View source for Matthew 8

{{New Testament chapter short description}}
{{Bible chapter|letname= Matthew 8 |previouslink= Matthew 7 |previousletter= chapter 7 |nextlink= Matthew 9 |nextletter= chapter 9 |book= [[Gospel of Matthew]] |biblepart=[[New Testament]] | booknum= 1 |category= [[Gospel]] | filename= Codex Sinaiticus Matthew 7,27-8,28.JPG |size=250px | name= Codex Sinaiticus Matthew 7,27-8,28 |caption=<div style="width: 250px; text-align: center; line-height: 1em">Matthew 7:27–8:28 on [[Codex Sinaiticus]] (AD 330–60)</div>}}
'''Matthew 8''' is the eighth chapter of the [[Gospel of Matthew]] in the [[New Testament]] and continues the narrative about [[Ministry of Jesus|Jesus's ministry]] in [[Galilee]] previously described in [[Matthew 4:23]]–[[Matthew 4:25|25]]. It follows on from the [[Sermon on the Mount]], noting in its [[Matthew 8:1|opening verse]] that [[Jesus]] had come down from the mountain where he had been teaching. There is a renewed focus in this chapter on Jesus's ministry of [[healing]].

== Text ==
[[File:Codex Sinaiticus Matthew 8,28-9,23.JPG|thumb|right|200px|[[Codex Sinaiticus]] (AD 330–60), Matthew 8:28–9:23]]
The original text was written in [[Koine Greek]]. [[Chapters and verses of the Bible|This chapter is divided into]] 34 verses.

===Textual witnesses===
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:
*[[Codex Vaticanus]] (AD 325–50)
*[[Codex Sinaiticus]] (330–60)
*[[Codex Bezae]] ({{circa}} 400)
*[[Codex Washingtonianus]] ({{circa}} 400)
*[[Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus]] ({{circa}} 450; complete)

== Structure ==
[[File:Lectionary 269 (Matth. 8,32-9,1.9).JPG|thumb|right|200px|Matthew 8:32–9:1,9 in [[Lectionary 269]]]] 
This chapter can be grouped (with cross references to parallel texts in the other [[canonical gospel]]s):
* {{bibleverse||Matthew|8:1–4}} = [[Jesus cleansing a leper]] ({{bibleverse||Mark|1:40–45}}; {{bibleverse||Luke|13:1–23}})
* {{bibleverse||Matthew|8:5–13}} = [[Healing the centurion's servant]] ({{bibleverse||Luke|7:1–10}}; {{bibleverse||John|4:46–53}})
* {{bibleverse ||Matthew|8:14–15}} = [[Healing the mother of Peter's wife]] ({{bibleverse||Mark|1:29–31}}; {{bibleverse||Luke|4:38–39}})
* {{bibleverse ||Matthew|8:16-17}} = [[Jesus exorcising at sunset]] ({{bibleverse||Mark|1:32–34}}; {{bibleverse||Luke|4:40-41}})
* {{bibleverse ||Matthew|8:18-20}} = The cost of discipleship: "The foxes have holes" ({{bibleverse||Luke|9:57-58}})
* {{bibleverse ||Matthew|8:21–22}} = "Let the dead bury their own dead" ({{bibleverse||Luke|9:59-62}})
* {{bibleverse ||Matthew|8:23–27}} = [[Calming the storm]] ({{bibleverse||Mark|4:35-41}}; {{bibleverse||Luke|8:22-25}})
* {{bibleverse ||Matthew|8:28–34}} = [[Exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac|Exorcism of the Gerasene or Gergesene demoniacs]] ({{bibleverse||Mark|5:1–20}}; {{bibleverse||Luke|8:26–39}})

==Analysis==
[[E. H. Plumptre]], in Anglican bishop [[Charles Ellicott]]'s ''Commentary for English Readers'', commented that the events reported "are common to [[Gospel of Mark|St. Mark]] and [[Gospel of Luke|St. Luke]], but are not narrated … in the same order".<ref>Plumptre, E. H., [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/matthew/8.htm Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers] on Matthew 8, accessed 21 December 2016</ref> [[Free Church of Scotland (1843–1900)|Free Church]] minister [[William Robertson Nicoll]] suggested that "this collection is not arranged in chronological order. The connection is topical, not temporal." In his opinion these stories "are an integral part of the self-revelation of Jesus by word and deed; they are demonstrations not merely of His power, but above all, of His ''spirit''".<ref>Nicoll, W. R., [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/egt/matthew/8.htm Expositor's Greek Testament] on Matthew 8, accessed 26 December 2016</ref>

New Testament scholar [[Dale Allison]] notes that these "merciful deeds" performed by Jesus, along with those recorded in [[Matthew 9|chapter 9]], are all undertaken for the benefit of "people from the margins of Jewish society or without [[Social status|status]]".<ref>Allison, D. Jr., "57. Matthew" in Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2001), [https://b-ok.org/dl/946961/8f5f43 The Oxford Bible Commentary], p. 857</ref> [[Henry Alford (theologian)|Henry Alford]] describes these deeds as a "solemn procession of miracles", whose record confirms "the authority with which our Lord had spoken".<ref>Alford, H., [https://biblehub.com/commentaries/alford/matthew/8.htm Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary - Alford] on Matthew 8, accessed 17 November 2022</ref>

The [[Jerusalem Bible]] notes that the ten miracles recorded in chapters 8 and 9 demonstrate the power of Jesus over nature, sickness, death and devils.<ref>Jerusalem Bible (1966), sub-title and footnote a at Matthew 8:1, 3</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Book of Leviticus]]
* [[Leper]]
* [[Moses]]
* Related [[Bible]] parts: [[Leviticus 14]], [[Joshua 10]],{{relevance inline|date=July 2024}} [[Isaiah 53]], [[Mark 1]], [[Mark 4|4]] and [[Mark 5|5]], [[Luke 4]], [[Luke 5|5]], [[Luke 7|7]], [[Luke 8|8]] and [[Luke 9|9]], [[John 4]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{bibleverse|Matthew|8|KJV}} King James Bible - Wikisource
*[http://www.latinvulgate.com/lv/verse.aspx?t=1&b=1&c=8 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate]
*[http://www.gospelhall.org/bible/bible.php?passage=Matthew+8 ''Online Bible'' at GospelHall.org] (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
*[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=8 Multiple bible versions at ''Bible Gateway''] (NKJV, NIV, NRSV etc.)

{{Commons category|Gospel of Matthew - Chapter 8}}
{{Matthew 8}}

[[Category:Matthew 8| ]]
[[Category:Gospel of Matthew chapters|Matthew 08]]