Joshua 1:1-9

God's Commission to Joshua

1:1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying, 2 “My servant Moses is dead. Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the Israelites. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and the Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea in the west shall be your territory. 5 No one shall be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous; for you shall put this people in possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. 9 I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

The following comments are repeated here from January 5, 2009 (Monday in the week of the Second Sunday after Christmas, ref. for Jan. 5, Year One), when comments were based on those of May 5, 2008 (Monday in the week of the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year Two), and relevant comments from July 13, 2008 (the Sunday closest to July 13, Year Two), when the reading was Joshua 1:1-18. The comments of May 5 and July 13, 2008 were based on earlier comments as noted there.

Joshua has been Moses’ assistant from the time of the attack by the Amalekites (Exod. 17). He was with Moses when Moses set out from the camp to ascend Mount Sinai (Exod. 24:13), and though he did not ascend the mountain, he was with Moses when he returned to find the Israelites in rebellion, worshiping the Golden Calf. Joshua said, “There is a noise of war in the camp” (Exod. 32:17), but Moses says it’s not the noise of war but of revelers (v. 18). Nor did Joshua participate on the wrong side of any of the ensuing rebellions. He was one of two who gave a good report on the scouting of the land of Canaan (Num. 14:6-10; cf. Caleb’s comment, 13:30). And Joshua is appointed as leader of Israel already in Numbers 27:12-23. The LORD says to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him; have him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and commission him in their sight. You shall give him some of your authority, so that all the congregation of the Israelites may obey” (Num. 27:18-20). After reporting the death of Moses (Deut. 34:1-8), before the assessment of Moses as a prophet like no other (v. 10), Deuteronomy reports that “Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him, and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the LORD had commanded Moses” (v. 9). So Rabbi J. H. Hertz says,

Israel’s story did not close with the death of Moses. This is one of the lessons which the choice of this chapter [i.e. Josh. 1] as the Prophetical Reading [i.e. Haftorah] for the last Sidrah of the Pentateuch. The reading of the first chapter of Joshua, which opens the section of Scripture known as ‘The Prophets’, is to remind us that though Moses is dead, his work and message are eternal, and remain the undying task of all future generations in Israel to fulfil. (Pentateuch & Haftorahs, 2^nd ed., 24^th printing, 1981, p. 918 on Josh. 1:1-18).

As the Book of Joshua opens, connection is made with the scene of Moses’ death at the end of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 34:1-12). “After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD,” says the narrator, “the LORD spoke (rm@xy0ov1, wayyō’mer) to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant” (Josh. 1:1). Of the words, “the LORD spoke,” Rabbi J. H. Hertz says,

This characteristic phrase of Scripture is one of the most obvious indications of what we call ‘inspiration’. We are not in a position to define the exact mode in which the Divine message was communicated. Was it an inner conviction borne in upon the soul, voiceless but clear and definite? We cannot tell. ‘How God reveals Himself to His chosen messengers will scarcely ever be understood. It is the greatest of mysteries; although that he reveals Himself is the greatest of certainties’ (Marti),” (Pentateuch & Haftorahs, 2^nd ed., 24^th printing, 1981, on Joshua 1:1).

Joshua enters his new office, so to speak, and is immediately faced with a major challenge. “The commission,” says Carol Myers, “is presented in four speeches, one delivered by God (vv. 2-9), two by Joshua (vv. 10-11, 12-15), and one by the people (vv. 16-18)” (The Jewish Study Bible, 2004, on Josh. 1:2-18; cf. K. Lawson Younger, NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Josh. 1:2-18). Although confronted with a daunting challenge, Joshua is met with strong encouragement, as well as command to proceed, from the LORD (Josh. 1:2-9). “My servant Moses is dead. Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the Israelites. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised Moses” (vv. 2-3).

The territory is defined: “From the wilderness and the Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea (lOdG!h1 My0!h1, hayyām haggādôl) in the west shall be your territory” (v. 4). The recent Jewish Publication Society translation (NJPS 1985, 1999) has “the Mediterranean [note a ‘Great’] Sea” for “the Great Sea” (NRSV). According to Myers, “The full extent of the land runs from the Jordan on the east to the Mediterranean Sea on the west, from the Lebanon in the northwest and the Great River, the River Euphrates, in the northeast to the wilderness in the south.” And she adds, “These borders are virtually the same as in the description given by Moses in Deut. 11:24-25. These are ideal borders only, and likely do not reflect the land held by Israel either in this period, or in some later time” (op. cit., on Josh. 1:2-5).

