Miracles of Christ

The bride and the bridegroom:

The wedding party is the happiest time for the wedded couple. The Jews used to call the bridegroom "the king", and the bride they called "the queen". Any wish they asked was instantly granted them. It is most probable that no one had told the bridegroom that the wine was finished, because they did not want to spoil the joy of getting married. He was in need, yet he did not know it. How often are we in need, yet do not feel that we are! But we have to feel thirsty before asking for the water of life, and hungry before asking for the living bread. We have got to feel our sinfulness before we turn to God for forgiveness and salvation. How dangerous is the situation of him who is in need but does not know it! Sometimes the ones nearest to us prevent us from hearing the news that we are in need because they love us. Yet if they really loved us, with a reasonable love, they would tell us immediately about what we need so that we may ask it from the Lord.

The guests of the wedded couple:

They felt the need and appealed to Mary. So Mary, His mother, said to Him, They have no wine.She presented the request as a statement and not as a command. This is the same as what two other beloved sisters did with Christ, namely Mary and Martha, when their brother Lazarus was sick. They sent Him a message (John 11:3). How beautiful it is to know that Christ is aware of what we need even before we ask, and that we can present our needs to Him as a statement: Lord, we have no salvation of our own. We have no money. Our children are having exams. Lord, my son is sick. My relative is in trouble. The bridegroom's folk knew how well they had to cater for the guests. Wine was indispensable! The Rabbis used to say, getting drunk with wine is a shame, but there is no wedding without drinking wine. We drink, but do not get drunk.

The Virgin Mary:

Seeing that things went wrong, she looked for Jesus. She teaches us to seek Christ, for He is our true refuge and primary help. Before we seek a physician, let us seek Him. Before seeking a lawyer, let us seek Him. Before we ask for people's advice, let us consult the great Counsellor, for His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor (Isaiah 9:6), since He is the mighty God. He is the Prince of peace who gives security to our hearts, and then we can seek people for help, whom He assigns and helps to help us.

The Virgin knew who Jesus was, and she marvelled at those things which were spoken of Him and kept them in her heart thinking of them (Luke 2:32,51). And when she presented to Him the request of the people of the wedding, He answered her, Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come. It seems to us as though she got no direct answer from Him, but she understood what He meant, and in perfect faith she said to the servants, Whatever He says to you, do it.

So what did Jesus mean by saying to His mother, Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? This Aramaic expression depends to a great extent on the tone of the speaker. If the speaker says it sharply, then he is reprimanding the one he addresses. But if he says it softly, then he means to say, Do not worry; you do not know what I will do. But leave the matter in my hands, and I will tackle it in my own way. I will see to it. And it goes without saying that Christ could not have answered his holy mother sharply, but rather in all love and tenderness, as if He was saying to her, Mother, no need for you to worry about it; give it up to Me, depend on Me. I have My own way of bringing problems to an end. Do not think about it any more.

As to His saying to her "Woman ...", it might seem to us dishonourable. Yet the fact is otherwise, for it is a word of respect and appreciation. Jesus addressed her while He was on the cross, saying, "Woman ..." (John 19:26) when He was entrusting her to John the beloved. It was a word of respect, not disrespect.

Then He said to her, My hour has not yet come. This hour of His is the hour of manifesting his glory, which was to ultimately lead to his crucifixion. It was as if He was saying to her, The hour for revealing Myself to the people has not yet come; that revelation which is to lead Me to the cross. For the glorification of the Son of Man is His crucifixion. This major event was brought about by His teachings and miracles, which provoked the elders of the Jews to anger so that they decided to crucify Him (John 12:23,24).

The Virgin Mary did not know the solution to the problem, but she commanded the servants, Whatever He says to you, do it. This kind of faith holds a great lesson for us, for whatever commands and instructions Christ gives you are the best for you, even if you do not find them logical.

The disciples:

He manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him(John 2:11). The five disciples had believed in Him on the two previous days. Why then does it say that He manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him? The answer: Faith does not stop at a certain degree; it increases and grows stronger and deeper every day. Those five believed in Him and followed Him, and left everything to go after Him, but they need their faith to be strengthened. Lord, I believe; help my unbelief! (Mark 9:24). One godly man said, A believer is like a man riding a bicycle. The bicycle does not stop or go back, but has to go forward all the time. Believers are supposed to be like this bicycle rider, going always forward to Christ.

The servants:

Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing 20 or 30 gallons apiece.These waterpots were made of stone and were filled with water so that they could wash themselves whenever they came in from outside. There were two sorts of washing: washing the feet whenever they come in from the dust of the road, and washing the hands for the ritual purification. Without this ritual purification they could neither eat nor pray. Due to the big number of the guests, all the water was used up. Each stone pot held 30 gallons.

Christ commanded the servants to fill the waterpots to the brim. We notice that these pots were waterpots, not wine pots. So no one can say that there was any wine left over from before, or even that they smelt wine. He told them to fill them up to the brim so that no one could say that He added some wine to them. They were so big that no one could put wine into them without being seen. The evidence is clear before all the people: empty pots filled by the servants, not the disciples.

The servants were the first to obey the command of the Virgin Mary, and the first to behold the miracle performed.

The guests:

Christ ordered the servants to offer the wine to the guests; and the master of the feast (the honorary guest) tasted the wine first and expressed his satisfaction.

Today we refuse wine because we fear that the one who drinks it cannot control it, and rather it controls him, as the Japanese proverb says, People drink the cup (of wine) and the cup drinks the cup, and the cup drinks the people! Wine starts out as your servant, and ends up turning you into its slave. We fear for our little children, that if they see us drinking they, too, will drink to excess and lose control over themselves. We are afraid of drinking wine for this may cause a stumbling block for those around us.

The master of the feast:

When the master of the feast tasted the wine, he said, Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then that which is inferior, but you have kept the good wine until now. This is a wonderful statement said by the master of the feast, but he was not aware of its depth in relation to what Christ does in the lives of people. With Christ, the best always comes at the end. In your study through the word of God, the more you study, the deeper you get. You start out by eating of the word and finding it sweeter than honey and the honeycomb (Psalm 19:10). Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart (Jeremiah 15:16).

This also happens when you obey Him; the more you obey Him, the more blessing you discover in your life. Obeying Him may at first be hard, but the blessings of obedience show you that the best comes at the end.

You may not see His disciplining you as a joyful thing, but grievous; nevertheless He gives those who have been trained by it the peaceable fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:11). The end of chastisement is always the best. The end part with Christ is always better: Every new morning is better than yesterday for me.

Christ joined in a wedding party in which He performed His first miracle to say to us, Marriage is honourable among all (Hebrews 13:4):

Some people spread misery round about them, presenting the message of Christ as though it is only a message of grief over sin. Christ, however, presents to us the gladdening gospel of the kingdom. When He was born, the angel announced: Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people (Luke 2:10). The gospel of Christ means the joyous news, for our faith life is a life of joy. When someone sees joy over our faces, he will want to share our joy with us.

In one of the church's conferences in Bet Al-Salaam, Agami, Alexandria, Egypt, an expert psychologist, who worked in a hospital for psychosomatic mental disease, said, If we bring our patients to Bet Al-Salaam, Agami, I assure you they will get healed seeing your joy while eating, with happiness and simplicity of heart, and playing and praying together happily, and listening to the word of the Lord with joy.

Christ sanctified the joys of life by being present in their midst, and returned the joy that the hard circumstances of life have spoilt. Christ blessed every-day life; so that even the daily chores of life have become holy and gladdening. Isn't it He who changed the Law into the covenant of grace? For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17). He turned that which is good (the Law) into that which is better (grace).

This is the great Christ who began His miracles at a wedding party; blessing, providing and meeting needs.

Christ performed the miracle in a poor house in Cana:

He shared with ordinary people, the sinners, and used normal things like waterpots and water.

He asked for the cooperation of the servants with Him to fill up the pots and give the guests to drink.

This is Christ who came to us being born in a manger, so that we all may find the way that leads to Him both the poor and the rich, the sinners and the godly. He has everything that anyone would need.

But the normal turns in Christ's hands into the miraculous! If you surrender your life to Him, He will perform a miracle in and through your life. Try to offer all of yourself to Him, and you will see the miracles happening to you day in and day out.

