independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
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The leper cleansed — the Law honored 8:1–4
v. 1 — down from the mountain: the crowds attach
1
Καταβάντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄρουςparticipial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; the hinge closing the Sermon (chs. 5–7): from teaching to deeds
ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ ὄχλοι πολλοί.independent — ἀκολουθέω — the crowds attach; the discipleship verb will be tested at vv. 19–22
vv. 2–4 — the leper: the plea, the touch, the sending
2
καὶ ἰδοὺ λεπρὸς προσελθὼν προσεκύνει αὐτῷindependent — ἰδού spotlights the outcast; iterative imperfect προσεκύνει — homage held before the request
λέγων·participial — pleonastic speech-participle — the frame for the plea
κύριε,content — verbless vocative — κύριε on the leper's lips, more than politeness in Matthew
ἐὰν θέλῃςconditional — protasis inside quoted speech — doubt of willingness, not of power (cf. Mark 1:40)
δύνασαί με καθαρίσαι.content — the apodosis-confession — καθαρίσαι, the cultic word for leprosy's defilement
3
καὶ ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖραparticipial — preposed aorist participle — the reach across the purity line before the verb strikes
ἥψατο αὐτοῦindependent — ἥψατο — he touches what no one touches, and is not defiled
λέγων·participial — the word accompanying the touch
θέλω, καθαρίσθητι·content — the plea answered word for word — θέλω to ἐὰν θέλῃς, καθαρίσθητι to καθαρίσαι
καὶ εὐθέως ἐκαθαρίσθη αὐτοῦ ἡ λέπρα.independent — εὐθέως — the effective word; the passive seals the command performed
4
καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς·independent — historic present — the charge
ὅραcontent — the warning imperative governing the prohibition
μηδενὶ εἴπῃς,content — the Matthean messianic reticence — silence commanded
ἀλλὰ ὕπαγεcontent — the positive counter-command
σεαυτὸν δεῖξον τῷ ἱερεῖcontent — Lev 13–14 — the Law honored, not abolished (cf. 5:17)
καὶ προσένεγκον τὸ δῶρονcontent — the prescribed offering for certified cleansing
ὃ προσέταξεν Μωϋσῆς,relative — Lev 14:2–32 — the two birds, the lambs, the log of oil
εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς.phrase modifier — εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς — for, or against, them; left open
The centurion — faith greater than Israel's 8:5–13
vv. 5–7 — the approach and the offer
5
Εἰσελθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ εἰς Καφαρναοὺμparticipial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; the second scene-hinge, into the garrison town
προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ ἑκατόνταρχοςindependent — a Gentile officer approaches — the encounter will end in Israel outfaithed
παρακαλῶν αὐτὸνparticipial — the entreaty-participle — the plea begins before a word is quoted
6
καὶ λέγων·participial — coordinate speech-participle — the frame for the plea
κύριε,content — verbless vocative — the leper's address repeated by the Gentile
ὁ παῖς μου βέβληται ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ παραλυτικός,content — perfect βέβληται — settled prostration; the need stated, no request made
δεινῶς βασανιζόμενος.participial — the participle sharpens the description — agony left to Jesus' compassion
7
καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ·independent — historic present — the reply
ἐγὼ ἐλθὼν θεραπεύσω αὐτόν.content — emphatic ἐγώ — read as offer, though 'Am I to come...?' (a question) is possible; the crux named
vv. 8–9 — 'only say the word': the argument from authority
8
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ ἑκατόνταρχος ἔφη·independent — the Semitic answering-formula — the offer, remarkably, declined as unnecessary
κύριε,content — the address renewed
οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸςcontent — the confession of unworthiness — a Gentile keeping Jesus from his roof
ἵνα μου ὑπὸ τὴν στέγην εἰσέλθῃς,content — epexegetic ἵνα defining ἱκανός — fronted μου: 'my' roof, the unfit place
ἀλλὰ μόνον εἰπὲ λόγῳ,content — the heart of the pericope — the bare word trusted to act at a distance
καὶ ἰαθήσεται ὁ παῖς μου.content — conditional-imperative — the καί-clause carries the promised result
9
καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπός εἰμι ὑπὸ ἐξουσίαν,cause — the γάρ ground — he reasons from below: even a subordinate's word moves men
ἔχων ὑπ' ἐμαυτὸν στρατιώτας,participial — under authority, yet wielding it — the analogy's two sides
καὶ λέγω τούτῳ·cause — the analogy enacted — three commands follow, each with its result
πορεύθητι,content — the first order
καὶ πορεύεται,cause — the word obeyed — coordinate in the γάρ ground
καὶ ἄλλῳ·cause — elliptical — λέγω carried over
ἔρχου,content — the second order
καὶ ἔρχεται,cause — the second obedience
καὶ τῷ δούλῳ μου·cause — elliptical again — the third addressee
ποίησον τοῦτο,content — the third order
καὶ ποιεῖ.cause — the catena closes — so, he infers, Jesus' word commands sickness
vv. 10–13 — the verdict, the banquet, the healing word
10
ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦςparticipial — preposed aorist participle — leans on ἐθαύμασεν
ἐθαύμασενindependent — Jesus' astonishment — one of only two occasions recorded of him (cf. Mark 6:6)
καὶ εἶπεν τοῖς ἀκολουθοῦσιν·independent — the verdict addressed to the followers, over the centurion's head
ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν,content — the solemn ἀμήν-formula — a weighty pronouncement follows
παρ' οὐδενὶ τοσαύτην πίστιν ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ εὗρον.content — fronted παρ' οὐδενί — the Gentile's faith outstrips anything in Israel
11
λέγω δὲ ὑμῖνcontent — the saying-formula renewed — the verdict widens into eschatology
ὅτι πολλοὶ ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν ἥξουσινcontent — the Gentile pilgrimage — Isa 25:6; 49:12: the nations streaming in
καὶ ἀνακλιθήσονται μετὰ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν,content — ἀνακλιθήσονται — the messianic banquet, Gentiles beside the patriarchs
12
οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ τῆς βασιλείας ἐκβληθήσονται εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον·content — the reversal's sharp edge — the presumed heirs expelled
ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων.content — Matthew's exclusion-formula, first occurrence (cf. 13:42; 25:30) — the articles: THE weeping
13
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῷ ἑκατοντάρχῃ·independent — back to the petitioner — the dismissal-and-grant
ὕπαγε,content — the dismissal — the same verb as v. 4
ὡς ἐπίστευσαςcomparative — forward-leaning comparative — the measure precedes the grant; leans on γενηθήτω
γενηθήτω σοι.content — the healing word — granted on the measure of faith, at a distance
καὶ ἰάθη ὁ παῖς αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐκείνῃ.independent — the centurion's whole argument vindicated — 'in that hour' seals the immediacy
Peter's house and the evening healings — Isaiah 53:4 fulfilled 8:14–17
vv. 14–15 — Peter's mother-in-law raised to serve
14
Καὶ ἐλθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν Πέτρουparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶδεν; the domestic scene
εἶδεν τὴν πενθερὰν αὐτοῦindependent — Jesus' seeing initiates the healing — no one intercedes in Matthew's telling
βεβλημένην καὶ πυρέσσουσαν·participial — perfect βεβλημένην — settled prostration, the verb of the centurion's παῖς (v. 6)
15
καὶ ἥψατο τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῆς,independent — the wordless healing touch — ἥψατο as at v. 3
καὶ ἀφῆκεν αὐτὴν ὁ πυρετός,independent — the fever as agent — it releases her like a departing power
