1. In v. 1-4 Jesus heals a leper. Notice here that Jesus intentionally touches the man to heal him. We see Jesus healing others without touch, and even at a distance in this very passage, so why would Jesus touch a leper, one who was considered unclean and to be avoided?

2. In v. 4 Jesus tells the leper to tell no one about this. Why would Jesus want him to remain silent?

3. In v. 7 Jesus is willing to go to the centurion's house and heal his servant, yet why does the centurion protest? What does Jesus have to say about this?

4. Notice in v. 15 that Peter's mother gets healed and immediately turns around to serve Jesus. What does this say about her character? Shouldn't our reaction to Christ be similar?

5. Take a moment to read Isaiah 53. This is where v. 17 comes from. Does anything else in Isaiah 53 make you think of Jesus?

6. Notice who gets healed in this passage: a leper, a centurion, and a woman. Notice that these are all groups not considered very highly by Jesus' fellow Jews. The leper was unclean, the centurion was a gentile, and women were considered a lower social class then men. Why would Matthew specifically mention these three? What does this tell us about Jesus' ministry?

7. How does this passage inform our ministries and who our target audience should be?

Hello everyone, this week we will be starting up a new section of Matthew that will span through Matthew 9. This week's passage is all about 3 key healings just after the Sermon on the Mount. As per usual (you really should be sick of hearing it at this point) make sure you send our a reminder to your groups ahead of time and make sure there is proper fellowship and discussion in your groups. This cannot become just a place where people come and listen to what you have to say, but it must be a place of vulnerability and depth in order to effect internal transformation.

1. In v. 1-4 Jesus heals a leper. Notice here that Jesus intentionally touches the man to heal him. We see Jesus healing others without touch, and even at a distance in this very passage, so why would Jesus touch a leper, one who was considered unclean and to be avoided?

   • Jesus was making a point that ceremonial uncleanness wouldn't stop His compassion, His grace, and His mercy.

2. In v. 4 Jesus tells the leper to tell no one about this. Why would Jesus want him to remain silent?

   • Jesus doesn't want a ton of followers who just want miracles, nor does he want a large following to try and shoehorn him into a liberator role He has no intention of filling (which would also accelerate Rome's interest in him).

3. In v. 7 Jesus is willing to go to the centurion's house and heal his servant, yet why does the centurion protest? What does Jesus have to say about this?

   • The centurion is a gentile, and thus it would be uncouth for Jesus, a Jew, to visit his home. Even further he, perhaps unlike the leper, believes Jesus can heal at a distance. Jesus proclaims that he has found no faith like this in all Israel. 

4. Notice in v. 15 that Peter's mother gets healed and immediately turns around to serve Jesus. What does this say about her character? Shouldn't our reaction to Christ be similar?

   • We are forgiven, and we must turn around and serve the Kingdom! A lot of American Christians now of days get saved and become confident pew warmers, which is disappointing at best and horrific in all reality. We must respond to the gospel, not just be content with hearing it. 

5. Take a moment to read Isaiah 53. This is where v. 17 comes from. Does anything else in Isaiah 53 make you think of Jesus?

   • This is the famous suffering servant passage, it's all a prophecy of Jesus. 

6. Notice who gets healed in this passage: a leper, a centurion, and a woman. Notice that these are all groups not considered very highly by Jesus' fellow Jews. The leper was unclean, the centurion was a gentile, and women were considered a lower social class then men. Why would Matthew specifically mention these three? What does this tell us about Jesus' ministry?

   • Jesus is focused on the least of these, which we should be focused on in our ministries too.

7. How does this passage inform our ministries and who our target audience should be?

Introduction

Hey everyone, welcome to session 13. This session we will be getting into Jesus' healing ministry after the Sermon on the Mount. Here we see Jesus healing 3 unlikely people, a leper, a gentile, and a woman. All three went against what would have been expected of him by the Jews in different ways.

The Leper

First Jesus encounters a leper. Leprosy here may not mean what we would call Leprosy in our modern medical vernacular, but was generally applied to a variety of skin conditions (France, 156; Turner, 123). There are two key pieces of context that is required to fully understand this passage. First is that lepers were not permitted to be around others, in fact they had to shout out ahead of them that they were unclean (Turner, 123). Thus, it's likely that Jesus' touch is the first the man has felt in a very long time. The second is that Leprosy was considered incurable (France, 156). Which makes his belief in Christ all the more evident. 

Jesus stretches out his hand and touches the leper, healing him instantly. Note that some versions might say "cleansed" like the NASB does, that is because not only is a leper physically sick, but he is also considered ceremonially unclean as well (France, 156). This is also why Jesus tells him to go see the priest, religious authorities had to verify the man as being ceremonial clean now (France, 156).

Now we also get an odd line from Jesus here. He tells the healed man "See that you tell no one" (Mt. 8:4 NASB95). The reality of this line is that Jesus is likely worried about what the long-term consequence would be. If word gets out and Jesus gains a massive following just because of his healing ministry, then His new followers would miss the depth of His message. They would view him at best as a mere wonder worker, and at worse as a nationalistic liberator (like many of the Jews had been expecting) (France, 157). 

The Gentile

Next Jesus is hanging out in his home base, Capernaum, when a centurion comes to Him. This centurion was likely a junior Roman military officer, probably from Lebanon or Syria (France, 157). He is, by all means, not a Jew like the rest of the people Jesus has interacted with so far. 

This centurion asks Jesus to heal his servant who is paralyzed. Jesus' response here can be taken two different ways. Versions like the NASB render it as a statement: I will come and heal him. Yet the way the Greek is laid out might actually suggest it was a question: Am I to come and cure him? (France, 158). The centurion then responds by saying that he is not worthy for Jesus to enter his home. This unworthiness may actually be two things. It could be the centurion's perception of Jesus' lordship (or rather divine nature perhaps) or it could be the Jewish custom that would have forbade Jesus to enter the house of a Gentile (Turner, 124). Either way the man proclaims that Jesus could simply heal at a distance (notice here this would be the first time Jesus does so and is a rather rare occasion).

Jesus then responds with a rather condemning statement. He says that he has not found faith like this in Israel, now mind you Jesus has already called some of the 12, and He seems to be including them in this lack of faith. Jesus then goes on to paint a rather terrifying picture. He paints a table in the Kingdom of Heaven at which is seated the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). At this table are gentiles, not just Jews, in fact Jesus remarks that many Jews will be cast out from this Kingdom. This is a clear remark that many Jews had grown complacent and never learned from the failings of their ancestors who had killed prophets and refused God, leading to the Babylonian Exile. 

The Woman

The last person healed here is Peter's mother in law. This is probably the least remarkable of the healings, yet still powerful. Jesus finds her sick with a fever, and she is healed. She is the last of 3 which were likely back to back (Jesus still returning from the Sermon on the Mount). These 3 miracles likely serve as the inspiration for v. 16-17 where everyone starts bringing him people to heal. 

Conclusion

Jesus likely chose these three people (and Matthew's choice to specifically mention these three) for a reason. He chose three groups that are looked down upon and cast aside in Jewish society: the unclean, the gentile, and the woman. Lepers were social outcasts, unable to properly engage with society. Gentiles were viewed as outsiders to the Kingdom of God and mostly shut out. Women were utterly powerless in their society, often treated more a property than actual human beings. This is who Jesus will focus on. The first will be made last and the last first. 

Bibliography

France, R. T. Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985.

Turner, David, and Darrell L. Bock. Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 11: Matthew and Mark. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2005.