Christ changes that which is good into that which is better:

The master of the feast bore witness that the last was better. This is what Christ does to you when you offer your life to Him. Your end will be better than your beginning.

He turned the symbols of the Old Testament into the truths of the New Testament. He turned the sacrifices of the Old Testament, when He came to us as the Lamb of God who carries away the sin of the world, into one sacrifice: the sacrifice of Himself, providing for us thereby an eternal redemption.

He turned the water baptism with which John the Baptist baptised into the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Baptism of John was for repentance. Repentance is good, but Christ turned it into the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to control the lives of the believers.

I hope that He turns His word, which we always hear, into that which is better: namely into the cup of salvation, so that we may lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord (Psalm 116:13).

What had happened on the first important day that preceded this miracle?

What had happened on the second important day that preceded turning the water into wine?

What did Christ mean by saying to His mother, Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me?

What do you learn from Mary's statement: Whatever He says to you, do it?

Why did Christ join in the wedding party?

How can the last with Christ be better than the first?

Identify two things that Christ turned into that which was better.

The one who was truly in need was the sick son:

The second person in need of the miracle was the nobleman:

The Gospel does not mention the mother. But she, too, needed Christ to heal her son, just as the father did. The mother remained behind, beside the sick bed, while the father went seeking Christ's help. The man and his wife are one (Matthew 19:5). Since they are one, the Gospel considered it sufficient to mention only the father who went to implore Christ and lay his request before Him.

Both father and mother were stricken with grief. But unless this distress came upon them, they would not have thought of going to Christ. God let them get into such a predicament in order to compel them to turn to the Nazarene Carpenter who had a reputation for being a performer of miracles. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes (Psalm 119:71). God is a loving and gracious father who never afflicts us just for the sake of affliction, but to teach us and bring us closer to Him.

Those who heard the entreaty of the nobleman:

When the nobleman entreated Jesus to heal his son, they heard what He had to say. Christ said to them, Unless you people see signs and wonders! Perhaps Christ addressed this sentence to those standing around Him because they wanted to see the miracle that Christ was going to perform. They sought to see with their own eyes before they would believe, while Christ wants the strong faith that believes even before it sees, as He said to Thomas, Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (John 20:29).

Christ said this word in order to treat a case in Cana of Galilee. He wanted them to believe in Him not on the grounds of being the son of a carpenter, or on the grounds that all His brothers were there among them, but because He is the One who came from heaven. This was the belief of the repentant criminal who said, Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom (Luke 23:42). He saw the One hanging on the cross as Lord of a kingdom, although the human eye would see Him only as a fellow criminal! The repentant criminal saw the unseen! Therefore, Christ rewarded him with faith that leads to eternal life.

The nobleman's men:

They met the returning father with the good news, the hour and circumstances of which they knew. They saw and carried the report to their master. They did not originate the good news; they only carried it. Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.The seventh hour is one p.m. according to our way of keeping time, which is seven hours after sunrise according to the Jewish way of keeping time. So the father realised that it was the same hour in which Jesus said to him, Your son lives.

We believers often watch God's work among us, and see the miracles of change in people's lives. We see miracles of healing that more than satisfy people's expectation, and a great divine providence that does wondrous works that are above our imagination. To Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us (Ephesians 3:20).

God performs miracles in our lives. We did not imagine these miracles. We merely see them and enjoy their blessings. So let us go out and tell what the Lord has done and how He showed mercy to us!

We can see Christ's utter compassion:

Christ had compassion for the father who presented the request, and for the sick son lying far away in Capernaum. The father's faith was weak. We do not blame him, though, for if we were in his shoes, maybe we would say something worse than what he said! It is weak and simple faith to say, Come down and heal my son, for he was at the point of death.It was as though he said to him, It would be no use if You delay. This is limited faith, yet Christ did not put it out. Isaiah said concerning Him, A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench(Isaiah 42:3, Matthew 12:20).

Chrysostom said in one of his sermons, Why did Christ go to the house of the centurion but did not go the house of the nobleman? He answered his question, saying, The centurion had a great faith, but the nobleman had a weak faith. Christ wanted to strengthen the man's faith, so He healed his son from afar off, to make him sure that He had the authority and power over everything.

Christ deals with us in different ways that are dependent on our situation, circumstances and measure of faith. We cannot say to him, Why did You do this with one person, but did not do the same way with me? The Lord has many ways of dealing with every one of us according to our circumstances and situations. He even deals with you in many and different ways.

The power of Christ:

The father said, My son is at the point of death. Come down before he dies! But Christ said, Your son is alive. Christ's word was completely contradictory to the visible reality! But His word carries His authority, for this is the meaning of Christ's title as the "Word," since He carries all the authority of the Lord. Therefore, Jesus said, He who has seen Me has seen the father (John 14:9).

No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the father, He has declared Him(John 1:18). We have the written word of God in the Bible; it has God's authority to save souls by the work of the Holy Spirit. We have the living Word, as well; the Lord Jesus Christ, the living Saviour. The Saviour and His word are working among us.

Christ's word Your son lives performed two miracles at least: the first is healing the weakness of the nobleman's faith, and the second is healing the weakness of the sick son who was lying on his deathbed! The word of Christ does not initiate one miracle only, but many miracles. Every miracle we see is in fact a group of miracles. The more we meditate on them, the more they react with our hearts to strengthen and increase our faith, and heal our sickness and take it away.

Christ has the authority in spite of the distance. At a distance of 30 kilometres, at the same moment, at one o'clock in the afternoon, the sick son was healed.

Christ's wisdom:

The father asked Christ to heal his son in a certain way, but Christ healed him in a different way. His request was: Come down with me before my son dies. Christ, however, did not go down to Capernaum, but healed the son right there from Cana, to teach us a great lesson: how to submit ourselves to His wisdom and say to Him, Let it not be according to my will, but according to Your will; for Yours is the good, pleasing and perfect one. If You grant me my request the same way I asked it, I will be the loser. But if You grant me my request as You want to do it, then I will gave gained everything!

Identify two differences between the miracle of turning water into wine and this miracle.

Why did not the Gospel mention the mother in the story of healing the sick son?

What is our responsibility towards those in our families that are older than we?

How did the nobleman's faith start, increase and how was it perfected?

Christ did not put out the nobleman's faith, but rather kindled it. How?

Why did Christ go to the centurion's house, but not to the nobleman's house?

Christ healed the sick son differently from what his father asked. What do you learn from this?

The assets of the person in need:

Peter owned a boat standing on the shore. The fishermen had disembarked from it and were washing their nets after having spent the whole night fishing without catching anything. This is a situation of discouragement and exhaustion. The boat was given to Christ in order that He might make it a pulpit and address the multitudes from it. One commentator has said: The fisher of souls was out at sea in a boat while the souls He was fishing for were standing on the ground, on the shore of the lake. The heavenly preacher throws the net of the Gospel to gather the souls into His kingdom from death to life. We may see in the boat presented to Christ a silent expression of Peter saying in effect: The word you preach from the boat and from outside it give eternal life.

An empty boat was given to Christ, and lo and behold! it became overflowing with fish, so much that the nets were about to break, and the fishermen had to ask another boat to come along and help them. They came and filled the two boats to the point of sinking! An empty boat given to Christ was filled with more than Peter expected. Is this not the situation of all of us? When our hands are empty we open them to Christ and He fills them. If only we would offer everything we have to Him, not because He is in need of it, but in order that He might bless it. If we fail in something, let's surrender it to the Lord. When our health fails, offer the body to the Lord to be a temple of the Holy Spirit. If our work fails, offer it up to the Lord that He may bless it because it becomes His work. The shares in Peter's boat were entirely Peter's. But when he offered them to Christ, they all became Christ's. Peter, then, became a successful partner with Christ. If all the shares are ours we will not succeed. But if we give them all to Christ, He will bless them, and we become His partners and partakers of His success.

Let us offer our bodies to Him to be a living, holy acceptable sacrifice, that they may become healthy, blessed and filled with the plenitude of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:1).

The faith of the person in need:

Christ attracts people:

The multitude was crowding around Him to hear the Word of God from Him. There is a special attraction about Jesus. Among the most enjoyable years of my life were those I spent preparing The Life of Christ series of books for publication, then for broadcasting. An intense friendship developed with an awesome beauty, whose influence still impresses my heart. When Christ attracts you, you meditate on Him and "crowd around Him". This is the attraction of Christ which never ceases. He has said: And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to myself (John 12:32).

