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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_8:14-17
14When Jesus came into Peter's home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on Him. 16When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. 17This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: "He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases."
Mat_8:14 "Peter. . .his mother-in-law" Peter was married (cf. 1Co_9:5). This speaks of the normalcy of marriage among the Jews. The rabbis said that marriage was an obligation because of the command in Gen_2:24. We never hear of his wife; maybe she had died. The Gospels were not written to satisfy our curiosity.
Mat_8:16 "when evening came" The end of the Sabbath had come (Mar_1:32) and the Jews who were taught that healing was not allowed on the Sabbath were now coming to Peter's front door. The Sabbath began at twilight on Friday and ended at twilight on Saturday. This follows the order of the days of creation in Gen_1:5; Gen_1:8; Gen_1:13; Gen_1:19; Gen_1:23; Gen_1:31.
▣ "many who were demon-possessed. . .healed all who were ill" There was always a distinction made between demon possession and physical disease in the NT. Sometimes demons cause physical problems, but certainly not always. Physical ailments, injuries, and diseases do not necessarily have demonic causes. See Special Topic: The Demonic (Unclean Spirits) at Mat_10:1.
Mat_8:17 This is a quote from Isa_53:4, but not from the Masoretic Text (Hebrew) nor the Septuagint (Greek translation). This is the only place in the NT this verse is quoted. This is used by many modern groups to affirm that physical healing is inherent in the Atonement. God is a supernatural God who acts in the lives of people for good. There is not enough Scriptural evidence based on this verse to affirm that all diseases on all occasions are out of the will of God and will be cured if we just respond with enough faith or prayer (cf. 2Co_12:8-10; 2Ti_4:20).
Psa_103:3 b is also often quoted in connection with this subject. There is a Hebrew poetic parallel relationship between Psa_103:3 a and Psa_103:3 b. They both refer to spiritual forgiveness. In the OT physical ailments were used as a symbol for spiritual problems (i.e., Isa_1:5-6). The rabbis saw sin and sickness as related (cf. Jas_5:14-16). See F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions, pp. 44-45.