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part of Matthew, in particular by weaving together material most of which occurs
in two separate sequences in Mark and Luke.
The following chart shows how Matthew has interwoven this material together
with some Q material and his own pair of “doublets”:
The parallels printed in bold comprise the first Marcan sequence (Mark 1:29–
2:22; Luke 4:38–5:38); those underlined comprise the second Marcan sequence
(Mark 4:35–5:43; Luke 8:22–56); italic represents Q material.
We may note the following features of Matthew’s compositional method:
1. The only element in this whole complex of material which is peculiar to
Matthew is the formula-quotation which concludes the first set of stories (unless
one counts the two “doublets” as peculiar to Matthew; but each has a synoptic
parallel in one of its occurrences). Formula-quotations are of course recognized
as a distinctive feature of Matthew’s style, providing an editorial comment on
the narrative to which they are attached.
2. Matthew has brought together two narrative sequences which occur separately
in Mark and Luke, and has not only interwoven them, but also altered their
sequence by moving the story of the leper (Mark 1:40–45) to the beginning of
the first group.
3. While the second “interlude” (9:9–17) occupies the same place in Matthew’s
sequence as in the synoptic parallels, following the story of the paralyzed man,
the first (8:18–22) introduces Q material which in Luke is not connected with
any of this collection of narratives.
4. This complex of miracles includes some of the most spectacular examples of
Matthew’s abbreviated narration of stories told at more luxuriant length by
Mark: note especially the seven verses of 8:28–34 compared with the twenty
verses of Mark 5:1–20, and the nine verses of 9:18–26 compared with Mark’s
twenty-three (5:21–43). Where Mark apparently enjoys telling these dramatic
stories for their own sake, in Matthew they serve a more disciplined function
within an overall framework setting out Jesus’ acts of power, and are pared down
to contain only what is required for that purpose.
Matthew
Mark
Luke
8:1–4
1:40–45
5:12–16
8:5–13
7:1–10
(8:11–12)
(13:28–29)
8:14–16
1:29–34
4:38–41
8:17 (formula-quotation)
8:18–22
9:57–60
8:18–22
9:57–60
8:23–27
4:35–41
8:22–25
8:28–34
5:1–20
8:26–39
9:1–8
2:1–12
5:17–26
9:9–17
2:14–22
5:27–38
9:18–26
5:21–43
8:40–56
9:27–31 (cf. 20:29–34) 10:46–52
18:35–43
9:32–34 (cf. 12:22–24) (3:22)
11:14–15
All this suggests that these chapters contain a careful and original arrangement
of traditional material by Matthew to serve his editorial purpose.² The provision
of interludes on discipleship in order to divide the nine stories into three groups
of three is closely parallel to the arrangement of the parables of chapter 13 also
into groups of three with intervening explanatory material, an arrangement
which is equally peculiar to Matthew. As in chapter 13 it is easier to suggest a
thematic coherence within the first group of three than it is subsequently, and it
does not seem that this was a necessary part of Matthew’s plan, though he
welcomed such thematic coherence when it occurred—and in this case
underlined it by supplying a concluding formula-quotation for the first group but
not for the others. See further below on 8:1–17.
The impact of the Messiah’s teaching has been expressed in terms of a unique
authority (7:28–29), and the same may be said also of this account of his deeds.
The crowd express themselves again as amazed by Jesus’ God-given “authority”
in 9:8, and it is that same “authority” which has persuaded the centurion to
expect healing from Jesus (8:9), an expectation which proves amply justified.
While the actual term exousia does not occur elsewhere in this section, the theme
is seen both in the expectation of miraculous deliverance on the part both of
individuals and of crowds, even in the extreme case of a dying daughter, and also
in the reaction of disciples and onlookers to Jesus’ miraculous response. Note
especially 8:27: “What sort of person is this?” But it is not only in his acts that
Jesus’ authority is seen in these chapters. The two interludes present us with a
man who issues sudden and all-embracing calls to discipleship and expects to
have them instantly obeyed, and who regards his presence among his disciples as
sufficient authority for them to be exempt from the pious duty of fasting. The
cumulative effect of these various displays of God-given authority is no less
powerful than that of the teaching in chapters 5–7. The two anthologies, though
very differently constructed, form a matching pair, and together leave no doubt
that the story of Jesus in Galilee is, as the prologue to the gospel has told us to
expect, that of the Messiah, the Son of God, breaking in upon the humdrum lives
of his fellow-countrymen and calling them to decision. As the crowds
appropriately comment at the end of this anthology, Israel has never seen
anything like this before (9:33).³
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