Wednesday 20 August 2008
- Bible Book:
- Matthew
"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. I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven'." (v.10-11)
Background
Matthew seems to have deliberately gathered miracle stories thatshow the power of God's kingdom in action into one place in hisGospel - there are ten miracle stories in
People believed that skin diseases were highly contagious so lepershad to live apart from the rest of society. The leper was breakingsocial regulations by approaching Jesus and for Jesus to touch himwould have deeply affected both him and the crowds.
Jesus then instructs the leper to follow traditional procedures forrecovered skin-disease sufferers (as given in
The second story introduces another Gentile, a Roman army officer,whom Jesus heals. Faith receives a strong emphasis as the basis notjust for the healing of the centurion's servant, but for hisentitlement to a place in the kingdom. A secondary focus of thestory is the way the centurion understands from his position thepower of a word of authority, and therefore believes Jesus can healat a distance by just speaking the word.
To Ponder
Who are the people in society today whom Jesuswould be most eager to stretch out his hand and touch?
Do you think the leper kept it quiet as Jesusrequested? Would you have been able to?
Is God's healing dependent on those who pray forit having a particular quantity of faith? Or, if it is a matter ofquality, what qualities should those people possess?