“As I was with Moses,” says the LORD, “so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous” (vv. 5b, 6a). The call for strength and courage is emphasized. “Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go” (v. 7). The LORD tells Joshua, “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it” (v. 8). Robert C. Dentan and Leslie J. Hoppe identify “this book of the law” as Deuteronomy, adding, “Obedience to this book of the law (Deuteronomy) is the only requirement for the success of the project that the Israelites are to undertake” (NOAB, 2^nd ed., 1994, on Josh. 1:8). However, as noted earlier, Rabbi Hertz refers to it as “the entire Book of the Law, which contained both the laws of the Sinai Covenant and those of the Covenant in the Plains of Moab (xxviii, 69),” which he adds “was placed by the side of the Ark (Koenig)” (op. cit., on Num. 31:26). And the LORD concludes his words to Joshua by repeating the call for strength and courage. “I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (v. 9). According to Younger, “The LORD’s speech outlines the means of success for Joshua and the Israelites: obedience to the book of the law. The LORD’s speech also anticipates the main themes of the book: the crossing of the Jordan (1:1-5:12, the conquest (5:13-12:24), the distribution of the land (13:1-22:34), and obedience to the law of Moses (23:1-24:33)” (op. cit., on Josh. 1:2-9).

Ephesians 3:1-13

Paul's Ministry to the Gentiles

3:1 This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-- 2 for surely you have already heard of the commission of God's grace that was given me for you, 3 and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, 4 a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. 5 In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: 6 that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

7 Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God's grace that was given me by the working of his power. 8 Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; 10 so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him. 13 I pray therefore that you may not lose heart over my sufferings for you; they are your glory. (Ephesians 3:1-13, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here with some editing from January 16, 2009 (Friday in the week of the First Sunday after the Epiphany, Year One), when comments were repeated with some editing from May 5, 2008 (Monday in the week of the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year Two), when comments were repeated from January 12, 2007 (Friday in the week of the First Sunday after the Epiphany, Year One), when comments were repeated from May 29, 2006 (Monday in the week of the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year Two), when there was some repetition from comments of January 14, 2005 (Friday in the week of the First Sunday after the Epiphany, Year One).

Ephesians chapter 3 begins with an incomplete sentence. “This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles–” (Eph. 3:1). There is no verb in verse 1, so the NRSV supplies the words “is” and “am.” Today’s New International Version is more literal, “For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles–“ (Eph. 3:1 TNIV, cf. NIV, AV/KJV, NAS). Both versions follow the verse with a dash (–), indicating the break in Paul’s train of thought. F. F. Bruce supplies “the missing verb” from verse 14, where he suggests the broken train of thought is resumed, and translates verse 1, “For this reason I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles, [bend my knees in prayer]” (The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians, NICNT, 1984, p. 309). Bruce describes the context:

The intercessory prayer of Eph. 1:15-19, which passes into a statement of the exaltation of Christ and of his people with him, followed by the celebration of God’s grace to the Gentiles, is now resumed. Almost immediately, however, it is broken off to make way for an account of Paul’s distinctive ministry. The subject ‘I Paul’ is left without a verb, which is not supplied until the prayer is taken up again in v. 14: “For this reason I bend my knees . . .” (ibid., on Eph. 3:1)

Bruce has an excellent point. A very long sentence begins here. In the NRSV, verses 1-13 are punctuated as six sentences, verses 1-4, 5-6, 7, 8-10, 11-12, and 13 (with periods after each). But modern editors of the Greek text treat this as three sentences, verses 1-7, 8-12, and 13 (K. Aland et al., edd., The Greek New Testament, 3^rd ed., 1975, text of Eph. 3:1-13; cf. the Nestle-Aland text, Barbara et Kurt Aland, et al. edd., Novum Testamentum Graece, post Eberhard et Erwin Nestle 27^th ed., 1993, reprint, 1995, text of Eph. 3:1-13).

