Albert Barnes

Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

“False prophets - The word prophet originally means one who foretells future events. As prophets, however, were commonly regarded as public instructors on the subject of religion, the word came to denote all who were religious teachers. See the notes at Rom 12:6.”

Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

“A corrupt tree - The word “corrupt” here does not signify, as our translation would seem to indicate, that the tree “had been” good, but had become “vitiated;” but that it was a tree of a useless character, of a nature that produced nothing beneficial.”

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

“Not every one that saith ... - The Saviour goes on to say that many, on the ground of a mere profession such as he had just referred to, would claim admittance into his kingdom.”

Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’

“Profess unto them - Say unto them; plainly declare. I never knew you - That is, I never approved of your conduct; never loved you; never regarded you as my friends. See Psa 1:6; 2Ti 2:19; 1Co 8:3.”

Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

“And Jesus ...touched him - It was an offence to the Jews to “touch” a leprous person, and was regarded as making him who did it ceremonially impure, Lev 13:3.”

When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came and pleaded with Him,

“Capernaum - See the notes at Mat 4:13. There came unto him a centurion - A centurion was the commander of 100 men in the Roman armies. Judea was a Roman province, and garrisons were kept there to preserve the people in subjection.”

I say to you that many will come from the east and the west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

“Many shall come from the east ... - Jesus takes occasion from the faith of a Roman centurion to state that this conversion would not be solitary; that many pagans - many from the east and west would be converted to the gospel, and be…”

Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! As you have believed, so will it be done for you.” And his servant was healed at that very hour.

“He was healed in that self-same hour - This showed decisively the goodness and power of Jesus. No miracle could be more complete. There could be no imposition or deception. This account, or one similar to this, is found in Luk 7:1-10.”

This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took on our infirmities and carried our diseases.”

“That it might be fulfilled ... - This passage is found in Isa 53:4. Our English translation of that important passage is, “Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.””

When Jesus saw a large crowd around Him, He gave orders to cross to the other side of the sea.

“Unto the other side - Jesus was now in Capernaum, a city at the northwest corner of the Sea of Tiberias, or Sea of Galilee. See the notes at Mat 4:18.”

And one of the scribes came to Him and said, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”

“And a certain scribe came ... - It is not improbable that this man had seen the miracles of Jesus, and had formed an expectation that by following him he would obtain some considerable worldly advantage.”

Another of His disciples requested, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

“And another of his disciples ... - The word “disciple” properly signifies “learner,” and was given to the followers of Jesus because they received him as their teacher. See the notes at Mat 5:1.”

When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.

“Into a ship - This was on the Sea of Tiberias. The “ship” in which they sailed was probably a small open boat with sails, such as was commonly used for fishing on the lake.”

The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

“Save us - Save our lives. We perish - We are in danger of perishing. This showed great confidence in the Saviour. It shows, also, where sinners and Christians should always go who feel that they are in danger of perishing.”

The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey Him!”

“The men marveled - Wondered, or were amazed. What manner of man - What kind of a personage. How unlike other men! What a vast display of power! and how far exalted above mortals must he be!”

Jesus got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own town.

“And he entered into a ship ... - Jesus acceded to the request of the people of Gadara Mat 8:34, recrossed the Lake of Gennesareth, and returned to his own city.”

On seeing this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!”

“This man blasphemeth - The word “blaspheme” originally means to speak evil of anyone; to injure by words; to blame unjustly.”

Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk?’

“For whether is easier to say - Thy “sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?” The one involves divine “power,” the other divine “authority,” and neither can be done but by God.”

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

“Why eateth and drinketh ... - To eat and drink with others denotes intimacy and familiarity. The Pharisees, by asking this question, accused him of seeking the society of such people, and of being the companion of the wicked.”

But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

“But go ye and learn ... - To reprove them, and to vindicate his own conduct, he appealed to a passage of Scripture with which they ought to have been acquainted: “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice,” Hos 6:6.”

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

“And when Jesus departed thence - The scene of this miracle was near Capernaum. The blind men probably followed him with their cry for aid immediately on his leaving the house of Jairus.”

Then He touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you.”

“Then touched he their eyes - Simply to indicate that the power proceeded from him. Compare Mat 8:3. According to your faith ... - That is, you have “believed” that you could be healed, be healed accordingly.”

But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout the land.

“But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame - The report of what he had done. This was not unnatural for them. They were so filled with joy that they could not repress their feelings.”

And when the demon had been driven out, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”

“And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake - The miracle is narrated in the briefest terms; but the effect was immediate and the restoration was complete.”

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness.

“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages ... - That is, in all parts of Galilee, for his labors were, as yet, confined to that part of Palestine. Compare the notes at Mat 4:24-25.”