Online Bible Study Lesson 5
Jesus Heals Many
Read Matthew 4:23-25 KJV
“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. 25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.”
Our previous lesson focused on the physically handicapped people that Jesus healed. This lesson deals more closely with the sick and diseased people that Jesus cured. We're going to study several representative instances of various people that Jesus addressed with his powerful healing miracles. Jesus healed all types of diseases and sicknesses; and he healed all types of people: male and female, young and old, good and bad. Are you ready to follow Jesus like the crowds who watched him perform miracles? Let's begin by turning our attention to a woman who had a debilitating disease for years.
Jesus Healing the Sick Woman
Please read the following scriptures:
Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-47
Jesus was pushing through his large admiring crowd, when a sick woman attempted to make a way to him. She had been sick for 12 years with constant bleeding. Doctors had tried various procedures, but only made the matter worse. She ran out of money while seeking a cure, finally losing all hope. She heard about Jesus healing the sick and other miracles being performed in her area, so she went out to find him. She saw the large crowd, saw Jesus, and made her way to him. She was thinking, "If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed." The bleeding woman finally got close enough to touch his robe. Immediately, she felt a powerful sensation of healing gently and warmly electrify her body. The woman's bleeding stopped. She was very happy; the terrible disease had been cured! Her excruciating suffering had ended!
Jesus stopped in his tracks, because he felt healing power exit his body. He demanded to know, "Who touched my robe?" The disciples chuckled because of the huge crowd, and asked, "How can you ask such a thing?" Jesus kept looking; wanting to know who the person was that touched him. Finally, the (formerly) bleeding woman fell at his feet to confess. She was shaking, frightened from the amazing healing miracle that happened to her. She told Jesus exactly what she did and testified to everyone that she was instantly cured (Luke 8:47).
Jesus smiled and said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over." This is such a beautiful moment in Jesus' ministry.
Have you ever experienced a moment when you were healed and the pain of your problem was over?
One moment pain; one moment none!
How did that make you feel?
Did you keep it to yourself or tell someone?
Who did you tell first? Family, a friend, or the closest person to you at that moment?
There are lessons to learn from this occurrence of Jesus healing the sick woman. The woman sought out Jesus. She got off her chair and left her house, even though she was sick and shamed by the bleeding. She found the Son of God. We're all called to desire healing, both physical and spiritual. We're all called to seek Jesus, because he is the only one who is the Great Physician. The (formerly) bleeding woman sought Jesus with faith. She hoped in him. She trusted him. After all else failed, and all other attempts and people failed to cure her, she looked to Jesus. Her hope in people and worldly cures had evaporated. She learned helplessness! She finally realized the only one who could help her was the One who especially created her.
Jesus Heals Peters Sick Mother-In-Law
Read (Matthew 8:14-17; Mark 1:29-31; Luke 4:38-39).
Jesus, James, and John left the synagogue and went to Andrew and Simon Peter's house. The people there begged him to heal Peter's mother-in-law, who fell ill with a severe fever. This sickness may seem petty and insignificant to some; but, in reality, it speaks volumes to the compassion of God. Jesus took Peter's mother-in-law by her hand and rebuked the fever. As things in nature always do, the fever in this case, departed the woman upon Jesus' command.
Why was the healing of Peter's mother-in-law so important to us?
Jesus speaks and it happens. Nothing is such a "small deal" that Jesus won't address it. Even a simple fever was healed by the Lord. Jesus healing the sick, in this case a simple fever, reveals his compassion for even the smallest of diseases. Peter's mother-in-law was perfectly healed by Jesus Christ; and the Bible tells us she immediately got up and made a meal for everyone.
Jesus Healing the Sick Boy
Read John 4:46-54
Jesus heals the nobleman's son.
We've seen God heal two women, and now we learn that he also healed a young boy. Jesus was walking through Galilee one day, specifically in the town of Cana. Jesus' first miracle was in the same town. A government official, aka nobleman, from the nearby town of Capernaum heard about Jesus healing the sick. The nobleman had a very sick son, so sick, in fact, that he was about to die. This was serious and the man was running out of options and time.
He left Capernaum to go and seek out Christ the healer. The man found Jesus in Cana. Hope filled his heart. He literally begged Jesus to come and heal his son before the sickness was fatal. Jesus stopped and asked the government official, "Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?" The man didn't verbally respond to Christ's question because of his urgency. He needed help right now, and there was no time to chat, he thought. The man passionately begged Jesus, "Lord, please come now before my little boy dies." Jesus was okay with that response - no problem. The man properly called Jesus "Lord," which was no small thing. He revealed his faith in Jesus by the title he used. It reminds us of the Bible text that says, "No one can call Jesus Christ 'Lord,' but by the power of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:3).