As you know, magnetism attracts metal and not stone. But even though you may feel that you are like a stone, ask God to work a change within you which will eliminate from you anything which hinders your being attracted to Him, in order that you may "crowd around Him".

Christ in need:

He needed Peter's boat, and sat down in it to teach the people. He needed the experience of a fisherman to take the boat out into the lake. He was capable of creating a boat and ordering a wave to take it out from land, but He wanted to honour and bless Peter. When the Lord asks something from us, He does not ask it because He is incapable of doing it, but because He wants to make us share in His ministry. Let us be wise enough to say: I will give the Lord the boat of my life, and if it is empty, He will return it to me full. With Him my weary soul can rest and the thirst of my heart can be quenched.

Christ, the holder of authority:

Christ's love:

Describe the Sea of Galilee.

What happens when we surrender ourselves to Christ?

What happens when we surrender what we have to Christ?

Name a development that took place in Peter's faith.

What was Christ's commission for Peter?

Why did Christ borrow Peter's boat instead of creating a boat?

What was Christ's compensation for Peter?

Peter's mother-in-law was bedridden and unable to complain to Christ:

Her body had a "high fever" as Luke describes it. Her frail body must have been shivering, and perhaps she thought she was not important enough to ask Him to heal her. Many of the old people think they are not important anymore, but there is no one without importance in the Lord's eyes. A small child is important in Jesus's eyes even if the disciples drove his parents away when they carried him to Christ, for He said to His disciples, Let the children come to Me(Matthew 19:14). Anyone who is advanced in years should not think to himself that he is not important, because Christ provides him with blessing and grace. He carries him to his gray hairs (Isaiah 46:4).

There were three known kinds of fever at that time; the first of them was called "the Maltese fever". This causes weakness and anaemia that would last for months, and leads to death. There was also another kind that was similar to our typhoid fever. Beside these there was the malaria fever which was transmitted by the mosquitoes that bred in the area where the Jordan River meets the sea of Galilee. Fever in all its kinds was widespread in both Capernaum and Tiberias.

This severe fever rendered the lady speechless, so they spoke for her:

There are some who need Christ without realising their need. What they are asking for is available with Christ, but no one points them to the way. This is the Christians' responsibility. Maybe we are not sensitive to the need of our society; for many people do ask about our faith, but we dodge the answer, either because we are not used to answering or because we do not know how to answer. But first of all, we should be sensitive to our surroundings, so that we might be ready to give a defence to everyone who asks us to give a reason for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15). I do not think that there is a Christian clerk in an office that was not asked by his neighbour, How did you do this good deed in spite of being mistreated? Most probably the inquirer would not get a sufficient answer from the Christian. And even if he does, the answer may be superficial or inadequate!

Christ touched the hand of this lady, and she rose up and served them:

I wonder what kind of service Peter's mother-in-law did? It was not a great and famous service like the service of Mary, Aaron's sister who led the singing (Exodus 15:20). It was not like the service of Deborah the judge of Israel, for she received no training or divine call to be a judge for her people (Judge 4:4). I do not think, either, that she did a service like Ruth's or Hannah's (Samuel's mother) service, or like the service of Queen Esther. The number of famous people is few. But there is a large number of ordinary believers who do ordinary services that are important and necessary, even if they were not famous. The Lord records in the Gospel the service of Peter's mother-in-law who helped in the kitchen, in cleaning the house, or washing the dishes after the guests had eaten. This is a simple thing that the Gospel honours because our daily work is holy. The lady who prepares food for her household, or changes her child's clothes and offers him Christian love, does in fact a holy service equal to that of the pastor of the church who preaches or administers communion to the people. All these jobs are important and necessary, since they reveal the love of God to the world which was poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit that was given us (Romans 5:5). The book of Acts speaks of Dorcas who used to make clothes for the poor (Acts 9:36-42). It also speaks of Mary the mother of John Mark who offered her house to be a church (Acts 12:12). The apostle John speaks in his second epistle of the chosen lady whose ministry was to raise up her children. There are many simple services that people do not appreciate, and those who do them may look upon them as being too simple to even mention. But the divine grace mentions them since it wants us to appreciate ourselves, and appreciate our fellow believers. Above all, let us realise that heaven appreciates the service which we do, however small it may be, as long as the motive for it is the love of Christ and devotion to Him.

There are many other services which we can do, such as serving at home, raising up the children, serving the sick and elderly who are lonely. Give a word of encouragement on behalf of Christ. Give a smile in Christ's name. (Read Matthew 25:34-40.)

Peter's mother-in-law was great as she used her regained health in serving Christ.

The Irish poet Oscar Wilde (d. 1900) wrote a short story that he described as the most beautiful short story in the world. In this story he said:

Christ went from the white valley to the gray city, and saw a drunkard lying down on the street. He asked him, Why do you destroy your life drinking? He answered, I was a leper, and You healed me. But when you restored my health I found nothing to do! ... Christ then went to another street in the same city, and saw a young man pursuing a prostitute, and asked him, Why do you destroy your life in depravity?He answered Him, I was blind, and You opened my eyes. In what can I possibly use my eyes other than in this I am doing now? Then Christ saw an old man sitting on the ground and weeping. He asked him, What do you do, and why are you weeping? He answered, You raised me up from the dead; and what can I possibly be doing but weep?

I think that his painful story reminds us of many people who received the blessings of God and misused them. But we thank God that Peter's mother-in-law was not one of these!

Peter:

Peter was already a disciple of Christ, and had a home of his own. He first offered himself to Christ, then his boat, and lastly his house. How happy is the man whose whole life belongs to Christ! For then Christ makes a better life, and He becomes the aim of that life. Happy is the man who surrenders himself to the Lord completely and unconditionally, for then the Lord becomes responsible for that man's life. He carries a responsibility that we cannot carry. He, then, holds the reins of our affairs, carrying our worries, forgiving our sins and bestowing upon us eternal life.

Yet, the Lord allowed sickness to come into Peter's house. It is also for a purpose that He allows the sickness of our bodies, or the fatigue of our souls. In His divine wisdom, He allows some painful things, because He wants to form our lives in a certain way, of which pain must be a part! It is above what we can grasp or explain, but the crisis is lifted. We discover that it was one of the most important things that shaped our lives so that we could be in the divine will. Although sickness is undesirable, it causes sympathy among the residents when it comes into a home. Perhaps a father forgot to pray because of the pressures of his work. But the sickness of his son makes him bow down in prayer. The father who spends all his time earning money, when his son gets sick, spends all the money he earned to restore his son's health. Sickness wakes a person up to realise that it is not by bread and money alone that man lives, but by the word of God.

Sickness brings out the good potential qualities in us. Often we have inside us good qualities, but worry, preoccupation, seeking after one's livelihood and caring for daily problems cover them with dust. Sickness comes to remove this dust and the potential good in us comes forth. Then we realise that it was God who placed this good in us, and that He is the One who develops it by the work of His Holy Spirit, when we allow Him to do this in us.

Peter's family got together and united in the face of sickness because Peter's sick mother-in-law needed help. Sickness is not all evil. It is not good, but it produces a lot of good. If we realise that everything we go through is ordained by God, we would be able to say, Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them (Isaiah 3:10). And we know that all things work together for the good to those who love God(Romans 8:28). This is Peter, Christ's disciple, who offered himself, his ship and his house to the Lord. But the Lord allowed sickness to come in order to bless Peter himself more, and to bless us also as we meditate upon what happened with Peter.

The believers who were friends of Peter:

The story, as St. Mark narrates it, goes like this: But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with fever, and they told Him about her at once (Mark 1:30), since they were conscious of His love and power. Had He loved without power, He wouldn't have had the ability to heal. Had He been powerful without love, He wouldn't have cared to heal. But since He is both powerful and loving, His power was always subservient to His love. Therefore they went to Him and told Him about her at once.

Pain and sickness make us tell Christ about our situation. We sometimes take the credit for our success ourselves. But to whom shall we take our troubles? We may be proud when our own sun has risen and refer our success to ourselves. But when we fail and are troubled, we hear this precious word of His Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me (Psalm 50:15).

