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Welcome back! What a crazy week this has been: if you’re reading this, it means my website is back up and operational. As I write this post, though, it is not. Late last week I received several notifications that something was wrong with my site. On checking with my host, I discovered all my files had been purged because of inactivity. While it’s true I hadn’t updated the static pages in a very long time (and they needed it!), I have been posting this blog every week since fall 2018: almost five years!
Nevertheless, the files are gone. I have the blogs in various text files, but rebuilding them with a new host will take time. At this writing, I’m working to republish the previous five posts in this study (Matthew 8:5-13) along with this one, then I’ll work backwards to republish the previous three studies (Mark 9:14-29, John 11:28-44, and Luke 9:28-36) in this Miracles of Jesus series. I appreciate your patience and prayers! After I finish this study of Matthew 8:5-13, I am suspending online studies temporarily to fully pursue a total rewrite of my upcoming book, which will include major revisions to the process. Stay tuned for more information on that!
Refocusing on Matthew 8:5-13, I checked cross-references to answer Question 14. And for Question 15, I created a comparative translation table of key verses in our study text.
Last Week’s Work
Question 14 (Cross-References)
Here are a few takeaways I pulled from the cross-references I examined:
- The first cross-reference I consulted was Luke 7:1-10, another version of this incident by Luke. As usual, details vary between Matthew and Luke, including the details that have spoken to me most dramatically in this study. I take that as a positive sign: Matthew’s version is useful for teaching me what I need to learn in this season. Praying that the learning sticks!
- In Psalm 33:8-9, I found another connection to Genesis 1: For he spoke and it came to be; He commanded and it stood firm. If I believe in the creation story—and I do—then it follows I should believe that God can heal and restore with only a word. He doesn’t have to see or touch the subject at all. As I thought about that and Psalm 107:17-22 (another listed cross-ref: He sent out His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. v19), the Spirit reminded me I know first-hand that God can speak life into someone: I was as good as dead and He did it for me!
- Finally, James 5:15 resonated with me, too: … and the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick.
Question 15 (Other Translations)
I compared five versions of four verses, starting with the description of the centurion’s approach in v5. In the ESV, this is described as appealing, but NASB20 and GNT render the word begging and begged, and the NLT said the officer pleaded with Him. To me, appealing is much like asking (NIV translation), it doesn’t connote anything beyond a simple request. But begging and pleading—these are asks made in desperation, by a man who knows he can’t help this servant through his own power (though verse 9 makes it clear this man does have worldly power). That resonated with me since I often struggle to do things in my own power that could be done better and more effectively by someone else: especially God!
Faith was the second subject I reviewed in all five versions. Verse 8 is consistent: the centurion claims either he is not worthy, or he doesn’t deserve to have Jesus come into his home. And just say the word appears in all but the GNT, which reads, give the order. In verse 10, all the versions agree Jesus observed the centurion had shown more faith than anyone in Israel.
I also looked at Jesus’s statement to the centurion about the healing in verse 13. The NASB20 version had an interesting footnote: Or it is to be done; Gr imperative, i.e., a command. Last week with Question 13, I didn’t look at this word (ginomai G1096) translated let it be done in the ESV and similar in the other translations, but now I’ve backed up and explored the parsing information provided in the interlinear tools on Blue Letter Bible. Without going grammar nerd on you, let me just say it’s a more commanding statement than let it be done. The notes say it shall be done as you have believed.
That got my attention. How confident would I be if all my prayers are done as I believe? In some cases, very confident; in others, not at all. Jesus is telling me it all depends on my faith. Now I get what the father Mark 9:24 prayed: help my unbelief!
Dig In Challenges
God willing, I’ll post again next week after answering the next three questions:
- Question 16 What personal theme emerges from your study of the text? by reviewing everything I’ve discovered so far and identifying what I believe the Holy Spirit most wants me to notice and learn from this study;
- Question 17 What did this study teach you about your relationship with God or others? by noting at least one lesson the Spirit has revealed to me in the text; and
- Question 18 How have you been convicted by this passage? by comparing my actions and habits with the standard revealed here.
I’m curious to know how your studies are going! Feel free to share in the comments below or directly with me at jen@jencason.com. Looking forward to sharing my answers again next week!