Jesus was an incredible healer; one without equal, doing things that no man before or since has done. However, in order to understand the nature of his healing work, and the reasons He gave for doing it, He must be seen within the context of the society in which he lived. For over four hundred years God had not spoken to the Jews until John the Baptist arrived preaching repentance and setting the scene for Jesus. The first century Jewish culture was not a monolithic one. Although Jesus was a Jew, there was not one way of being Jewish in this time.
Certainly he lived in a very pluralistic period of Jewish history, a period defined more by variety than by consensus. (Perry, 1994, 2). There were a diverse range of Jewish viewpoints in the first century: Sadduces, Pharisees, Essenes, Qumranites, Alexandrian Allegorists, Therapeutae, Zealots, Samaritans, and Apocalyptists. ( Angus 1918, 143) Although these groups held varying perspectives, official Judaism believed in a monotheistic God whom they worshipped at the Temple. They offered sacrifices for sin, adhered to the Law and the Prophets, and lived in anticipation of the Messiah-King.
Jesus worked amidst this context. The coming of the Messiah had been prophesied repeatedly in the Old Testament scriptures. The Jews were looking for a triumphant king, but not for a suffering servant. The redeemer would be the Son of David , a kingly descendant who would bring them to the time of salvation. Matthew 8:16-17 makes clear that in His healing ministry, Jesus fulfilled prophecy: “When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah, the prophet, saying,
‘He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses. ’” As He performed these healings, people were amazed and began asking, according to Matthew 12:23,”Could this be the Son of David? ” Matthew’s purpose for this text is to show that Jesus’ work was foreordained by God and foreshadowed in the Old Testament. ( Beaton, 2002, 111). Everywhere He went Jesus healed. People were continuously amazed and astounded by his deeds. Things of such a nature had never been accomplished before. Not only did Jesus heal with a word or a touch, He cast out demons and even raised people from the dead.
Many speculated as to the source of the power by which He could do these wonderful works. Even John the Baptist, while in captivity, sent word asking, “Are You the coming One, or do we look for another? ” “Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you see and hear: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me. ” (Matthew 11:4-6). But many were offended. The Pharisees did not like what they saw.
Jesus infuriated many of them and they proclaimed that Jesus must be doing these works and casting out demons by “the power of Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons. ” (Matthew 12:24). As keepers of the Law and the Traditions, they were meticulous, not only to uphold the Law, but to do so to the point of absurdity, particularly in the Bethesda incident. When Jesus saw the man lying by the pool in Bethesda, he asked him if he wanted to be made well, then told him to “rise, take up your bed and walk”( John 5:8). And immediately he did so.
But the day Jesus healed was the Sabbath and the Jews got angry that the man was carrying his bed on that day . They did not rejoice that someone who had had an infirmity for thirty eight years was now well. Rather they were incensed that Jesus said His Father was working and He was working, making Himself equal with God (John 5:10-22). So they sought to kill Him because He broke the Sabbath and because He equated Himself with God. Luke 5 records another day when Jesus was teaching. There were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by observing. But Jesus’ intent was for the people.
“And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. ” Men brought in a paralyzed man lying on a bed. When they could not get him into the house, they let him in through the roof. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said, ‘Man, your sins are forgiven you,’ but the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, ‘Who is this who speaks such blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone? ’ But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, ‘Which is easier, to say ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk? ’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has
power on earth to forgive sins, I say to you , arise , take up your bed, and go to your house. ’” (Luke 5:17-24) Others wondered about Jesus also. Seeing all His wisdom and mighty works caused many to say, “Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are not they all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things? So they were offended at Him. .But Jesus said to them, ‘A Prophet is not without honor except in his own country and In his own house‘. Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. ” (Matthew13:54-58).
However, Jesus’ healing work brought many to faith and belief. As He healed, He forgave sins and told people to sin no more. The people knew that only God had the power to forgive sins. By performing His healing ministry, Jesus was showing the character of God, His compassion and mercy towards those who suffer, and His desire to do away with the suffering. During this period, the unwanted, those that were unclean, degraded outcasts; those termed prostitutes, beggars, pedlars, swineherds, tanners, dung collectors, even some merchants, were locked outside the gates at night and only let in the city during the day.
Their living conditions were deplorable, but Mark reveals in his gospel that Jesus’ interaction with these people (1:28, 32-4,45;3:7-10;6:31-4, 54-6;7:36-7) is a major factor in the reputation he creates. ( Esler,2000, 206). “Then they were all amazed (at the cleansing of the unclean spirit), so that they questioned among themselves,saying, ‘What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him. ’ And immediately His fame spread throughout the all the region around Galilee. ” (Mark 1:27-28).
Luke also records that Jesus is gaining much public acclaim by his healing ministry. Luke 5:15 reports that despite Jesus’ warning to a leper, whom He willingly cleansed, not to tell of His works, “word of His healing spread abroad” and “ great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. Luke 5:26 says that “they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying ‘We have seen strange things today. ’” Thus, Jesus’s healing ministry did not produce uniform reactions. Some called Him a devil, but others recognized His power as from God; that He was the One prophesied.
This ministry revealed God’s compassion for those that suffer, and also His rebuke toward those who place unjust burdens on His flock. By these mighty healing works Jesus showed an accurate reflection of God’s character and He showed the Jewish culture that the Kingdom of God was among them, right in their very midst.
Bibliography Achtemeier, Paul J. ,Joel B. Green, and Marianne Meye Thompson. Introducing the New Testament: Its Literature and Theology. Grand Rapids: William B. Erdmans,1993. Aland, Kurt. Synopsis of the Four Gospels. 3rd ed.American Bible Society, New York: 1979. Angus, S. The Environment of Early Christianity. New York:Scribners, 1919. Beaton, Richard. Isaiah’s Christ in Matthew’s Gospel. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press, 2002. Esler, Phillip F. , ed. The Early Christian World.
Volume:1. London: Routledge, 2000. Ferguson, Everett. Backgrounds of Early Christianity. Rev. ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Erdmans,1993. Perry, Marvin, ed. Jewish-Christian Encounters over the Centuries. New York: Peter Lang, 1994. Powell, Mark Allan. Fortress Introduction to the Gospels. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress,1998.