As the first sentence continues, referring to an account of Paul’s “distinctive ministry,” as Bruce calls it, Paul refers to his commission: “for surely you have already heard of the commission (oijkonomiva, oikonomia) of God’s grace that was given to me for you” (v. 2 NRSV). For “commission” (NRSV), Bruce translates “stewardship” (ibid., p. 310). According to Frederick William Danker, the term first means “ ‘taking care of (business) affaires,’ administration, with focus on an estate and accounting procedures connected with it Lk. 16:2-4. Then in extended sense of various kinds of responsibilities, especially in the New testament relating to divine intent and purpose in distribution of divine largess 1 Cor. 9:17; Eph. 3:2 [etc.]” (The Concise Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2009, s.v. oijkonomiva, oikonomia). This grace consists of “the mystery (musthvrion, mystērion) [that] was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words” (v. 3; cf. 1:9-10). The “mystery,” says Jennifer K. Berenson Maclean, as used here, is that “God’s plan is the uniting of Jews and Gentiles into a single community” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Eph. 3:3). Paul has told the Galatians, “the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin, for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:11-12). Bruce relates this revelation to what “was granted to him on the Damascus road–on the occasion when, as he says, ‘God . . . was pleased to reveal his Son in me’ (Gal. 1:12, 15-16)” (op. cit., pp. 311-312 on Eph. 3:3). When Paul adds, “as I wrote above in a few words” (Eph. 3:3, end of verse), according to Maclean, he may be referring to Ephesians “1:9-10 and 2:11-22 or perhaps ‘previously’ and thus a reference to an earlier Pauline letter” (ibid.).

Paul defines the mystery, “a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of Christ” (v. 4), as that which, though “in former generations . . . was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (vv. 5-6). Bruce says that the mystery is not “that God would bless the Gentiles,” which was not new. Rather,

It was this: that God’s blessing of the Gentiles [announced already to Abraham, Gal. 3:8] would involve the obliteration of the old line of demarcation which separated them from Jews and the incorporation of Gentile believers together with Jewish believers, without any discrimination, in the new, comprehensive community of God’s chosen people. (ibid., p. 314 on Eph. 3:5)

Paul has become “a servant” of “this gospel,” a servant “according to the gift of God’s grace that was given me by the working of his power” (v. 7). Paul admits to being “the very least of all the saints” (cf. 1 Tim. 1:15; Maclean refers to 1 Cor. 15:8-9, op. cit., on v. 8) but is grateful that “this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ” (v. 8). According to Bruce, “When his [i.e., Paul’s] commission is said to be ‘to bring the gentiles the good news of Christ’s unfathomable wealth,’ this is a more rhetorical wording of his statement in Gal. 1:16, that the purpose of the Damascus-road revelation of the Son of God was ‘that I might preach him among the Gentiles.’ But the language of this rhetorical expansion is not un-Pauline” (ibid., p. 319, on v. 8; the translation is his own).

Paul’s commission involves a public role, “to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things” (v. 9). Bruce says that “the designation of God in this context as ‘the Creator of all things’ might be designed to refute gnosticizng modes of thought which made a distinction between the Creator and the Redeemer” (ibid., p. 320, on v. 9; citing H. Schlier, with some hesitation: “one would like firm evidence that such teaching [i.e., as ascribed to Simon Magus, Menander and Satornilos according to Irenaeus] was known in the circles in which Ephesians was composed and read,” footnote 60). God’s purpose, according to Paul, is “so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities (ajrcaiv, archai, and ejxousivai, exousiai) in the heavenly places” (v. 10). “The church,” says J. Paul Sampley, “has the cosmic task of making the wisdom of God (either wisdom from God or wisdom about God) known in the heavenly places” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Eph. 3:10). According to Bruce, “There is no need to limit the ‘principalities and powers’ [his translation of ajrcaiv, archai, and ejxousivai, exousiai, cf. AV/KJV] in such a context as this to hostile forces. All created intelligences are in view here” (op. cit., p. 321, on v. 10). “This,” adds Paul, “was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord” (v. 11). Bruce says,

The divine purpose, to be consummated in Christ, was originally conceived in him. Jewish and Gentile believers who have now been reconciled in him were already chosen in him ‘before the world’s foundation’ (Eph. 1:4), and what is true of the church is true of the universe: its final reconciliation in Christ was decreed in Christ according to God’s ‘eternal purpose.’ And in the outworking of this ‘purpose of the ages’ the people of Christ are given an essential part to play. (ibid., p. 322, on v. 11).

