“That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”
This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: He took our illnesses and bore our diseases. The citation of Isaiah 53:4 applies the suffering servant's bearing of illness and disease to Jesus' healing ministry. The original Isaiah text is about the servant bearing the people's sin and suffering; Matthew applies it to the physical healings. The connection is not incidental: Jesus' healing ministry is the firstfruits of the full salvation that will include the bearing of sin at the cross. The same servant who bore our sins (1 Peter 2:24) bore our diseases in his healing ministry — the cross and the healings are aspects of the same redemptive mission.
Church Fathers on Matthew 8:17
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.'
The words, 'Now when it was evening,' shew that the evening of the same day is meant. This would not have been implied, had it been only 'when it was evening.'
Christ the Son of God, the Author of human salvation, the fount and source of all goodness, furnished heavenly medicine, 'He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick.' Daemons and diseases He sent away with a word, that by these signs, and mighty works, He might shew that He was come for the salvation of the human race.
Read all 10 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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