Christ's humility:

In the home of the poor fisherman, where the fish reeked, and in front of the shivering body of a feverish woman, He performed the miracle. Usually we like people to see us doing a great work, but all of Christ's concern is for the one in need, for He did not come to be served, but rather to serve and give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

It costs Him some effort to perform the miracle. There was power that went out of Him to heal. He was willing to grant the blessings of power to Peter's mother-in-law, for Christ does not know the word "too simple" or "too small to be healed".

Christ's power:

He is a specialist in everything. They brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick (Matthew 8:16).

He performs the miracle before a small crowd of people in the house, or performs miracles for many on the streets or in the open. It does not matter with Him; for He is the One who calls to Himself all those who labour and are heavy laden to give them rest (Matthew 11:28). Wherever you are and however your state might be, He is able to help you.

Christ's family:

Christ once asked, Who is My mother, and who are My brothers? ... For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother (Matthew 12:48-50). Christ had called Peter to follow Him, then to be an apostle for Him. He did not tell Peter to leave his wife and she travelled with him in his ministry (1 Corinthians 9:5).

Clement of Alexandria (AD 150-220), the founder of the Alexandrian school of theology, said that Peter and his wife were martyred together, and that they killed her before they killed him. Peter called her by name and told her, Remember the Lord.

Christ sanctified the family, the marriage and the home, and has made the believers His family, flesh of His flesh and bones of His bones (Ephesians 5:30).

Christ's compassion:

On hearing the request of the people of the sick woman, Mark says that He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them(Mark 1:31). He took her by the hand to show His compassion and power and to emphasise that He is the source of her healing. Often times, after receiving many blessings from God, we think that we got them from another source. He then comes in and assures us that it is He who takes care of us, and has compassion for us, so that in case we needed Him later on, we would be able to return to Him. Let us bear in mind that the one who comes to Him, He will by no means cast him out (John 6:37).

Christ's revelation:

Christ's presence makes us feel our need. Unless Christ was there, they would not have thought of seeking healing for her from sickness. Sickness makes us depressed, but the presence of Christ makes us think positively and uncover a mountain resting inside us, of which we saw only the top part: a mountain of problems, and another mountain of His love for us and our love for Him. Then we run for refuge with Him from our troubles, and to His love.

Christ's presence in Peter's ship revealed his sin. He asked Christ to leave the ship. Christ's presence in Peter's house revealed to Peter the existence of the healing power, which made them ask Him to heal her.

Christ called a married man, an individual named Peter, and blessed his whole house and healed his mother-in-law. Later He blessed the whole town by His presence in one of its houses (Mark 1:33). He justified Peter, and through the one righteous man He blessed all those around him. Thanks for the revelation of Christ.

Where did Christ perform this miracle? What do we learn from that?

Write a Scripture verse with its reference that proves God cares for the old people.

What was the service which Peter's mother-in-law rendered after she got healed?

What is God's purpose for sickness?

What do we learn from Peter's friends?

Who are the spiritual family of Jesus?

How was the blessing of Jesus extended from Peter to all Peter's city?

His feeling of need:

It was his feeling of need that directed him to Christ. He knew that medicine could not heal himthe like of him were medically hopeless cases. The man was unable to work because society did not allow a leper to enter and work among it. What a poor man! He lost his health and his source of income too! And for good measure, society rejected him; he was unwanted by all. In such a situation, a man loses his self-respect and despises himself.

The feeling of need is what brings us to Christ, for those who are wellor those who think they are sofeel no need of a physician. Christ came, therefore, not to call the righteousor those who thought they were righteousbut those who discover they are sinners to repentance (Mark 2:17).

This leper gives us a clear picture of the sinner who is far away from the Lord, who does not respect himself, and finding no remedy around him, he turns to the only physician who can treat himChrist. Sin is shame, as leprosy is shame. Sin is a danger to the one involved, as leprosy is the same. The result of sin is death, as the result of leprosy is death without hope.

His sound evaluation of the physician:

The man's fear of rejection did not prevent him from taking his entreaty to Christ. Many people consider themselves so wicked, and this prevents them from turning to the Saviour. But this ought not prevent them from going to Christ at all, however the situation may be, even if we thought He is going to reject us.

We here see how the leper evaluated the physician. He had heard of the God of love and mercy, (this miracle is the fifth one Christ performed in the chronological order of events). He must have heard of the four preceding miracles Christ performed, and realised he was before the God of love and mercy, the representative of heaven who does what no other can do.

So he was drawn to Christ. And in humility he knelt down and bowed before Him, in spite of the fact that bowing down caused him excruciating pain in his sick, semi-dead muscles.

He expressed his faith in Christ's power and presented a clear-cut request: I cannot cure myself; no other can cure me. But You, if You want, can make me clean. He took a decision to come to Christ, and he was accepted and experienced healing.

This man expressed his situation to Christ honestly when he said, If You are willing, You can me make clean.He realised the uncleanness of his state and asked for purification. He also expressed his confidence: You can. He confessed the difficulty that stood in his way to Christ: If You are willing. He was true to himself in that he confessed his uncleanness and was true with Christ in that he expressed his confidence in Christ's power, and his doubt as to His love for him!

The man's expression of his true state of affairs was practical. We see misery in the presence of mercy, impotence kneeling down to grace, sickness bowing to the physician, and faith calling love.

The leper got healed:

Christ was moved with compassion for the leper, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, I am willing; be cleansed. As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him. Christ has the authority over sickness, nature, death and demons. Here Christ demonstrated His absolute authority. What gladdens our hearts, however, is that the leper had given up the reins of the situation to Christ, for he knelt before Him and implored Him.

The leper, however, did not obey Christ's instructions:

The leper did what he ought not have done. Christ told him not to tell anyone about the his miracle of healing, but he went out declaring what Christ did with him. His disobedience forced Jesus out of Capernaum, where he had found a place to rest His body. The leper's continual declaration of Christ's work made the multitudes swarm around Christ, which caused Him to go away. It was rational of Christ to ask the man to keep silent, but the leper could not understand the reason. He did what he thought was right. He could have given another person the opportunity to witness about what happened with him, but he wanted to do it himself.

Christ's spontaneous and immediate love that does not put off anyone asking for help:

It never happened that a man came to Christ and went away empty-handed. He says, The one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out (John 6:37). The leper was wondering about Christ's willingness, and Christ answered him in love, I am willing; be cleansed. You ask and Christ answers, breaking all the obstacles between you and Him, for there are no obstacles between Christ and the sinner. The obstacle always stands between the sinner and Christ. But God is asking to reconcile us to Himself, even if we did not ask for it. He did not oppose us. He never hated us, never put us off however our sins were, but it is we who are delayed from going to Him because of our sins.

Christ's touch:

It has been told that an Italian nun dreamt of an angel who came to her and opened her eyes to see the people as they really are. She said, I wish the angel had not done so, because I hate what I saw! But suddenly came Christ with His wounds, and all those who touched Christ were cleansed, and she said, Now I understand what I saw! It was a bad image of people's sin, but how beautiful is the grace of Christ that restores a sick man to health! Christ still touches people's hands so that they may do good, their lips so that they may speak well, their eyes so that they may see the needs of others, their ears so that they may hear His encouraging voice, and their feet so that they may go to the places that need to be ministered to. His touch is still rich in experience, power and love, because He touches those that sin led astray and brings them back to the kingdom of His love.

One saint said, God stretched out His hand and touched human nature with His incarnation. He came as a man amongst us. Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage(Hebrews 2:14,15).

Christ's power:

Christ is the Word of God, and the word always carries the authority of its speaker: I am willing; be cleansed. And as soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him and the sick man was cleansed. We saw Christ heal the nobleman's son with a word from afar off (John 4), and heal Peter's mother-in-law being near her (Matthew 8). Christ has the authority that uses different ways. Here, He showed mercy, stretched out His hand, and touched; and by the touch and the word the leper got healed.

Every sick person Christ healed demonstrates Christ's objection to sickness, sin and death. God created us to live his life, and sin came into the world corrupting what God had designed. Christ now comes to restore things to their original state; He came that we may have life that we may have it to the best. If we missed the aim for which God brought us into being, and if we have disappointed heaven, Christ comes to us to give us a new chance of health and progress in doing God's will.

