John Bengel Commentary - Matthew 8:9 - 8:9

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John Bengel Commentary - Matthew 8:9 - 8:9


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Mat 8:9. Καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ, for I also) Reason might object, “The slave and the soldier hear the command without difficulty; not so the disease.” The wisdom of faith, however, shining forth beautifully from the military abruptness with which it was expressed, does away with this objection, and regards rather those considerations which confirm, than those which might destroy (frangant) hope; those, namely, which arise from the supreme dominion and jurisdiction of Christ,[360] who issued His injunctions to the sea, and the winds, and diseases; see Mat 8:26; Luk 4:39. HE commands: the thing is done. The centurion can command soldier and slave, but not disease; the Lord, however, can order the disease, and that more easily, humanly speaking, than the will of man, who is frequently rebellious.-ἄνθρωπός εἰμι ὑπὸ ἐξουσίαν, I am a man under authority) He does not say, I am a military officer, but since he is obliged to mention that others are subject to him, he says with great delicacy,[361] I myself am subject. There is also a concealed antithesis,[362] sc. Jesus is supreme Lord, souverain.-ὑπὸ-ὑπʼ, under-under) Such persons are at present called subalterns.

[360] Tittmann, Syn. ii., distinguishes the words thus: θεραπεύω ἰάομαι differunt ut nostra: (Germ.) helfen et heilen. θεραπέυεσθαι ἀπὸ τῶν ἀσθενειῶν, ἰᾶσθαι τοὺς ἀσθενοῦντας, i.e. θεραπευομαι refers to the infirmities cured, ἰᾶσθαι to the persons cured. Θεραπεύω seems to me to mean, to treat a case, to tend, to minister to: ἰᾶσθαι, to heal.-ED.

[361] Πσοθεραπεία, anticipatory precaution; lest his mention of soldiers being under him should offend against humility, he puts first the mention of his being himself under the authority of others. See Append. on the figure.-ED.

[362] See Explanation of Technical terms in Appendix.-(I. B.)