Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 8:7
And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
Verse 7. I will come and heal him.] , I am coming, and will heal him. This saying is worthy of observation. Jesus did not positively say, I will came and heal him; this could not have been strictly true, because our Lord healed him without going to the house: and the issue shows that the words ought to be taken in the most literal sense: thus understood, they contained a promise which it seems none of them distinctly comprehended. Foreseeing the exercise of the centurion’s faith, he promises that while he is coming, ere he arrives at the house, he will heal him, and this was literally done, Mt 8:13. There is much beauty in this passage.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. This answer of Christ’s, which is short and full, not only shows the readiness of Christ to do good, how soon and easily he complied with the centurion’s request, it being a prayer of faith, and so effectual, and was heard as soon as delivered; but also contains an absolute promise that he would heal him. He does not say that he would come and see him, and what his case was, and do what he could for him, as ordinary physicians do; but he would come and heal him at once: and indeed it is a proposal of more than what was asked of him; his presence was not asked, and yet he offered it; though Luke says, that he besought him by the messengers to “come and heal his servant”; and so this is an answer to both parts of the request; the whole is granted. Christ cannot deny anything to faith, his presence or assistance.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
I will come and heal him ( ). Future indicative, not deliberative subjunctive in question (McNeile). The word here for heal () means first to serve, give medical attention, then cure, restore to health. The centurion uses the more definite word for healing ( 8:8) as Matthew does in 8:13 (). Luke (Lu 9:11), like a physician, says that Jesus healed () those in need of treatment (), but the distinction is not always observed. In Ac 28:8 Luke uses of the miraculous healings in Malta by Paul while he employs (Ac 28:9) apparently of the practice of Luke the physician (so W. M. Ramsay). Matthew represents the centurion himself as speaking to Jesus while Luke has it that two committees from the centurion brought the messages, apparently a more detailed narrative. What one does through others he does himself as Pilate “scourged Jesus” (had him scourged).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Heal [] . So A. V. and Rev. The word, however, originally means to attend, and to treat medically. The centurion uses another and stronger word, shall be healed [] . Luke, who as a physician is precise in the use of medical terms, uses both words in one verse (ix. 11). Jesus healed [] all who had need of treatment [] . Still, Luke himself does not always observe the distinction. See on Luk 5:15.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And Jesus saith unto him,” (legei auto) “Jesus said to him,” to the centurion, to the Roman officer in charge of an hundred soldiers, who had come with heavy heart to Jesus, requesting mercy on his young son-servant, who would have cared for him in his old age.
2) “I will come and heal him.” (ego elthon therapeuso auton) “I coming (while coming) will heal him.” Our Lord graciously offered to go to the centurion’s home to heal this paralytic, a son-servant of the centurion. Jesus could have healed without coming to his home, Joh 4:49-53.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(7) I will come and heal him.In St. Lukes report the words are omitted, but they are implied in our Lords act in going with the elders of the synagogue. While He went, some one, it would seem, ran on in front to tell the centurion that his prayer was heard. Then, in his humility, he sends off some of his friends with the message, which St. Matthew records as if it had come from his own lips.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And he says to him, “I will come and heal him.” ’
The ‘I’ is emphatic and we should probably translate as a question, ‘Shall I come and heal him?’ (New Testament Greek had no way of indicating a positive question. It had to be gathered from the context or the tone of voice). This gives the emphatic ‘I’ its full force. It may thus be intended as a deliberate attempt to discover what was in the centurion’s mind. What does he really expect of a Jewish prophet? Has he really considered what he is asking? We can compare this with His treatment of the Canaanite woman in Mat 15:21-28. There also He was concerned that she recognise that she was dealing with the God of Israel. Or it may simply be a simple statement agreeing that He will indeed go, the emphasised ‘I’ then being a hint that the centurion should recognise what a great privilege is his.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The offer of Jesus and the centurion’s answer:
v. 7. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
v. 8. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof; but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. Christ’s sympathy is aroused, though an actual prayer for help has not been made, a mere statement of need and trouble being sufficient. He expressly declares His willingness to come and help: Coming I shall heal him. Christ’s sovereignty decides sickness and health, death and life. An astonishing answer: I am not worthy, I am not fit; not merely on account of his being a Gentile, but because his humility forbade his receiving the Lord on terms of equality. See Mat 3:11. Deprecatingly he speaks of his roof, a mere hut when the Lord is coming. A bare word will suffice. He both acknowledges the necessity of Christ’s mercy and his own total unworthiness. A sublime faith: My body-servant will be healed, a conviction born of absolute trust in His almighty and merciful power. On the other hand, unbelief, presumption, ignorance will hinder any kind of communion between God and man.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Mat 8:7 . And Jesus (perceiving, from his mode of address and whole demeanour, the centurion’s faith in His divine miraculous power) answered him: I (emphatically) will come , and so on. Fritzsche puts it interrogatively. But ( , by way of coupling an objection, Porson, ad Eur. Phoen . 1373) said Jesus to him, Am I to come and heal him ( . conj. aor.)? This is refining more than is necessary, and not in keeping with the simple character of the passage. Bengel well says, “Divina sapientia Jesus, eos sermones proponit, quibus elicit confessionem fidelium eosque antevertit.”
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
Ver. 7. I will come and heal him ] Stupenda dignatio; a wonderful condescending that the Lord of lords should vouchsafe to visit a poor servant and restore him to health. a It was a great favour that Queen Elizabeth did Sir Christopher Hatton, Lord Chancellor (who died nevertheless of grief of mind), that, when she had broken his heart with a harsh word, she was pleased to visit and comfort him, though it were all too late. What was it then for the Lord Christ in the shape of a servant to come down to the sick servant’s pallet! Hunniades, when he felt himself in danger of death, desired to receive the sacrament before his departure; and would in any case (sick as he was) be carried to the church to receive the same, saying that it was not fit that the Lord should come to the house of his servant, but the servant rather to go to the house of his Lord and Master.
a Ut coeli Dominus nequaquam dedignaretur centurionis servulum visitare, Ambros.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 8:7 . his is generally taken as an offer on Christ’s part to go to the house. Fritzsche finds in it a question, arranging the words (T. R.) thus: , . ., ; and rendering: “And,” saith Jesus to him, “shall I go and heal him?” = is that what you wish? The following verse then contains the centurion’s reply. This is, to say the least, ingenious.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Mat 8:7. , coming) In His Divine wisdom, our Lord puts forth those addresses by which He elicits the profession of the faithful, and thus as it were anticipates them: which is the reason why men of those times received a swifter, greater, and more frequent effect from heavenly words than they do now. He declares Himself ready to come to the centurions servant. He does not promise that He will do so to the noblemans son. By each method He arouses faith, and shows that He is no respecter of persons.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
I will: Mat 9:18, Mat 9:19, Mar 5:23, Mar 5:24, Luk 7:6
Reciprocal: Mat 9:29 – According Luk 8:41 – and besought
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8:7
Jesus was able to give “absent treatment” as effectively as otherwise. However, the proposal to come to the home of the centurion drew from him an expression of complete faith. He had not even requested that Jesus come, but only appealed to him in the attitude of a simple trust in his power and willingness to do something for him.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 8:7. And Jesus saith unto him, to those whom he sent (Luk 7:6): I will come and heal him. According to Luke, our Lord went, expressing in act the willingness here expressed in word, and on the way the occurrences mentioned in the next verses took place.