Christ's request:

Let us consider Christ's request of the leper who got healed not to tell anyone about his healing. While we read in the command of Christ to the man whom He delivered of demons: Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you (Mark 5:19). Why then did He order the leper whom He healed not to talk, while He ordered the man who was delivered of demons to do so? Christ commissions everyone with what he should do and with what he can do. We do not know why, but we realise that the members of Christ's body have various functions according to the different gifts given to them from Him. He may tell you to do something and tell your neighbour not to do the same, or vice versa. What is required of us is to be open to the commands of the Holy Spirit so as to see what God commissions us to do. John Chrysostom once said, Perhaps Christ did not want the leper to proclaim the news of his healing so as to keep him from boasting of his virtues and to hide them. Or maybe at that time He did not want the crowds to run to Him and impede His teaching. Our duty is to wait for what He tells us to do. We do it as He wants it done. Whatever He says to you, do it (John 2:5).

Christ fulfils the Law:

Christ is above the Law; He touched the leper without being ritually defiled. Yet Christ submitted to the Law, for He came not to abolish the Law, but to fulfil it. He told the leper to go the priest and offer for his healing what Moses commanded as a testimony to them (Leviticus 14:9,10,21-23). He wanted the man to get his healing certificate before the society.

Write out a description of leprosy.

The leper trusted in Christ's..., but he doubted Christ's....Complete this statement.

Write three similarities between leprosy and sin.

The leper expressed his feelings towards Christ. Write three sentences describing this expression.

Why did Christ tell the leper not to tell anyone about his healing?

Identify three descriptions of the way Christ touched the leper who got healed.

Explain how Christ's power was manifested in this miracle.

Simon Peter, the owner of the house:

He gave his house to the Lord, and the Lord blessed him and healed his mother-in-law. But we seldom settle down to think about the house that opens its door for serving Christ. The house was full of guests so that Peter did not even have a chance to be alone with his family. On the day when the paralytic got healed, a group came carrying the patient. They broke through the roof. Peter and the members of his household must have been given so much concentration and attention to Christ's teaching, but they were compelled to raise their heads up to the ceiling of their house that was being broken through! And behold a bed with a man on it was coming down!

There is always a cost for following Christ. It is true that in following Him there is joy and happiness, but this demands a price that may be great sometimes! Peter looked at the broken roof, and the dust that was falling down from it. And behold a paralytic, whom he did not know, was becoming his guest, even though he entered by the roof because he could not enter by the door! Peter must have been happy in spite of all this. The prophet Isaiah says, I have set watchmen on your walls O Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace day or night (Isaiah 62:6). Have we thought about these watchmen? They are always in the service of those who live on the margin. The watchmen cannot go into the depth of the city, but remain at its walls near the gate to draw those who are far away, who want to draw near, and to keep the marginal ones who want to get out. These do not hold their peace day or night. This was Peter's house, that was open for Christ day and night.

If Christ told us to open our houses for Him, would we do as Peter did?

How great Peter's joy was when the paralytic guest left his house whole and sound, carrying his own bed! Peter's hospital, which Doctor Jesus ran, prospered!

The four carriers, the paralytic's friends:

The scribes:

They came from Jerusalem to inquire who Jesus was: whether He was the coming Saviour, or a lying magician. When Christ saw the paralytic and the faith of the four men, He started by saying, Son, your sins are forgiven you. There were some of the scribes who reasoned in their hearts, saying, Why does this Man speak blasphemies like these? Who can forgive sins but God alone? The scribes had the knowledge; they knew even how many "alephs" were in their Hebrew Torah. They knew their book thoroughly, but their hearts were empty of grace! They accused Christ of being a blasphemer, which word means someone who defames men (1 Corinthians 4:13). But in the biblical Scriptures it applies to the person who takes the glory that is due to the Lord alone. The glory of forgiving sins is due to God alone, and behold Jesus says, Your sins are forgiven you. So, Christ took the glory that belonged to the Lord, and they said He spoke blasphemies! But we know that when Christ equalled Himself with God the Father, He did not consider it robbery (Philippians 2:6).

The guests of Peter's house:

They were astonished and glorified God, saying, We never saw anything like this! They were astonished and amazed just like children. We need to turn back to the child's spirit when we are dealing with Christ, then we will be overwhelmed with the work of grace. We got so used to repeating the Lord's Prayer without considering what it means, and we also got used to partaking in the Lord's Supper as a routine habit. May God give us to be overwhelmed by it, and not share the Lord's communion in a routine way, or pray words that we got so used to that they no more move our hearts!

In their amazement, they glorified God and thanked Him, for they went through a special spiritual test that was filled with reverence to Christ. When we go through such a test, we sing the old known hymns in a new spirit and react to the old information in a new way. The words are the same, but the singer is no longer the same, for he has been transformed into a new man. They heard Christ say, But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins, and they perceived in Him the second Adam. The first Adam led us astray, while the second Adam brings us back to our souls, and restores our souls to us. He brings us back the right standing with God which sin has destroyed. The second Adam is the Son of Man who brought us back our original glory! Son, your sins are forgiven you through the atonement of the cross. What we lost in our first representative was brought back to us in our second representative: the Lord Jesus Christ.

The paralytic was paralyzed:

He had life but he was not living. His breath entered his lungs but gave him no strength to rise up and carry out his daily work. He ate and drank but did not produce. He had no hope to be healed. Isn't this what sin does? We get the Lord's blessings, but we do not serve Him. Our breath, which God gave us, enters our lungs, but it does not produce in us any strength or energy to do something to serve Him. Many have been paralyzed by the past, through complexes, inferiority, phobias, worries and insecurity, so that they are now sitting around paralyzed, yet Christ wants to set them free from the bondage of the past to live in a new future without fear or sickness!

The sickness of the paralytic was evident for everyone:

The apostle says, Some men's sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later (1 Timothy 5:24). That is, some people have evident sins, while the sins of others are hidden, but they are all sinners and are in need of God's grace. The sin and the sickness of this paralyzed man were evident.

This paralytic was a sinner who felt his sinfulness and knew that he sinned:

The physician of both body and soul diagnosed what was deeper than the sickness of the body in the paralytic. When He saw the faith of the four carriers, He said to the paralytic, Son, your sins are forgiven you. In this case, sin was the cause of paralysis. Yet in other cases sickness was not the result of sin, as Christ said concerning the man who was born blind, Neither this man nor his parent sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in Him (John 9:3). Here the sin of the paralytic was the cause of his sickness, and the sick man knew it. Christ does not heal the outward symptoms, but the root first.

The paralytic was forgiven first, and then he got healed:

The apostle James said, Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven (James 5:14,15). These two verses describe what happened to the paralytic who got healed: He obtained forgiveness first and then got healed. Many have enjoyed the healing of the body from Christ, but they have not obtained the forgiveness of their sins. On the other hand, some people today obtain forgiveness of sins but remain sick. The Lord, out of a special wisdom, does with us His good will.

The paralytic was justified by a word that was said to him and became a part of him, because he believed in the speaker of that wordand was immediately healed. The bed had carried him, but now he carried his bed. The sign of his sickness became the proof of his health and wholeness. Those who refused to clear the way for him to Christ when he was trying to get to Him, cleared the way for him after his healing, so that he could walk and declare, He has healed me. He entered in being carried, and went out carrying the traces of God's grace and the proof of His power.

Christ knows:

He saw the faith of the four carriers, saw the sin of the paralytic, and said, Son, your sins are forgiven you. What they asked was the healing of the body, but the Lord saw another need before that, that is the forgiveness of sin, and He forgave it.

Those present of the scribes reasoned in their hearts, saying, Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! And Christ perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus (vs. 6-8). He knew what was concealed in their hearts, for He knows our secrets and all that goes on inside us. If you are afraid, He knows and He wants to give you peace. If you are not sure about His love, He assures you of it. If you are a sinner, He reveals your sin to heal it completely as a surgeon cuts open a contaminated place to remove it, so as to restore health. He knows and reveals, because He wants to cure and heal.

