HE CARRIED OUR DISEASE

Matt.8:17 – This happened so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled: “HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR ILLNESSES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.”

I imagine Matthew saw more miracles than he could even compute, even though Matthew was quite good at calculating, after all he was in the tax gathering and pilfering business working as a taxman for the Roman government. This one day Matthew saw more healings than he could even remember as all of Capernaum was crowding into Peter’s house for a miracle. As Matthew saw the blind eyes open, the paralyzed man leaping for joy, and deaf folks hearing for the first time his mind wandered to verses learned long ago at the synagogue just down the street, “He Himself took our illnesses and carried away our disease” In a moment of time this tax collector became a Bile commentator, Matthew was certain he was witnessing the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophetic words, this was really the beginning of something that would change the world. Here is how Chrysostom describes this event.

“Do you see how the multitude by this time was growing in faith? For even when the evening was descending, they continued to bring their sick to him. Though the time was limited, they did not even think of going home. Note that the Evangelist did not specify how great a multitude of persons were healed. He did not mention them one by one but in one word spanned an unspeakable sea of miracles, lest the spectacle’s greatness drive us again to curiosity or doubt that even so many with such varied diseases should be delivered and healed by him in one brief moment of time. Rather, he calls upon the prophet to attest what was happening. Once again this indicates the abundance of scriptural demonstrations we have that point to his identity. Isaiah had prophesied of just these things when he said, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Note that Isaiah did not say that he merely did away with our infirmities but that he himself bore them.”

What a powerful inclusion by Matthew, He saw the connection with the cross of Christ and the miracles He performed. Could it be that Matthew was giving two descriptions of Isaiah’s words and Jesus’ actions? I think it does. He could heal the sick because He would carry all of their sicknesses at Calvary, after all He was the Lamb of God slain before the earth began. Secondly, He carried our suffering because He cares for us. He still does that, He is moved by what is hurting us, He still takes our illnesses and carries away our diseases. This is just Who Jesus is, He is still our healer.