Jesus surprises us here, because he didn't follow the man to Capernaum. He simply smiled and said, "Go back home now. Your son will live!" The man totally believed Jesus as he turned and headed home faithfully expecting the miracle. Capernaum was a good walk from Cana; and the next day while the nobleman was still walking, a group of his servants met him with some great news! His son was alive and well! He was completely recovered from his sickness. They celebrated. The man asked them what time the boy was cured and they responded, "Yesterday afternoon at one o'clock his fever suddenly disappeared!" That news was no surprise to the man, because he knew that was exactly the time Jesus told him, "Your son will live." Not only did the sweet little boy live, but he became perfectly well.
What principles of healing have we learned?
This healing lesson reveals several terrific principles to us.
First of all, Jesus doesn't have to touch a person, or even be present, in order to heal him or her. Jesus, by God's power, can heal with a voice command or even a thought command, and it happens instantly.
The final and most critical point to note is that the family of the little boy all came to believe in Jesus that day.
Do you know of a family that was saved after a healing miracle?
Jesus healing the sick boy is yet another miracle that led to the salvation of those who witnessed the amazing feat. Our belief in Christ's miracles recorded in the Bible should result in salvation, as well.
Jesus Healing the Sick Man
Read Luke 14:1-6
Jesus cures a man with dropsy.
Luke records the actual event of Jesus healing the sick man on the Sabbath. Jesus was invited to a Pharisee's house for dinner and there were a few other religious leaders dining with them. At one point, Jesus noticed a man with swollen arms and legs, which was probably a case of dropsy. Dropsy is an ancient term better known today as edema, which is a build-up of fluids in one's arms and legs. Jesus thought this was a perfect opportunity for a teaching moment. He asked the religious leaders, "Is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?" The religious leaders refrained from answering, because they knew by now that Jesus would make them look foolish.
Jesus healed the sick man by touching him and then sent him away perfectly cured of dropsy. The man with dropsy was in the right place at the right time. He was very fortunate to be used as a teaching illustration. The religious leaders were befuddled at this, so much so, that they couldn't answer Jesus when he asked, "Which of you doesn't work on the Sabbath? If your son or your cow falls into a pit, don't you rush to get him out?" Jesus despised what the religious hypocrites did to the Sabbath Day. They took a day that was to be set aside for people to relax and reflect on God's goodness and creation, and they turned it into their strictest law code, in which a violation was punishable by death. They did this by building an entire, overbearing system which defiled the original intent of God's Sabbath Day law.
What was so odd about the healing of the man with edema?
Did the man with the dropsy asked to be healed?
The teaching that works of mercy are permitted on the Sabbath Day was the principle message behind Jesus healing the sick man with dropsy. In fact, works of mercy are ALWAYS permitted in God's Kingdom. Mercy always overrules man's laws. Fortunately, for the man with dropsy, timing was everything! He didn't ask for healing, his faith wasn't mentioned, nothing... nothing, but the sheer grace of God.
Jesus Healing the Sick Girl
Read Matthew 15:21-8; Mark 7:24-30
Jesus heals the daughter of the non-Jewish, Syro-Phoenicia woman.
We have to give this young lady a spot in our lineup of those fortunate people who were healed by Jesus. We can summarize the amazing miracle here. The reason this healing miracle is so powerful is because the woman really had to earn the right to have the demon cast out of her daughter. She was a Gentile, so Jesus had to tell her, "I was sent only to help God's lost sheep - the people of Israel." She cried out, "Lord, help me!" Jesus broke the bad news to her, "It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs." This meant that Jesus was feeding (teaching and healing) his chosen nation, i.e. Jews; but not the Gentiles, i.e. the dogs. The term "dogs" meant "sinners" in biblical days.
The woman found favor with Jesus though, because she addressed Jesus as "Lord," along with her persistence. Then she added this absolutely remarkable insight to her faith, "That's true, Lord, but even the dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their master's table." The brilliant response grabbed Jesus' attention. He emphatically said, "Dear woman, your faith is great! Your request is granted." The Canaanite woman's young daughter was instantly and perfectly healed of demon possession. The love of a mother is great, and the love of God is magnificent. The daughter was a blessed girl, indeed.
What impresses Jesus?
We can learn from this lesson that faith leaves a big impression on Jesus. He is so very moved when a person expresses faith in creative and astounding ways. Jesus healing the sick girl tells us all to use our faith persistently and practically despite appearances and preconceived thoughts. We also learned here that Jesus doesn't only heal Jews, but also Gentiles. He doesn't only heal men, or women, but also young girls and boys. He showed no inequality or inconsistencies with those who he healed.
Here is a question for you: Did Jesus ever heal Himself?
We have no recorded miracles He Performed on Himself before the cross that I have found. But the risen Jesus actually left the puncture wounds of the nails and spear after he was raised from the dead (glorified).
Why would he do such a thing?
Jesus left his wounds for those people who doubt, like the disciple Thomas. The risen Jesus left those wounds, so that all people who doubt can read the story and believe. We don’t have to see Jesus in flesh to believe He still does miracles, it's recorded in God's word (John 20:24-29). If you only believe God's word, by FAITH, you'll be healed by Jesus too.