Healings

Healings

Chapters 8 and 9 consist of ten miracle stories and several controversy accounts. In the original version of this commentary, I suggested that Matthew focused on “those who are outcasts of or marginal participants in the Jewish cultic establishment— lepers (8:1–4), Gentiles (8:5–13), women (8:14–15), demoniacs (8:16, 28–34; 9:32), tax collectors (9:9–13), sinners (9:11–13), the cultically impure (9:20–22), and even the dead (9:23–26).” Recent study requires reformulation of this description. The language of “marginal” or “outcast” does not fit the Gospel or the social context it represents…