The chapter begins with a Leper coming to Jesus for healing. In these days, if someone was diagnosed with leprosy they were banished from the town to live out the remaining days of their lives in isolation. Leprosy was contagious and they didn't have a cure for it so self isolation was what they did, and if anyone saw a leper they wouldn't touch them or go near them, they would pretty much run the opposite direction. But when Jesus saw this leper, He didn't run away or tell them to go away because they were contagious. The leper asked Jesus to heal him if He was willing and Jesus not only said He was willing, be clean, but He touched the leper. Jesus had no fear, He saw love and compassion for this man who had lived in self isolation.
Jesus commanded the healed leper to tell no man but to go straight to the priest and show himself to the priest. If anyone was casted away due to a contagious sickness like leprosy, if the person was to somehow get healed the priest would have to confirm it before the person could go back to civilization. It was important that the healed leper went straight to the priest so the priest could see he was healed first hand.
Next a centurion (officer in the army of ancient Rome, they got their names because they commanded 100 men) came to Jesus for healing over his servant who was at home paralyzed. Jesus told him that He will come and heal him and the centurion said that he was not worthy of Jesus to come to his home, but simply asked Jesus to just say the word and he will be healed. When Jesus heard this He was amazed and said to all who were following that He had not seen such great faith. He told the centurion to go on his way and as he had believed, so it will be done for him. This is key, as we believe, it will be done for us. We receive off of our belief in His word. The centurions servant was healed that same hour. We can follow suit with this on both parts. We need to have such strong faith like the centurion. But we also can pray for people to receive healing in Jesus name without being their to lay hands on them. God has no limits.
When Jesus had arrived at Peter’s house, Peters mother-in-law was sick with a fever. Jesus simply touched her hand and she rose up and began to serve Him. When evening had come, they brought to Jesus many who were demon possessed and He cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick so that it would fulfill what was spoken by Isaiah, “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.”
Then a scribe came to Jesus and said he would follow Jesus wherever He goes, and Jesus could see this mans heart and his thoughts with following Jesus. Jesus wanted to make sure that the scribe new what he was signing up for. He told the scribe that even though the foxes have holes and birds have nests the Son of man has no where to lay His head. To follow Jesus doesn't mean a life of fame and being rich and having materialistic items beyond need. We shouldn't follow Jesus to expect to receive richness in money and fame and fortune. Our hearts must be in it for the right reason and He always knows whats on our hearts. Jesus was very honest with the scribe in what it would be like to follow Him.
Then another one of His disciples said to Jesus that he needed to go and burry his father but Jesus said to him instead, “Follow me, let the dead bury the dead.” In this time, when someone said they needed to go and burry the dead it didn't necessarily mean that the person was yet dead, it could mean that they were on the verge of it and near death whether it be by a few days or a few years away. The notes say that it isn't known if the mans father had actually died or was just in his last years, the point being made is the man was choosing this over being a disciple and following Jesus. Jesus didn't want the mans father to be left alone, or have the physically dead burry him (that wouldn't even be possible or make sense). Jesus was stating that there are others who can take care of him who are not needed in this gospel journey because perhaps they are spiritually dead, so let them take care of the burying of the dead and that way the ones who are spiritually alive can go forward and share the gospel and follow Jesus.
There will always be an excuse available to not follow Jesus and share the gospel and disciple others. Its up to us to choose Him over the excuses. Saving souls is more important.
Jesus and His disciples then got onto a boat and Jesus took a nap. Then a violently windy storm arose and created huge waves that appeared as if they were going to overtake the boat. The disciples woke up Jesus begging for Him to save them because they thought they were going to perish. Jesus simply replied, “ Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea and then there was a great peace and calm. The disciples were amazed wandering who this man was that could control the wind and the sea.
This is a lesson within a lesson, first Jesus points out that if there is fear present then your faith is low and weak, for if your faith was high and strong then you wouldn't be fearful. Whenever we feel any sort of fear its a sign that we need to get back in the word and feed on it and feed on Him and build are faith and get rid of that fear. Faith is like a muscle and wont be strong if you never work on it. Secondly, Jesus rebuked the weather, He would not have rebuked the storm if it was something that God created which shows us that storms can be spiritual attacks from the devil. We know that rain is good and is a blessing and when we pray for rain clouds and God sends them that is a blessing from God to water our land. However a violent storm is different than some rain clouds, Jesus rebuked that storm and sent it away. When we see storms that look violent we need to follow suit and rebuke it. Often times I have heard people blame violent storms on God or say something silly like its his judgment on sinners in that area, but thats not true. Mathew 8:26 is proof that Satan can manipulate the weather because if it was Gods doing to create that storm when they were on the boat Jesus wouldn't have rebuked it, He wouldn't rebuke something from God. God is good, all the time and thats why when the storm came Jesus simply rebuked it and everything became peaceful and calm.
When they got to Gergesenes two demon possessed men who lived in the cemetery came charging down exceeding fierce. The demon possessed men said, “what have we to do with thee Jesusl, Son of God, have you come to torment us before the time?” Demons are fallen angels who work for satan, they knew who Jesus was, they begged him that if He was going to cast them out to send them to the herd of swine near by. Jesus simply said, “Go” and the demons went into the herd of swine and the whole herd ran violently into the sea and perished into the waters. (Think of how many demons were in those two men to fill an entire herd of swine, and Jesus simply said ‘Go’ and they all fled!) They that kept them fled into the city and told everyone what had happened. The whole town came, met Jesus and begged him to leave their city.
No matter how amazing the miracle is, some people will not open their hearts to Jesus. It is sad but shouldn't discourage you, Jesus didn't argue and debate when they asked Him to leave. Quarreling could have made people even more closed off then they already were. A seed was planted when Jesus casted out the demons and that was all that was needed in that moment.