§ 8. Jesus' Ministry in Galilee Continued

5. The Sick Healed at Evening

‡ Matthew 8:16–17

Matthew 8

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.”

with a word

After relaying the Centurion's words in verse 8, "only say the word, and my servant will be healed," Matthew emphasizes again the power of Jesus to accomplish great things with just a word.

the prophet Isaiah

The quotation comes from the famous passage in Isaiah 53 about the Suffering Servant. Isaiah makes clear He always and only did us good, though we repaid Him with evil.

Isaiah 53:4

Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.

‡ Mark 1:32–34

Mark 1

32  That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons.
33  And the whole city was gathered together at the door.
34  And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

the whole city was gathered together

On entering Capernaum, Jesus began teaching in the synagogue. Then He healed Peter's mother-in-law in her private home. Now the city comes to Him.

But Mark is also foreshadowing the unfortunate eventuality of verse 45: "Jesus could no longer openly enter a [city]."

he would not permit the demons to speak

The Lord certainly does not need and will not accept the testimony of demons.

Romans 10:17

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

‡ Luke 4:40–41

Luke 4

40  Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.
41  And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

he laid his hands on every one of them

Jesus shows great compassion and bravery by touching people who are sick or who could lash out violently.

crying, “You are the Son of God!”

While the testimony of demons is irrelevant, we must note that Luke is implying something very important in his reasoning. Here he provides a definition of what it means to acknowledge Jesus is the Son of God. At the end of the verse, Luke writes, "they knew that He was the Christ." And Luke is not alone in using this definition (John 20:30–31).

The word "Christ" means "Anointed." The Lord anointed the kings of Israel (1 Samuel 15:1, etc.). In this connection, Hebrews 1:5 tells us the Scriptures to consider first are Psalm 2 and 2 Samuel 7.

In Psalm 2, David writes about God establishing His chosen king, His anointed one. David by inspiration of the Holy Spirit compares the relationship between God and His chosen king to a father and son.

Psalm 2:2, 5–7

The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD and against his Anointed….
Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
“As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
I will tell of the decree:
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you….”

These assertions in Psalm 2 are consistent with what God told David in 2 Samuel 7.

2 Samuel 7:12–14

When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son….

But Jesus is no mere human king of earthly Israel. Peter points out that there was more to God's promise in 2 Samuel than a physical lineage. This King is different from what came before: death no longer has power over Him.

Acts 2:29–32

Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.

These are the reasons Luke equates the Son of God with the Anointed.