📖 Passage
Matthew 8:18–34 Read Matthew 8:18–34 (NKJV)
🧠 Context & Background
This section shows the cost of following Jesus and His divine authority over creation and the spiritual realm. After healing many in Capernaum, Jesus gives orders to cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, drawing a crowd and would-be disciples. The conversation with the scribe and another disciple highlights the necessity of total commitment — following Jesus may require leaving comfort, possessions, and even family duties behind. In the crossing, Jesus displays His power over nature by calming a fierce storm, revealing His identity as the Lord over creation. Upon arriving in the region of the Gadarenes, He confronts two demon-possessed men. His authority over the demonic realm is clear, as the demons acknowledge His divine identity and submit to His command, entering a herd of pigs. This episode underscores His power to save and the disruption His presence brings to a sinful world.
🌿 Key Themes
Cost of Discipleship – Following Jesus demands absolute priority over all other obligations.
Authority over Creation – Jesus commands the wind and sea, displaying divine sovereignty.
Authority over Demons – Even the spiritual forces of darkness recognize and obey Him.
Faith vs. Fear – The disciples' fear in the storm contrasts with Jesus' call to trust.
Rejection of the Messiah – The townspeople, valuing material loss over spiritual deliverance, beg Jesus to leave.
📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary
Matthew 8:18–22 – The Cost of Following Jesus
"Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."
Radical Priority – Discipleship may require forsaking social expectations and traditional obligations.
True Life – Jesus distinguishes between physical life and spiritual life, calling followers to pursue eternal matters.
No Half-Commitment – Following Christ cannot be an add-on to an otherwise self-centered life.
Matthew 8:23–27 – Jesus Calms the Storm
"Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm."
Divine Authority – Jesus' rebuke mirrors God's control over creation in the Old Testament (cf. Psalm 107:29).
Faith Tested – The storm exposes the disciples' fear and lack of trust.
Revealed Identity – The disciples' question, "What sort of man is this?" points to His divine nature.
Matthew 8:28–34 – Jesus Casts Out Demons in the Gadarenes
"Have you come here to torment us before the time?"
Demons Recognize the Judge – Spiritual forces acknowledge His authority and their coming judgment.
Spiritual Liberation – Jesus frees the men from demonic oppression, restoring dignity and sanity.
Earthly Rejection – The townspeople, fearing further loss, reject Jesus' presence, revealing misplaced priorities.
🧩 Review Questions
💡 Click a question to open the chatbot and explore the answer. Tap the chat bubble again to close it.
- What does Jesus' call to "let the dead bury their own dead" teach about the priority of discipleship?
- How does the calming of the storm reveal Jesus' divine nature?
- Why do you think the townspeople rejected Jesus despite His miraculous deliverance of the demon-possessed men?
- How do these three episodes together expand our understanding of Jesus' mission? _
🔍 Definitions
Disciple – A committed learner and follower of Jesus, submitting to His teaching and lordship.
Sea of Galilee – A freshwater lake in Galilee, central to many events in Jesus' ministry.
Demon-Possession – The condition of being under the control or influence of an evil spirit.
Gadarenes – A Gentile region southeast of the Sea of Galilee, part of the Decapolis.
🙋 Application Questions
What comfort or security would be hardest for you to give up in order to follow Jesus?
How can you respond in faith rather than fear when storms — literal or figurative — arise?
In what ways might we, like the Gadarenes, be tempted to value comfort over Christ's transforming work?
🔤 Greek Keywords
ἀκολουθέω (akoloutheō) – "To follow"; implies continual, committed discipleship.
ἐπιτιμάω (epitimaō) – "To rebuke"; used of Jesus' command over the wind, sea, and demons.
δαιμόνιον (daimonion) – "Demon"; an evil spiritual being opposed to God's purposes.
φόβος (phobos) – "Fear"; often contrasted with trust or faith in God.
📚 Cross References
Psalm 107:28–29 – God stills the storm, paralleling Jesus' authority over creation.
Job 38:8–11 – God sets limits on the sea, reflecting divine control over nature.
Mark 5:1–20 – Parallel account of the Gerasene demoniac, emphasizing personal transformation.
Luke 14:25–27 – The cost of discipleship requires forsaking all other allegiances.
Colossians 2:15 – Christ disarms spiritual rulers and authorities.
📦 Next Study
🔍 Trusted Insight
RC Sproul noted that Jesus' calming of the storm was "a dramatic display that the One who had been sleeping in the boat was the Lord of heaven and earth." His authority over nature and the spiritual realm was a foretaste of His ultimate victory over sin, Satan, and death.
Summary: These events reveal that Jesus' authority is total — over disciples, nature, and the demonic — demanding a response of faith and surrender.