καὶ ἠγέρθηindependent — ἠγέρθη — the resurrection verb in miniature
καὶ διηκόνει αὐτῷ.independent — inceptive imperfect — restoration proved in service; αὐτῷ, him (Mark: them)
vv. 16–17 — the evening healings and the Servant's burden
16
Ὀψίας δὲ γενομένηςparticipial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; sundown ends the day (cf. Mark 1:32, after the sabbath)
προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ δαιμονιζομένους πολλούς·independent — the summary scene opens — the afflicted carried in
καὶ ἐξέβαλεν τὰ πνεύματα λόγῳindependent — λόγῳ — the centurion's 'only say the word' (v. 8) enacted wholesale
καὶ πάντας τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας ἐθεράπευσεν,independent — Matthew's πάντας where Mark has 'many' — the healing total
17
ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος·purpose — the fulfilment formula — ὅπως πληρωθῇ, the shape fixed at 1:22; Isaiah named as channel
αὐτὸς τὰς ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν ἔλαβενcontent — Isa 53:4 — emphatic αὐτός; rendered closer to the Hebrew than the LXX
καὶ τὰς νόσους ἐβάστασεν.content — the Servant's vicarious bearing — the healings located inside his redemptive mission
The cost of following 8:18–22
vv. 18–20 — the scribe and the homeless Son of Man
18
Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὄχλον περὶ αὐτὸνparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἐκέλευσεν; ὄχλον is the reading printed against ὄχλους/πολὺν ὄχλον
ἐκέλευσεν ἀπελθεῖν εἰς τὸ πέραν.independent — the command to cross — and on the way, two tests of what following costs
19
καὶ προσελθὼν εἷς γραμματεὺςparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶπεν; εἷς almost an indefinite article: 'a certain scribe'
εἶπεν αὐτῷ·independent — the first candidate — a scribe, of all people, volunteers
διδάσκαλε,content — verbless vocative — 'Teacher,' not 'Lord': in Matthew the outsider's address
ἀκολουθήσω σοιcontent — the unconditional pledge — confident, untested
ὅπου ἐὰν ἀπέρχῃ.relative — indefinite local relative (ὅπου ἐάν + subjunctive) — 'wherever' is about to be priced
20
καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς·independent — historic present — the sobering reply
αἱ ἀλώπεκες φωλεοὺς ἔχουσινcontent — the proverb of shelter — even the beasts are housed
καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνώσεις,content — elliptical — ἔχουσιν carried over; the parallel colon
ὁ δὲ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἔχειcontent — the first Son-of-Man saying in Matthew — the Dan 7:13 figure, homeless
ποῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν κλίνῃ.content — indirect deliberative question (ποῦ + subjunctive) — following means sharing the homelessness
vv. 21–22 — the disciple and the dead
21
ἕτερος δὲ τῶν μαθητῶν εἶπεν αὐτῷ·independent — the second candidate — already 'of the disciples,' and asking for delay
κύριε,content — verbless vocative — the insider's address, unlike the scribe's διδάσκαλε
ἐπίτρεψόν μοι πρῶτον ἀπελθεῖν καὶ θάψαι τὸν πατέρα μου.content — πρῶτον — the deeply pious duty of burial asked as a prior claim
22
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτῷ·independent — historic present — the hardest saying
ἀκολούθει μοι,content — the present imperative — following now, not after
καὶ ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς.content — the (spiritually) dead bury the (physically) dead — the kingdom's claim over even filial piety
The storm stilled 8:23–27
vv. 23–25 — the tempest, the sleeping Lord, the cry
23
Καὶ ἐμβάντι αὐτῷ εἰς τὸ πλοῖονparticipial — forward-leaning dative participle (agreeing with αὐτῷ below) — leans on ἠκολούθησαν
ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ.independent — ἠκολούθησαν — the discipleship verb of vv. 19–22, now enacted onto the water
24