For the Christian believers it provides “access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him [i.e. Christ Jesus our Lord]” (v. 12). Paul concludes this paragraph by encouraging the hearers: “that you may not lose heart over my sufferings for you; they are your glory” (v. 13). When one has such an exalted purpose for his life and work as Paul had, he or she may be surprised at what they will undergo and tolerate for the sake of that surpassing purpose.

Matthew 8:5-17

Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant (Lk 7.1-10)

5 When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him 6 and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible distress." 7 And he said to him, "I will come and cure him." 8 The centurion answered, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also 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 slave, 'Do this,' and the slave does it." 10 When Jesus heard him, he was amazed and said to those who followed him, "Truly I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 13 And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; let it be done for you according to your faith." And the servant was healed in that hour. (Matthew 8:5-13, NRSV)

Jesus Heals Many at Peter's House (Mk 1.29-34; Lk 4.38-41)

14 When Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever; 15 he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she got up and began to serve him. 16 That evening they brought to him many who were possessed with demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and cured all who were sick. 17 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah, "He took our infirmities and bore our diseases." (Matthew 8:14-17, NRSV)

The following comments are based on relevant comments on Matthew 8:1-17 of October 2, 2009 (Friday in the week of the Sunday closest to September 28, Year One), when comments were based on comments for Matthew 8:5-17 of May 5, 2008 (Monday in the week of the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year Two), and earlier comments, those of October 5 , 2007 (Friday in the week of the Sunday closest to September 28, Year One), when the reading was Matthew 8:1-17, and comments on Matthew 8:5-17 from May 29, 2006 (Monday in the week of the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year Two).

Parallel passages for this reading from Matthew are presented in two separate files, Healing a Centurion’s Servant, and the Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-Law.

One will observe differences in the order of these and related episodes, as discussed in Saturday’s comments.

On the Healing of the Centurion’s Servant

As noted Saturday this episode is found in Matthew and Luke, and is considered to be one of the few narrative sections of the hypothetical source “Q” used by Matthew and Luke. In Luke’s version, he calls special attention to the centurion’s standing in the Jewish community, for though he is a Gentile–part of the point of the story, for Jesus later says, “Truly I tell you, in on one in Israel have I found such faith” (Mt. 8:10; cf. Lk. 7:9)–the Jewish elders praise him as they bring the request for help: “He is worthy of having you do this for him, for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us” (Lk. 7:4-5). In Luke, according to Marion Lloyd Soards, “This story parallels the account of Peter’s conversion of the Gentile centurion Cornelius, who was also generous to the Jews; see Acts 10:2, 34-35” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Lk. 7:1-10). Soards adds that the “centurion” was “clearly a Gentile . . . either an employee of Herod Antipas, a member of the Roman police force, or an official attached to the custom service” (ibid., on Lk. 7:2).

In Matthew’s version, the centurion comes himself rather than sending others. “When he [i.e., Jesus] entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him and saying ‘Lord my servant (pai:V, pais) is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible distress’ ” (Mt. 8:5-6). Luke tells us, “A centurion there [i.e., in Capernaum, v. 1] had a slave (dou:loV, doulos) whom he valued highly and who was ill and close to death. When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave (dou:loV, doulos)” (Lk. 7:2-3). Matthew’s word for “servant” can also mean “child” or “son,” which Frederick William Danker suggests here. He defines it as of the “basic idea: one in a dependent capacity child,” and here, “of post-infancy offspring . . . of a specific child, oJ pai:V [ho pais] boy Mt. 8:6; 17:18 [etc.]” (The Concise Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2009, s.v. pai:V, pais, meaning 2.b). But the Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich Lexicon, while recognizing “child “ or “son” as possible in Matthew 8:;6, 8, 13, says it probably means “slave, servant,” and notes that in Luke 7:7 pai:V “= dou:loV [doulos] vss. 2f, 10” (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich [BDAG], A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature, 3^rd ed., 2000, s.v. pai:V, pais meanings no. (2) and (3) ). Luke’s word for “slave” can mean, according to Danker, “slave . . . as owned property totally and unquestioningly at the behest of the owner” (The Concise Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2009, s.v. dou:loV, doulos). According to F. Wilbur Gingrich, revised by Danker, it can mean, “of a king’s officials minister Mt. 18:23, 26 ff.” (Shorter Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, 2^nd ed., 1983, s.v. dou:loV, doulos). But it is not used in the sense of “child” or “boy” (cf. BDAG, s.v. dou:loV, doulos). Given the range of meanings for pai:V (pais), one might consider the two terms alternative translations of Aramaic xDAb4fa (‘avdā’ ). Assuming that we have two accounts of the same healing, it is likely that Matthew’s term means “servant” or “slave” here, as Luke’s term clearly does.

