8:14-17
Jesus now heals Peter’s mother-in-law, later that day many who were demon possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the evil spirits, he also healed all who were ill. Note a distinction is drawn between being demon possessed and being ill. Matthew sees this as a fulfilment of Isaiah 53:4. Charismatic churches tend to use Is 53:5, but that is not done in the New Testament, the previous verse is used.
8:18-22
Jesus now gives a warning about following Him, it is not an easy choice to make, for it has consequences. First a teacher of the Law comes to Him, and Jesus warns him that “the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head”, there is no earthly peace. Another disciple wants to bury His father first. He asks to be allowed to go and bury his father, and Jesus’ answer seems rather cruel. There are all sorts of explanations. In Jewish culture there was a very strong obligation for the eldest son to bury his father, this was part of honouring your father and mother. Now it is highly unlikely that the man would be out and about if his father had just died and needed burying that day. So he is probably asking for a lengthy delay, at least months, possibly years. Even so, Jesus; answer of “let the dead bury their dead” still seems brutal. The only one who had a higher claim on someone’s allegiance to one’s parents was God. So Jesus is claiming equivalent authority to God. The man had to put God first, to put Jesus first. Following Jesus is a serious matter.
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