καὶ ἰδοὺ σεισμὸς μέγας ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ,independent — σεισμός — an 'earthquake' of the sea; ἰδού springs the crisis
ὥστε τὸ πλοῖον καλύπτεσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν κυμάτων·purpose — ὥστε + infinitive — actual result (typed pur; no result key): the swamping
αὐτὸς δὲ ἐκάθευδεν.independent — contrastive δέ with emphatic αὐτός — sovereign calm against the chaos (cf. Jonah 1:5)
25
καὶ προσελθόντεςparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἤγειραν
ἤγειραν αὐτὸνindependent — the panic breaks in on the sleep
λέγοντες·participial — the speech-frame for the cry
κύριε,content — verbless vocative — κύριε even in panic (Mark: 'Teacher,' Luke: 'Master')
σῶσον,content — the bare aorist imperative — a prayer compressed to one word
ἀπολλύμεθα.content — asyndeton — three beats, no connectives: faith and fear in one breath
vv. 26–27 — the double rebuke and the question
26
καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς·independent — historic present — the rebuke of the disciples comes first
τί δειλοί ἐστε, ὀλιγόπιστοι;content — ὀλιγόπιστοι — Matthew's word for disciple-faith that fails under pressure (6:30; 14:31; 16:8)
τότε ἐγερθεὶςparticipial — preposed aorist participle — leans on ἐπετίμησεν; the sleeper stands
ἐπετίμησεν τοῖς ἀνέμοις καὶ τῇ θαλάσσῃ,independent — ἐπετίμησεν — the exorcism verb turned on the elements: chaos treated as a hostile power
καὶ ἐγένετο γαλήνη μεγάλη.independent — γαλήνη μεγάλη answers σεισμὸς μέγας (v. 24) — YHWH's mastery of the sea (Ps 107:29)
27
οἱ δὲ ἄνθρωποι ἐθαύμασανindependent — ἐθαύμασαν — the amazement Jesus felt at v. 10 now turned on him
λέγοντες·participial — the speech-frame for the closing question
ποταπός ἐστιν οὗτοςcontent — the christological question — the scene's whole point, left ringing
ὅτι καὶ οἱ ἄνεμοι καὶ ἡ θάλασσα αὐτῷ ὑπακούουσιν;content — epexegetic ὅτι unfolding ποταπός — obedience of wind and wave is, in the OT, God's alone
The Gadarene demoniacs — deliverance rejected 8:28–34
vv. 28–29 — the demoniacs and the confession
28
Καὶ ἐλθόντος αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ πέραν εἰς τὴν χώραν τῶν Γαδαρηνῶνparticipial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; Γαδαρηνῶν printed against Γερασηνῶν/Γεργεσηνῶν, the chapter's principal textual crux
ὑπήντησαν αὐτῷ δύο δαιμονιζόμενοιindependent — Matthew's pair (Mark and Luke have one) — Gentile ground, and the unclean come out to meet him
ἐκ τῶν μνημείων ἐξερχόμενοι,participial — the tombs — the abode of death and uncleanness
χαλεποὶ λίαν,phrase modifier — verbless apposition — the danger named
ὥστε μὴ ἰσχύειν τινὰ παρελθεῖν διὰ τῆς ὁδοῦ ἐκείνης.purpose — ὥστε + infinitive — actual result (typed pur; no result key): the road closed
29
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἔκραξανindependent — the shriek — the demons speak through the men
λέγοντες·participial — pleonastic speech-participle — the frame for the confession
τί ἡμῖν καὶ σοί, υἱὲ τοῦ θεοῦ;content — verbless idiom (cf. 1 Kgs 17:18; Mark 1:24) — the demons confess what people cannot see
ἦλθες ὧδε πρὸ καιροῦ βασανίσαι ἡμᾶς;content — πρὸ καιροῦ — they know the appointed judgment and dread it early; βασανίσαι echoes v. 6
vv. 30–32 — the swine: the petition and the plunge
30
ἦν δὲ μακρὰν ἀπ' αὐτῶν ἀγέλη χοίρων πολλῶν βοσκομένη.independent — periphrastic imperfect — the scene-detail: unclean animals, marking Gentile territory
31
οἱ δὲ δαίμονες παρεκάλουν αὐτὸνindependent — iterative imperfect — they cannot act at all without his permission
λέγοντες·participial — the speech-frame for the petition
εἰ ἐκβάλλεις ἡμᾶς,conditional — protasis inside quoted speech — first-class εἰ: the expulsion conceded as fact; leans on ἀπόστειλον
ἀπόστειλον ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν ἀγέλην τῶν χοίρων.content — the apodosis-petition — the swine begged as a refuge