Matthew reports Jesus’ response to the centurion. “And he said to him, ‘I will come and cure (qerapeuvsw, therapeusō ) him’ ” (Mt. 8:7). Both report the centurion’s claim not to be worthy of Jesus’ visit, requesting only healing by speaking the word. “The centurion answered,” says Jesus in Matthew, “ ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant (pai:V, pais) will be healed” (Mt. 8:8). Although Luke reports this protest indirectly (Lk. 7:7), he includes a disclaimer by the messengers, the Jewish elders (v. 3). “When they came to Jesus, they appealed to him earnestly, saying, ‘He is worthy of having you do this for him, for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us’ ” (Lk. 7:4-5). Both Gospels record the centurion’s words which elicit Jesus’ commendation for their faith (though Luke has them reported to Jesus at second hand):

Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant (pai:V, pais) will be healed (Mt. 8:7b). Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant (dou:loV, doulos) be healed (Lk. 7:6b-7).

The reason given by the centurion is reported in essentially the same words by both evangelists: “For I also 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 slave (dou:loV, doulos), ‘Do this,’ and the slave does it (Mt. 8:9 = Lk. 7:8 NRSV); Luke’s Greek text includes a participle in the phrase uJpo; ejxousivan tassovmenoV (hypo exousian tassomenos) where Matthew has only uJpo; ejxousivan (hypo exousian), and the difference is indicated in translation,“under authority” (Mt.) but “set under authority” (Lk., a difference not indicated in TNIV). According to J. Andrew Overman, the centurion apparently “believes that, as he can command servants and soldiers, Jesus can command or control disease” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Mt. 8:8-10).

Both Gospels record Jesus’ being amazed at the centurion’s faith and his commendation of this faith. “When Jesus heard him, he was amazed,” says Matthew, “and said to those who followed him, ‘Truly I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith” (Mt. 8:10). Similarly, Luke says, “When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, he said, ‘I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith’ ” (Lk. 7:9). The implications seems to be–more clearly in Luke’s version– that if one found such faith anywhere, it would surely be in Israel! In Matthew, Jesus draws a contrast. “I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt. 8:11-12). Matthew concludes, saying, “And to the centurion Jesus said, ‘Go; let it be done for you according to your faith.’ And the servant (pai:V, pais) was healed in that hour” (Mt. 8:13). Luke, who has messengers rather than the centurion himself come to Jesus, says “When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave (dou:loV, doulos) in good health” (Lk. 7:10).

On Jesus’ Healing of Many at Peter's House

Matthew appears to have moved backward in following Mark’s outline, apparently for reasons of placement for emphasis. We come to an example of what have been called “minor agreements of Matthew and Luke against Mark,” which, however is indeed minor. They come to “Peter’s house” (Mt. 8:14a) or to “Simon’s house” (Lk. 4:38a), which is the same thing, but to “the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John” (Mk. 1:29). Simon’s mother-in-law was there “lying in bed with a fever” (Mt. 8:14b; cf. Mk. 1:30; “suffering from a high fever” Lk. 4:38b). But of course the point of the story is the fact that Jesus healed her, proved by the fact that “she rose and served him” (Mt. 8:15), “she rose and served them” (Lk. 4:39), “he . . . lifted her up . . . and she served them” (Mk. 1:31). In the continuation, a kind of summary, Mark reports that “all who were sick or possessed with demons” were brought to him (Mk. 1:32) and “he cured many” (v. 34a), but neither Matthew nor Luke suggest that any were left out, for “he cured all who were sick” (Mt. 8:16), “and he laid his hands on each of them and cured them” (Lk. 4:40). Mark and Luke focus on the demons whom Jesus would not permit to speak “because they knew him (Mk. 1:34b), “because they knew that he was the Christ” (Lk. 4:41). But Matthew focuses on the fulfillment of scripture, citing Isaiah, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases (Mt. 8:17, citing Isa. 53:4).

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net