Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 8].
imperfect) at once to Jesus at table in gratitude and love.
8:16 {When even was come} (\opsias genomen•s\). Genitive
absolute. A beautiful sunset scene at the close of the Sabbath
day (Mr 1:21). Then the crowds came as Jesus stood in the door
of Peter's house (Mr 1:33; Mt 8:14) as all the city gathered
there with the sick, "all those who had it bad" (see on ¯Mt
4:24) and he healed them "with a word" (\log•i\). It was a never
to be forgotten memory for those who saw it.
8:17 {Himself took our infirmities and bare our diseases} (\autos
tas astheneias elaben kai tas nosous ebastasen\). A quotation
from Isa 53:4. It is not clear in what sense Matthew applies
the words in Isaiah whether in the precise sense of the Hebrew or
in an independent manner. Moffatt translates it: "He took away
our sicknesses, and bore the burden of our diseases." Goodspeed
puts it: "He took our sickness and carried away our diseases."
Deissmann (_Bible Studies_, pp. 102f.) thinks that Matthew has
made a free interpretation of the Hebrew, has discarded the
translation of the Septuagint, and has transposed the two Hebrew
verbs so that Matthew means: "He took upon himself our pains, and
bore our diseases." Plummer holds that "It is impossible, and
also unnecessary, to understand what the Evangelist understood by
'took ' (\elaben\) and 'bare' (\ebastasen\). It at least must
mean that Christ removed their sufferings from the sufferers. He
can hardly have meant that the diseases were transferred to
Christ." \Bastaz•\ occurs freely in the papyri with the sense of
lift, carry, endure, carry away (the commonest meaning, Moulton
and Milligan, _Vocabulary_), pilfer. In Mt 3:11 we have the
common vernacular use to take off sandals. The Attic Greek did
not use it in the sense of carrying off. "This passage is the
cornerstone of the faith-cure theory, which claims that the
atonement of Christ includes provision for _bodily_ no less than
for spiritual healing, and therefore insists on translating 'took
away'" (Vincent). We have seen that the word \bastaz•\ will
possibly allow that meaning, but I agree with McNeile: "The
passage, _as Mt. employs it_, has no bearing on the doctrine of
the atonement." But Jesus does show his sympathy with us.
"Christ's sympathy with the sufferers was so intense that he
really felt their weaknesses and pains." In our burdens Jesus
steps under the load with us and helps us to carry on.
8:19 {A scribe} (\heis grammateus\). One (\heis\)="a," indefinite
article. Already a disciple as shown by "another of the
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