Christ teaches:

He knew the thought of the scribes. They knew the letter of the Law without understanding its spirit, therefore they did not apply it. In the situation of healing the paralytic, He could have settled for silencing their inner questioning by performing the miracle. But as a great teacher He wanted to explain to them the spirit of the Law. Christ did not perform a miracle to defend Himself or to silence His opponents, but because He loved mankind. He asked them, Which is easier, forgiveness of sin, or healing paralysis? The two are important, yet speaking in front of people about forgiving sins is easy, since none can see whether the sin has really been blotted out from the records of heaven or still remains. But healing sickness is difficult before man, since it requires an instant visible proof. Then Christ taught them that He possessed both things, and healed the paralytic and forgave his sins.

Christ loves:

He saw criticism in the hearts of the scribes for Him. He explained to them what was difficult, and did not let their criticism of Him hinder His love that clarifies the truth and explains the difficult. He sat in Peter's house and allowed the public to surround Him at all times, to the extent that He had no time for rest or eating. And when the dust from the roof of the house fell on Him when the carriers removed the roof, He received the matter with love and compassion, answering the request of the four men who carried the paralytic to Him. Christ's giving, to both body and soul, was without limit. This giving cost Him power (virtue) that proceeded from Him to heal, and a work of redemption that makes atonement for the sins of sinners.

Christ the One who has the authority:

Christ said, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). This miracle shows us His authority over sickness and sin.

The apostle Paul said that Christ did not consider it robbery to be equal with the Father (Philippians 2:6). This means that when Christ equalled Himself with the Father, He was not robbing something that was not His due; for it was His natural right. He is the One who has the authority over the Book of Life to write the name of the healed paralytic in it. He is also the One who has the authority over the human body to bring to the paralytic his complete health. They thought He was blaspheming, while He was in fact practising His natural right.

How did Peter's house become a place of public service for the whole town?

What was the price that Peter paid to follow Christ?

What was the reward that Peter got when he gave his house to Christ?

Write four qualities of the four men who carried the paralytic.

Explain how the four men co-operated, and what is the lesson that we learn from them?

What was Christ's attitude towards the scribes who criticised Him?

Christ's authority was manifested in different domains what were they?

A command to get up:

This sick man met with a very strange command: Get up... pick up... walk. How could he take something and walk when he couldn't get up in the first place? If he had been able to get up he would have done so long ago!

The command asked two things of the sick man: Faith and obedience. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). The sick man believed while not yet seeing any healing or change in the muscles of his body. While nothing new had yet happened with his health condition, he saw the things to come! This is faith and confidence in the Word. Who gave this man this confidence? It was the Holy Spirit who opened his eyes. This explains the lack of response from many to the Word of the Lord, because the Word has not been allowed to interact with faith within them.

Do you remember the robber who repented because he saw what those standing around him couldn't see? He saw a Lord and a kingdom (Luke 23:42), while all the evidence pointed to Christ as being merely a crucified slave. But his eye of faith saw a Lord of a kingdom. May God give us eyes of faith so that we may see Christ the Lord, the holder of authority in heaven and on earth! May we see that those who are for us are more than those who are against us and that God is always present with His divine care for us, even though all external circumstances might seem to contradict this.

True faith always produces obedience, and makes man follow Christ wherever He goes, because all trust has been put in the Lord. When the sick man's faith responded with obedience, his body responded to Christ's command, so he was healed and took his bed and walked away.

A command to take the bed and walk:

This was a proof seen by all the bystanders that he had actually obtained healing. How many are those who doubt even though they have seen! Christ wants all the spiritually blind to have their eyes opened so that they may see that the acceptable year of the Lord has in fact come (Luke 4:19). It was the year of setting prisoners free.

After the sick man had been healed, he went to the temple (vs. 14):

No doubt he wanted to thank God. He didn't know who had healed him, because Christ had disappeared in the crowd. Christ was probably alone without any of His disciples, or else the sick man would certainly have recognised Him! In the temple, Christ met him again.

I was glad when they said to me, `Let us go into the house of the Lord'(Psalm 122:1). That is why we always go to the house of the Lord to give thanks, to meet the Saviour again, in order that He may bless our lives more deeply. So let us return again saying: You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord... in the courts of the Lord's house (Psalm 116:16-19).

The letter before the spirit:

The day was a Sabbath, and the commandment says: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it (Exodus 20:8-11). The elders of the Jews reproached the man who was healed, because he broke the commandment and carried his mattress on the Sabbath. The man answered, He who made me well said to me: `Take up your bed and walk.' And when they asked him who had made him well, he didn't know!

The Jewish elders were preoccupied with the Law, the sacrifices, the offerings and the rituals. They didn't grasp the spirit of the Law. They were concerned with its letter only, so they gave the Law greater importance and priority than mercy! It didn't matter to them that the sick man had been healed. They ought to have congratulated him first with the blessing of health that Heaven had granted him on the feast day, but they reproached him, forgetting the verse that says: You shall not see your brother's donkey or his ox fall down along the road, and hide yourself from them: you shall surely help him lift them up again (Deuteronomy 22:4). It is beyond question that the friends will gather to assist the owner of the donkey, lending him a helping hand because he will not be able to get it up by himself. But the Jewish elders stuck to part of the Law only, disregarding the other part, whereas the Lord wants us to study the word in its entirety, as it is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105).

God is continuously at work:

After they had berated the man they wanted to kill Jesus because He had broken the Sabbath commandment (vs. 15,16). Christ told them: My Father has been working until now, and I have been working. (vs. 17). This word certainly provoked them again, because they could not comprehend that God, who ended creation on the sixth day, never stopped working for the salvation of mankind. He created the stars and kept them in their place: All things exist and were created by His will (Revelation 4:11). The Sabbath day wasn't the end of God's work, because He still keeps the celestial spheres and the stars in their orbits! And Christ still repairs and heals people's bodies. True, the Sabbath was the end of the work of creation, but it was not the end of the work of providence and caring.

This verse fills our heart with joy, because our God continually works with us: Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy that it cannot hear (Isaiah 59:1). He who keeps you will not slumber(Psalm 121:4). For He gives and blesses and showers us always with fatherly love that never ends.

The Jewish elders were angry because they understood the meaning of the word "my Father" (vs. 17). Christ equalled himself to God. Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him... because He said that God was His Father, making himself equal with God. (vs. 18). He Himself said: I and my Father are one (John 10:30). To Philip He said: He who has seen Me has seen the Father (John 14:9). The apostle Paul says that Christ, being equal to God, did not claim a right He was not entitled to, but rather He revealed a truth about His own character (Philippians 2:6). So why do people hate the truth?

Christ saw:

He saw the sick man who had no friend. He saw what people would consider a completely hopeless "case". But He saw it with the opposite of human logic. Usually a physician will take care of the person whose condition is better first, because the physician's ability is limited. As for Christ, everything is possible for Him, and He specialises in the impossible.

Christ knew:

When the Lord sees us, He knows everything about us. He knows our weakness and our real need, and gives what we need generously and without reproach.

Christ asked:

Do you want to be made well?This is Christ's caring, always asking about us and our needs. Attaining Jesus' grace depends on us: Do we want?

Christ revealed His love:

He revealed it towards the man who had given up hope in any thing and any person! ... He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities... (Micah 7:18,19).

Christ commanded:

Rise! Take up your bed and walkis a command that contradicts ordinary custom and expectations. It contradicts the true state of the human body because the body needs healing and recovery, but the Lord ignores that completely.

Sometimes we want to be spiritually at peace with ourselves trusting in ourselves, but the Lord gives a new birth: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation... (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is a complete change, for what human reason cannot believe, the almighty, divine love of the One who performs miracles accomplished.

Christ ordered him to repent:

See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you(vs. 14). It appears that the illness of this man was a result of sin, even though not all illness is a result of sin. Christ said about the man born blind: Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him (John 9:3). So the repentance of the sick man here is a condition for staying healthy. To start sinning again would be worse, because that would exclude him from his new life and kill it (1 Corinthians 11:30).

From Christ's command to the sick man who was healed we learn three truths:

Christ revealed His deity:

Christ said that God was His Father (vs. 17). He made Himself equal to God (vs. 18). At that time He revealed His deity many times:

When is our celebration of a feast true?

What is the symbolic meaning of Christ entering through the Sheep Gate and going to Bethesda?

Why did the Jewish elders rebuke the sick man for carrying his bed?

