Matthew’s reference to the healings performed by Jesus has more commentary than Mark8:16 reads, “When evening came. many who were demon-possessed were brought to him. and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took our infirmities and carried our diseases. ” This last statement links His healing to Isaiah 53:4, describing Jesus as theMessiah/Servant who would be a healer.  Chapter eight and nine of Matthew is full of healing examples that demonstrate His power over sickness and death. However, the emphasis is only to demonstrate the sense of His authority and power to grant spiritual healing and freedom from sin’s bondage.  When healing the lame man, Jesus makes this tie when offering forgiveness of sins. In either case, Jesus explains, “so that you might know that the son of man has power on earth to forgive sins. As early as Matthew 4:16, Matthew quotes Isaiah to show that the Messiah would offer great and wonderful changes in the conditions of life. People who were living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (cf. Isa. 9).  Matthew tells us, “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues. preaching the good news of the kingdom. and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, the epileptics, and the paralytics. and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and the region across the Jordan followed him” (Mt. 4:23-25).
We see a broader response to His actions in chapters 8 and 9. In 8:34, the text reads, “Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region (Mt. 8:34). Some teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!” (Mt. 9:3) and verse eight reads, “When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men. (Mt. 9:8) . Verse thirty-three reads, “The crowd was amazed and said, ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel” (Mt. 9:33). Verse 34 reads, “But the Pharisees said, ‘It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons” (cf. Mat. 12:33-34).
John the Baptist was, however, not sure how to react to Jesus. Therefore, He sent sent messengers to Jesus to ask him whether he was the Christ. Jesus replied that his work reflects the messianic prediction of Isa. 35:5f and other similar verses. Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk. those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor”‘ (Mt. 11:4ff).