32
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — the answer — one word follows
ὑπάγετε.content — the exorcism compressed to a single imperative — no formula, bare authority
οἱ δὲ ἐξελθόντεςparticipial — preposed aorist participle — the expulsion enacted; leans on ἀπῆλθον
ἀπῆλθον εἰς τοὺς χοίρους·independent — the permission used — the demons take their granted refuge
καὶ ἰδοὺ ὥρμησεν πᾶσα ἡ ἀγέλη κατὰ τοῦ κρημνοῦ εἰς τὴν θάλασσανindependent — the plunge — the demons' deadly intent made visible in the herd
καὶ ἀπέθανον ἐν τοῖς ὕδασιν.independent — the sea that obeyed him (v. 27) swallows the destroyers
vv. 33–34 — the report, and the city begs him to leave
33
οἱ δὲ βόσκοντες ἔφυγον,independent — the eyewitnesses scatter
καὶ ἀπελθόντες εἰς τὴν πόλινparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἀπήγγειλαν
ἀπήγγειλαν πάντα καὶ τὰ τῶν δαιμονιζομένων.independent — both losses and deliverance carried to town — the swine and the saved men in one report
34
καὶ ἰδοὺ πᾶσα ἡ πόλις ἐξῆλθεν εἰς ὑπάντησιν τῷ Ἰησοῦ,independent — ὑπάντησις echoes ὑπήντησαν (v. 28) — the city meets him as the demoniacs did
καὶ ἰδόντες αὐτὸνparticipial — preposed aorist participle — leans on παρεκάλεσαν
παρεκάλεσανindependent — παρεκάλεσαν — the demons' verb (v. 31) now on the citizens' lips
ὅπως μεταβῇ ἀπὸ τῶν ὁρίων αὐτῶν.content — ὅπως-complement after a verb of asking — the ironic close: swine valued over salvation; deliverance met with rejection
Analysis. Matthew 8 descends from the Sermon's mountain into a cycle of mighty works, and the layout shows Matthew's tight narrative economy: the mainline verbs run flush left in purple, coordinated by καί and δέ (real coordination, never falsely nested), while the historic presents that quicken the dialogue (λέγει, vv. 4, 7, 20, 22, 26) are flagged as they land. Against that column two things indent. First, the scene-setting genitive absolutes and preposed participles that lean forward, anchor-less, on the verb below (Καταβάντος δὲ αὐτοῦ, Εἰσελθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ, Ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης, Καὶ ἐλθόντος αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ πέραν) — Matthew's hinge device, opening the leper, centurion, evening-healing, and Gadarene scenes alike. Second, speech, which always hangs blue (cnt) beneath its verb of saying, one clause per line: the leper's plea with the chapter's first conditional (ἐὰν θέλῃς leaning forward on δύνασαί), answered word for word by θέλω, καθαρίσθητι; the centurion's confession, whose καὶ γάρ ground unfolds into a miniature catena of quoted commands (πορεύθητι — ἔρχου — ποίησον τοῦτο), each order hanging beneath its own elliptical addressee; the two discipleship sayings, including Matthew's first Son-of-Man word (v. 20, echoing Dan 7:13); the disciples' three-beat asyndetic cry κύριε, σῶσον, ἀπολλύμεθα; and the demons' petition with the second in-speech protasis (εἰ ἐκβάλλεις ἡμᾶς leaning on ἀπόστειλον). At the chapter's center stands the fulfilment formula (v. 17), shaped as chapter 1 fixed it: ὅπως πληρωθῇ as purpose one step under ἐθεράπευσεν, and the citation — Isa 53:4, rendered closer to the Hebrew than the LXX, so that the healings are located inside the Servant's vicarious mission — as content beneath λέγοντος. Cruxes the layout inherits rather than resolves: v. 7 may be read as offer ('I will come and heal him') or as indignant question ('Am I to come...?'), the former followed and the tag naming both; at v. 18 the editions divide over ὄχλον against ὄχλους/πολὺν ὄχλον; at v. 28 Γαδαρηνῶν stands where Γερασηνῶν and Γεργεσηνῶν compete, the chapter's principal textual crux; and the storm-stilling is tagged for its OT resonance (Ps 107:23–30; Jonah 1), so that the men's ποταπός ἐστιν οὗτος; presses toward the more-than-human answer the layout leaves them asking.