What was the problem of the man who had been sick for 38 years, and how did Christ solve it?

Christ commanded the sick man to rise, take his mattress and walk. This requires two things of the sick man. What are they?

Why did the sick man go to the Temple after having been healed?

At the time of this miracle Christ revealed His deity many times. Mention them.

The healing of this withered hand teaches us that the Lord wants to heal us from being unable to do good works:

Christ restores in us the ability to do good. The person who is far from the Lord is unable to do good works, but the Lord wants to urge us to do good works.

We read in Matthew 21 about the father who had two sons. He said to the first one: Son, go, work today in my vineyard. He answered, I will not, but afterward he regretted it and went. The father said to the second son: Son, go, work today in my vineyard. He seemed to obey by his words, but he didn't carry out the work. We are confronted with the same command. The Lord wants us to work in His vineyard because we are His children. He expects us to work in His vineyard. The man with the withered hand, however, was unable to work. Therefore, Christ told Him: Stretch out your hand - come on, work with me!

The man with the withered hand was also unable to greet people:

His hand couldn't move. Our world is full of people with a right hand which is withered morally, spiritually and mentally. They don't stretch out their hand in love because they themselves are in need of love. They have never experienced it, so they cannot give it. We also need to learn that God loves us and that He is the Good Shepherd, Who stretches His hand out continually with the love which reaches us wherever and whoever we are. God's hand is always stretched out for reconciliation. He stretches out His hand to us in His love in order to reconcile us to Himself. He wants us in turn to be messengers of reconciliation who will reconcile people to God. He says: Believer, stretch out your hand in order to reconcile people to God! (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).

The withered hand cannot give:

We are by nature self-centred. Consider our loving God Who makes His sun rise over everybody and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45). We should behave like Him. Maybe we have not been used to that. Maybe we did good once and received bad in return so we have begun to fear doing good. We became prisoners of the past and slaves of bad experiences. We must move from the past into a better present and into a future which is bound to be even better with Christ.

This is how the apostle Paul speaks about the new life and the change which the Lord brings about in the soul: Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labour, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need (Ephesians 4:28).

The Lord also says: You have robbed me! But you say, `In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings... (Malachi 3:8). Because you didn't present your tithes to the Lord. We need healing for our withered right hand, which doesn't give. Let us, then, learn how to give priority to the needs of others.

The withered hand cannot be stretched out to receive:

People hear about God's salvation, but they refuse it because they feel that they are better than others, or because they don't see their need for it, or because they despair too much about the evil they have done to be able to believe that God will accept them and grant them salvation. Whatever the reasons are, the sinful soul which is far from the Lord cannot stretch out the hand of faith in order to receive the blessing. We need the miracle of the healing of our withered hands so that they can be stretched out in confidence and faith in order to receive.

A congenital defect or one of negligence:

The hand withered because life does not pervade it, perhaps because of some congenital defect, or because it stopped working. Both these reasons are to be found in us in a spiritual sense. As for the congenital defect the Psalmist says, Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me (Psalm 51:5). Paul says, Just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned (Romans 5:12). We are sinners by our nature and by our actions. And Christ is the healer of both.

The command requires the following from the sick man:

He said that need allowed David to do something otherwise forbidden:

Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: How he entered the house of God and ate the show bread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?(Matthew 12:3,4). Here, Christ is referring to the story of David in 1 Samuel 21:3-6. The text of the law of Moses is found in Leviticus 24:5-9. From this we can see that the priest gave David the bread, contrary to the commandment of the law, because need allowed what was otherwise forbidden.

Then Christ said that it was not the letter of the law which was its intention, but the spirit of the law:

The priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless(Matthew 12:5). The priests break the law on the Sabbath, since the priest sacrifices every Sabbath day two lambs in their first year, without blemish, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, with its drink offering, beside the regular burnt offering with its drink offering (Numbers 28:9,10).

Christ said that His presence with His disciples, and in His disciples, is greater than the temple:

I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple(Matthew 12:6). He is speaking about Himself being the Temple because He is filled with the Holy Spirit, guided by Him in order to teach His teachings: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me (Luke 4:18).

Christ said that He had authority over the Law:

For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath(Matthew 12:8). For Christ came as a law giver: You have heard that it was said... But I say... (Matthew 5:21,27,33). Here, we notice the might and the authority of Christ. Certainly, Moses received the law from God, but Christ always said, Verily, I say unto you, for Christ is the message and the messenger, the Word and the One Who speaks the Word. He is the One Who is unique among all those who came before Him, and no person can possibly challenge His position. For it is agreed that great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16).

After this, Christ asked the Jewish elders: What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:11,12). From this interpretation we see Christ as the One Who gives the new law which perfects the old one.

The Jewish elders were not happy because they were under the bondage of the letter of the law. But the common people were tremendously happy because Christ preached freedom to them. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed (John 8:36). The people want the spirit of the law. The Sabbath was made for the sake of man, not man for the sake of the Sabbath. For the Lord did not give us His laws in order to enslave us, but in order to serve us.

Christ is concerned about the essential:

He wants us to be concerned about the spirit of the law. He looks at the heart, not at the outward appearance. In Him the saying is fulfilled: Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart(1 Samuel 16:7). It is the beauty of our life as believers in Christ that we are concerned about the spirit of the law. For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6).

We see the concern for the essential in the fact that Christ is the incarnate love. His law is the law of love. He inspires us to say, Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become as a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal(1 Corinthians 13:1). True Christians say, My achievements, however great they may be, and my words, however eloquent and fascinating they may be, without love, they are but empty sounds without any value!

Christ as the One Who does good:

He never hesitates in that, no matter if there are people who oppose Him or who love Him. His readiness to do good springs from the fact that He is love. The Lord always does the work of love. We shall never have to go through life's circumstances, harsh or sweet as they may be, without experiencing God the merciful and His deep, perfect love for us.

Christ the man:

Jesus asked: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill? They kept silent. So when He had looked around at them with anger, [He was] grieved by the hardness of their hearts (Mark 3:5). Christ in His humanity expressed His emotions. They showed on His face.

When a deaf and dumb person was brought to Christ, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him... `be opened' (Mark 7:34). Christ sighed over the sufferings of mankind. A rich young man asked Christ about eternal life. Christ looked at him, loved him and said: One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me (Mark 10:21). Here we see Christ's emotions: grief at the hardness of the hearts and love for those in need.

Christ as the One who is able to do the impossible:

When a problem seems impossible to solve and a dilemma impossible to get out of, we find Christ to be a specialist in doing the impossible. The withered hand was a problem which was impossible to solve, but the almighty Solver of problems solved it! He is always telling you: Stretch out the hand of faith and receive a greater blessing. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full (John 16:24).

Why did the Jewish elders rebuke Christ's disciples?

Explain the spiritual meanings of the fact that the withered hand cannot work, cannot be extended to greet, cannot give and cannot receive.

What does God mean in saying: You have robbed me (Malachi 3:8)?

Jesus ordered the sick man, Stretch out your hand. This needed courage. How did the sick man show it?

From this miracle, prove that Jesus was a law maker.

Jesus gave concern to the essential. How did He show this in this miracle?

In this miracle we see the humanity of Christ. Explain this.

The sick servant:

He is in fact the one who is in need of this miracle, but he was unable to come to Christ because he was paralyzed.

His condition did not allow for him to be carried to Christ. He was in a most painful and tormenting situation. However, the centurion took his problem upon himself and went to be his spokesman before Christ (through the Jewish elders). Here we see a person unable to help himself, who is served by another unable person, viz. the centurion, who asks other unable people to lead him to the Almighty, the One Who is able to do everything!

We find many people in our society who resemble that unable person. They need Christ, but they don't see this need because they are paralyzed by sin. These people need someone to be their spokesman before Christ. May the Lord give us grace to take upon ourselves the problems of many who are far from the Lord. Let us love them and pray for them, hoping that God will deal with their souls to heal them from the sickness of their sin.

The centurion:

Christ's humility:

Christ told the centurion: I will come and heal him (Matthew 8:7). The centurion's request made through the Jewish elders was received graciously and lovingly. Jesus was willing to go, and in fact He went: Then Jesus went with them (Luke 7:6). How much we have experienced His coming to us!

