# Matthew Chapter 8
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## Summary
Jesus is approached by a leper who claims that Jesus can heal him if he is willing. Jesus claims he is willing and heals the lepar. Jesus returns to Capernaum and is approached by centurion who pleads with him to heal his servant which Jesus does. Jesus heals Peters mother-in-law and a host of those resident within Capernaum. Jesus then gets into a boat and sleeps whilst a great storm takes place. When awoken by his disciples he calms the storm and they are alarmed that even the winds and waves obey him. Matthew then recounts the story we have discussed previously in [Mark 5](http://tilde.club/~chortle/log.php?type=faith&year=2022#mark-chapter-5) with regards to the demons and the pigs.

## Imagery and Theme's
One key theme for this passage seems to be that of faith. In our introduction to the chapter we are introduced to a leper that by *faith* in Jesus is healed. The centurion by *faith* believes that Jesus can heal his servant event without attending his home. Jesus berates his disciples for their little *faith* when the storm is in full force. Faith then is something to be praised and a lack of faith something to be chastened about. It is something enacted not an abstract concept for all participants took action even if only to seek Jesus intervention in their existence.

Another concept that emerges in this passage is Jesus power to effect change. Jesus heals the sick, performs miracles such as calming the storm and casting out demons. Jesus is not powerless to act but is able and apparently also willing. Faith therefore recognises his power to act and by petition requests he makes clean, heals, cast's out, and saves.

One of the more perplexing parts of these vignettes, Jesus commands the young man leaves those that are *'dead'* to bury their own dead. Perhaps an insensitive thing to say to someone that has just experienced a bereavement. It makes Jesus seem insensitive to the reader, but I suspect is included to illustrate the true cost of following Jesus. This makes sense contextually given the preceeding passage within which Jesus talks about how the son of man does not have any place to lay his head. He is fundamentally disconnected from the world he inhabits. To pursue the pattern then is a significant cost both to ones place in the world but also in terms of participation within social life.