That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, He himself took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
De Cons. Evan., ii, 22: The words, “Now when it was evening,” show that the evening of the same day is meant. This would not have been implied, had it been only “when it was evening.”
In the Greek of the seventy-two interpreters, for infirmities we have amartias, sins; but the evangelist refers this to our bodily infirmities, because, as St. Chrysostom observes, diseases are the punishment of sins, and frequently arrive from the diseases of the soul. (Menochius)
The text of Isaias here quoted, regards the Messias literally. (Bible de Vence)
He took our infirmities. The words signify both the distempers of the body and the infirmities of the soul, for Christ cured both. (Witham)
It should be noted, that all the sick were healed not in the morning nor at noon, but rather about sunset; as a corn of wheat dies in the ground that it may bring forth much fruit.
Because the multitude of believers was now very great, they would not depart from Christ, though time pressed; but in the evening they bring unto Him the sick. “When it was evening, they brought unto him many that had daemons.”.
Observe how great a multitude of cured the Evangelist here runs through, not relating the case of each, but in one word introducing an innumerable flood of miracles. That the greatness of the miracle should not raise unbelief that so many people and so various diseases could be healed in so short a space, hebrings forward the Prophet to bear witness to the things that were done, “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities.”.
The Prophet seems to have meant this of sins; how then does the Evangelist explain it of bodily diseases? It should be understood, that either he cites the text literally, or he intends to inculcate that most of our bodily diseases have their origin in sins of the soul; for death ...
Do you see how the multitude by this time was growing in faith? For even when the evening was descending, they continued to bring their sick to him. Though the time was limited, they did not even think of going home. Note that the Evangelist did not specify how great a multitude of persons were healed. He did not mention them one by one but in one word spanned an unspeakable sea of miracles, lest the spectacle’s greatness drive us again to curiosity or doubt that even so many with such varied diseases should be delivered and healed by him in one brief moment of time. Rather, he calls upon the prophet to attest what was happening. Once again this indicates the abundance of scriptural demonstrations we have that point to his identity. Isaiah had prophesied of just these things when he said, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Note that Isaiah did not say that he merely did away with our infirmities but that he himself bore them. Here Isaiah seems to be speaking of o...
But mark, I pray you, how great a multitude of persons healed the evangelists pass quickly over, not mentioning one by one, and giving us an account of them, but in one word traversing an unspeakable sea of miracles. Then lest the greatness of the wonder should drive us again to unbelief, that even so great a people and their various diseases should be delivered and healed by Him in one moment of time, He brings in the prophet also to bear witness to what is going on: indicating the abundance of the proof we have, in every case, out of the Scriptures; such, that from the miracles themselves we have no more; and He says, that Esaias also spoke of these things; He took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. He said not, He did them away, but He took and bare them; which seems to me to be spoken rather of sins, by the prophet, in harmony with John, where he says, Behold the Lamb of God, that bears the sin of the world. John 1:29
How then does the evangelist here apply it to diseases...
Sunset shadows forth the passion and death of Him Who said, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Who while He lived temporally in the flesh, taught only a few of the Jews; but having trodden under foot the kingdom of death, promised the gifts of faith to all the Gentiles throughout the world.
Christ the Son of God, the Author of human salvation, the fount and source ofall goodness, furnished heavenly medicine, “He cast out the spirits with aword, and healed all that were sick.” Daemons and diseases He sent away with aword, that by these signs, and mighty works, He might show that He was come forthe salvation of the human race.
He took the infirmity of human nature so as to make us strong who had before been weak.
. At the end of the day and on into the evening, they brought the sick to Him and He, in His love for man, healed them all. Then Matthew brings forward the witness of Isaiah (See Is. 53:4), lest you disbelieve that He could heal so many sicknesses in so short a time. Although the prophet spoke concerning sins, Matthew has applied these words to illnesses, for the majority of illnesses occur as a result of sins.
