commentator Daniel M. Doriani.

Doriani’s point highlights Jesus’ interaction with two individuals. Were they willing to follow Jesus; whatever the cost? The first individual was a scribe.  

Many people were surrounding Jesus. His healing of a leper (8:1-4), a centurion’s servant (8:5-13), Peter’s mother-in-law (8:14-15), and many others (8:16-17) generated great excitement among the multitude. Seeing this, Jesus gave orders to go to the other side.

In light of what Matthew records later in this chapter (8:23-27), the order involved Jesus and the twelve disciples entering a boat, or boats (Mark 4:35-36), and crossing over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee to the eastern shore.

As Jesus and the twelve were preparing to enter the boat, a Jewish scribe approached Him. A scribe (γραμματεύς; grammateus) was an expert teacher of the Jewish Law. He was also a scholar and a teacher.

“Scribes were employed for their ability to transcribe information. After the exile (532 B.C.), scribes were a class of scholars who taught, copied, and interpreted the Jewish law for the people,” states the Tyndale Bible Dictionary.

The scribe came up to Jesus and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Disciples were literal followers of a rabbi or teacher. Where the teacher would travel, his disciples would follow. When he sat, they sat. When he rose, they rose. The scribe was saying that he wanted to be a follower of Jesus; a disciple.

“As a scribe, this man was breaking with his fellow scribes by publicly declaring his willingness to follow Jesus. Nonetheless, Jesus evidently knew that he had not counted the cost in terms of suffering and inconvenience,” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

My wife and I recently had our house re-roofed. Before the workers arrived to remove the old shingles and install the new, we sat down at our kitchen table and discussed with the roofing company’s representative what the cost would be for the project. We had to determine if we could afford to have the work done.

The scribe had not considered the effort, suffering and sacrifice involved in following Jesus. Following Jesus involves more than just singing praises to His name, having an emotional experience, and being on a perpetual, spiritual high. It may include hardship, persecution and death. Following Jesus involves an ongoing battle with the world, the flesh and the devil. It may involve inconvenience, interruptions, and insults.

Jesus told the scribe, ““Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Various created beings have their respective homes; whether that be a hole in the ground or a nest in a tree. The irony is that the sovereign, creator of the universe, the Son of Man (Dan. 7:13-14), did not have a home to call His own.  

“Though Jesus desired disciples who would follow Him and work in His harvest fields, He wanted only those who were properly motivated. Jesus’ reply to this scribe demonstrated His lowly character for He, in contrast with animals such as foxes and birds, did not even have a place where He could lay His head at night. He had no permanent home. The Lord obviously knew the heart of this person and saw that he desired fame in following a prominent Teacher. Such was not Jesus’ character,” explains The Bible Knowledge Commentary.

Have you evaluated the cost in following the Lord Jesus Christ? While ultimately fulfilling, it can be temporarily hard (2 Cor. 4:17-18; James 1:1-5). Make sure you count the cost. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁶ That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. ¹⁷ This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.” (Matthew 8:16–17 (ESV)

By Jesus’ great authority as God, He conquered disease. Additionally, the disease of sin vanishes by grace alone, through faith alone. This is because of the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

Following Jesus’ healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (Matt. 8:14-15), He began to heal the many who lived in Capernaum.

Mark’s Gospel informs us that following Jesus’ entrance into Capernaum, He entered the local synagogue on the Sabbath and began teaching (Mark 1:21-28). It was after He left the synagogue that Jesus entered Peter and Andrew’s home; with James and John (1:29). It was during this visit that Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law (1:30-31). It was the evening of that same day that many brought the sick and the demon possessed for healing (Matt. 8:16).

“That evening, the citizens of Capernaum bring demoniacs and the physically ill to Jesus for healing (v. 16). The people come after the sunset because it marks the end of the Sabbath (Mark 1:21–34), a day on which healing would break God’s law, according to the Pharisees (3:1–6). Of course, Jesus will later demonstrate this instruction to be false, but at this point He apparently heals without explaining how such work actually fulfills the Sabbath’s intent,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.  

Everything Jesus did was to fulfill the Scriptures (Matt. 5:18-19). This included the healing of the sick and diseased. Matthew quotes from Isaiah 53:4. The text is a part of the great Servant Song of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 that declares the substitutionary atonement of the Messiah; Jesus Christ.

“This prediction has the appearance of being inappropriate, and even of being tortured into a meaning which it does not bear. Isaiah does not speak of miracles, but of the death of Christ – not of temporal benefits, but of spiritual and eternal grace,” explains John Calvin.

“What is undoubtably spoken about the impurities of the soul, Matthew applies to bodily diseases. They (the sick) experienced in their bodies the grace of Christ, but we must look at the design. Jesus gave sight to the blind in order to show that He is ‘the light of the world’ (John 8:12). He restored life to the dead to prove that He is the ‘resurrection and the life’ (John 11:25). Similar observations might be made to those who were lame and paralyzed. Jesus was sent by the Father to relive us from all evils and miseries.”  

Thank you, Lord, for being the healer of my soul.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁴ “And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. ¹⁵ He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him.” (Matthew 8:14–15 ESV)

Following Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7), the healing of a leper (Matt. 8:1-4) and His healing of a Roman centurion’s servant as Jesus entered the town of Capernaum (Matt. 8:5-13), Jesus then entered Peter’s house.

“Peter was raised in bilingual Galilee. John 1:44 says that the home of Andrew (his brother) and Peter was Bethsaida, the whereabouts of which is difficult to place archaeologically. The only site about which we know is east of the Jordan in the district called Gaulanitis. Yet John 12:21 places Bethsaida in Galilee; however, it is possible that John is reflecting the popular use of the term “Galilee” rather than the legally correct one. Peter and Andrew had a fishing business centered in Capernaum (Mark 1:21, 29) and perhaps were partners with James and John (Luke 5:10). It is also likely that they intermittently continued in their business while disciples, as indicated in the fishing scene in John 21:1–8,” explains one commentator.

Upon entering Peter’s house, Jesus saw that the apostle’s mother-in-law was sick with a fever. She was lying down. The phrase sick with a fever (πυρέσσω; pyresso) is a present active participle meaning that this was continuous condition. Mark 1:30 records that she was lying in bed. Luke 4:38 mentions that she was immobilized by this fever. In other words, she was very and continuously ill.

Therefore, the New Testament tells us that Peter was married. Perhaps his mother-in-law was living with Peter. In fact, it is possible that his home became Jesus’ headquarters in Galilee. (Matthew 8:14 may indicate that Jesus dwelt there.)

I Corinthians 9:5 says, “Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?” It is very likely that Peter took his wife with him on his missionary journeys.

“A newly married couple normally lived with the husband’s family until they made enough money to move out on their own. Many parents died while their children were young adults, so it is possible that Simon and Andrew took over their parents’ home. Simon’s father-in-law had probably passed away, and Simon and his wife had taken her widowed mother into their home. Caring for one’s extended family was more common then than it is today,” explains commentator Craig Keener.

Upon seeing Peter’s mother-in-law lying ill in bed with a fever, He touched her hand. As He touched the leper (8:3), Jesus personally touched the woman. Often, religious men refrained from touching women in general, and the sick in particular, to avoid any possibility of becoming unclean; unless they had means by which they could ascertain their status (based on Lev 15:19). Jesus did not care about this cultural tradition. He firmly grasped this sick woman’s hand.

As He did, the fever left her. What internal virus the fever was attacking in her body, both the illness and the fever left her. She felt well gain. How do we know this is true?  Peter’s mother-in-law immediately rose from her bed and began to serve Jesus. The word serve (διακονέω; diakoneo) literally means a waiter of tables. We derive our English word deacon from this Greek word.

“Archaeologists think they have found Peter’s house in Capernaum, under the ruins of a church built there early in church history, corroborating the historicity of Matthew 8:14–17. In any case, Jesus finds Peter’s mother-in-law “sick with a fever” when He enters the home (v. 14). According to tradition it is improper to touch a feverish individual, but Jesus breaks this unbiblical custom and heals the woman (v. 15). Her restoration is instantaneous, and she immediately rises and serves her guest. By the Messiah’s great authority, disease must vanish when He desires to bring healing,” states Dr. R. C. Sproul.

By Jesus’ great authority, the disease of sin vanishes by grace alone, through faith alone. This is because of the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. Thank you Lord for your atoning that brings healing to our souls.

Soli deo Gloria!

⁵ “When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, ⁶ “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” ⁷ And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” ⁸ But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” ¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. ¹¹ I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, ¹² while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ¹³ And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.” (Matthew 8:5-13 ESV)

When Jesus entered the town of Capernaum, an unidentified Roman Centurion approached Him. The centurion approached Jesus appealing to Him on behalf of his servant. The centurion’s servant was paralyzed at home and suffering terribly. The centurion believed that Jesus possessed the authority to heal the servant remotely.

What was Jesus’ reply to the centurion? Jesus was amazed at his faith, trust, dependence and worship. This was a Gentile submitting to the sovereign authority of the Jewish Messiah. In response, Jesus indicated that Gentiles would be included in the kingdom of God with Abraham, enjoy salvation and God’s blessings (Isaiah 49:8-12; 59:19; Malachi 1:1-11; Luke 13:28-29).

Jesus then told the centurion that He would heal the servant. Matthew records that at that very moment, the centurion’s servant was healed. Jesus was able and willing to heal this Gentile’s servant.

“In Roman society, the emperor has supreme authority, and he delegates it to officers like centurions. To disobey these officials is to disobey the emperor himself. The centurion sees that Jesus is invested with a similar authority, only the person He represents must be God (vv. 8–10). This officer understands, as John Calvin comments, that “he who, by the mere expression of his will, restores health to men, must possess supreme authority,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.  

“The Hebrew nation, physical heirs of Abraham. will be thrown into outer darkness. This was exactly opposite to the rabbinical understanding, which suggested that the kingdom would feature a great feast in the company of Abraham and the Messiah—open to Jews only. The expression, weeping and gnashing (Mat. 22:13. Cf. 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28), describes the eternal agonies of those in hell,” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

Consider not only the miracle but also the message of salvation exclusively by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!