There are two great comings of Christ. The first was when He came to us in the manger, and we all await His second coming. But between these two great comings Christ comes to the faithful thousands of times: In the office He comes in order to help him solve a problem in his work. In his bed He comes to support him in facing illness. When he is lonely or feeling tense He comes to give him peace. When the waves of life are stirred up He comes to calm them. And at the time of laughter, He has already come, because He is the source of laughter and joy. He always comes and never tarries: It is impossible to ask for Him and not find Him, for when we ask we find, not only material things, but that which is more important: His sweet and gracious person.

Christ's speed:

I will come and heal himHe doesn't make us wait! Even when He made the two sisters Mary and Martha wait and came after their brother Lazarus had died, it was only to give them a greater blessing than just the healing of an illness. He is not slow like people reckon, but He comes at the right time to be more gracious and give a greater blessing. Maybe we blame Him much, but His sweet words still comfort our hearts in His coming to us quickly.

Christ's power:

His word has authority. All things were made through Him (John 1:3). He is the Maker of everything. He stretches out His hand directly to the place of weakness in order to heal it and treat it and solve the problem that makes you sleepless. Often we diagnose our problems wrongly, but Christ diagnoses correctly and presents the correct cure with perfect love.

Christ came to save what was lost. He Himself made death die. Illness is the first symptom of death. Christ came to heal our illnesses and bear our afflictions. Our body is important to Him because it is the temple in which the Holy Spirit dwells, and because He will raise it up on the last day.

Christ's warning:

I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!(vs. 9). These are words of praise for the centurion and reproach for His nation.

Whenever we look at a person who comes to Christ from another fold and who lives with the Lord and loves Him and sacrifices himself following in Christ's footsteps, we offer thanksgiving for this person. We wonder if those who come from this fold love Him and serve Him and sacrifice themselves for Him like those who come from another fold (John 10:16).

How do you explain that which seems contradictory between Matthew's and Luke's account in the centurion's request that Christ heal his servant?

How did Christ by this miracle gather the scattered children of God into one?

How do you take upon yourself the problem of a person who is unable to come to Christ?

How did the humility of the centurion become apparent?

How did the love of the centurion become apparent?

How do you see Christ's humility in this miracle?

In this miracle Christ gives us a warning which?

This woman was without hope:

Her husband is dead, and now her only son has died. The only son was the object of her love, her offspring and her provider. As a widow she had no hope at all for the future (according to the flesh). The first blow to her was the death of her husband. This was severe! Lo, the second blow, the death of her only son was deadly! She was plagued by tribulation and stricken with grief. God in His love understands what a blow such a severe tribulation can be to a person, and He described her by saying: I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they have pierced; they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn (Zechariah 12:10). This is a scriptural description of the psychological and emotional pain which that widow faced in the loss of her only son.

This woman had received the painful blow:

This was the severest of the results of sin. Through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned (Romans 5:12). That was a concentrated dose of grief that was presented in the cup of the widow of Nain. She saw the worst of sin's results twice.

She was suffering:

Sometimes the voice of our sufferings becomes louder than the voice of our prayers. And the Lord's heart moves with us in our grief, and He sees our tears and our broken souls and the grief which wrenches our hearts. We do not always know why He allows us to go through these experiences. Perhaps it is the wages of what we do or the evil result of the behaviour of others towards us. In all these circumstances, He stands with us because He knows the full extent of the pain, and also how limited our ability to bear it is. This is what the bystanders at the miracle felt, for they described what Christ had done to the grieving widow by saying: God has visited His people (Luke 7:16). They meant that He came to visit us and inquire about us. We always discover that God does not leave us. He visits us, comes to us and stands beside us to relieve our pain and support us.

When Christ touched the coffin they stood still:

Let us try to imagine the situation: We see a mother crying behind a group carrying the coffin of her son, headed towards the graveyard. Then we see another group of people entering the town with Christ in their midst. It would have been customary for the two groups to join and head towards the graveyard to express sympathy with the widow. But Christ stopped the procession! It would have been natural for the first group to hinder Him, so that they could pursue their way and complete their holy task of burying the dead. But the Bible tells us: Those who carried him stood still. It must have been the splendor of Christ's face and the tone of His voice and all the love and authority in it that made them pay attention.

Often, when we think we are fulfilling an important duty, Christ blocks our way with a word from the Gospel, or with a personal way of dealing with us, or with a spiritual touch, and stops us from whatever we are doing. As a result, our life takes a new and better direction. Therefore, we must have a sensitivity to the touch of His hand and the guidance of His word, so that we can change our direction according to His guidance, waiting for Him to tell us what it will be.

The pall-bearers glorified God:

When the dead man rose and spoke, Christ presented him to his mother, then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, `A great prophet has risen up among us;' and, `God has visited His people.'They must have remembered Elisha when he raised the Shunammite woman's son, and they also must have remembered Elijah when he raised the widow's son from the dead. When they said that Christ was a great prophet, it showed that they had not discovered all the aspects of Christ's personality. For there is another dimension to Christ. It is true that He is a prophet. He called himself a prophet when He said: No prophet is accepted in his own country. But He is more than a prophet! He is the subject of prophecy. The prophecies had spoken about Him and testified of Him, so that He could say: You search the Scriptures... and these are they which testify of Me (John 5:39).

Then Christ is also the originator of prophecy. He prophesied about much which was fulfilled and much which will be fulfilled. He prophesied about His death on the cross when He said: The Son of Man is being delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise on the third day (Mark 9:31). And it happened. Furthermore, we are still waiting for His prophecy about His second coming to be fulfilled.

Christ is working with His Spirit in us in order that we may discover the profoundest aspects of His personality so that we may understand that Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh(1 Timothy 3:16).

The bystanders said, God has visited His people:

They meant that God had intervened divinely in their lives, as the Old Testament says about Naomi: Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had visited His people in giving them bread (Ruth 1:6). In Nain God visited His people for He gave them life.

It is beautiful that the bystanders understand that with Christ a spiritual revival had come to the world. In Him God had come close to mankind to visit and inquire about their needs. How many times has Christ visited us when we were sick in bed and healed us, when we were in difficulty and released us from our worries, when we were in fear and removed our fear. When He visits us with His peace we discover, many times, that we feared something which did not exist. Our fears were only within us and not from around us. The Lord Jesus has visited us in the moment of real and imagined danger. He always and forever visits us.

Christ, the One Who changes things:

When He meets us and confronts us, our whole situation changes. When He met the widow who was weeping over the death of her son, she was changed into a happy mother because her son was restored to her. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). We all need His coming to us: Come into our midst, Stand with us, And make our hearts your dwelling-place (Arabic religious song). So let us listen to His word: `Comfort, yes comfort My people!' says your God. `Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins' (Isaiah 40:1,2). May the words of the apostle Paul be accomplished in us: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ (2 Corinthians 1:3-5). He gives us living water, so from within us flows a river of living water. He gives us a personal consolation in order that we may console others.

This will also happen to us on the last day when we find ourselves in His presence. We will hear a mighty voice from heaven saying: Behold, the dwelling-place of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 21:3,4). The former things pass away when He comes to visit His people.

Christ, the Compassionate One:

Sight says, Do not weep when the problem has passed away; but faith says it while the problem is still there. Christ wants to enliven faith within us since, before we receive the blessing, He commands us not to weep because His rescue is on its way. The widow could not understand His wisdom, but she understood it afterwards. What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this (John 13:7).

Christ lays His hand on our shoulder in order to encourage us while we are surrounded by evil. The encouragement of His word is strong even though the circumstances contradict it totally. But we understand the meaning of His word and trust in it. At His word we "throw the net" in full confidence.

Christ performed His miracles according to the request of the one in need, as when He healed the leper (Luke 5:12). He also performed miracles upon the request of someone acting on behalf of someone else, as when He healed the centurion's servant (Luke 7:1). He performed miracles according to His love, for the widow did not request anything. Nevertheless, He performed the miracle because He was motivated by His deep love (Luke 7:13).

Sometimes we are saved from trouble because we have prayed, and sometimes because someone else has prayed for us. Sometimes He hears our groan and sees our trouble, so He stretches out His compassionate hand to us because the heavenly eye is awake and open towards us.

Christ, the Strong One:

Compare Elisha's raising of the Shunammite woman's son with Christ's raising of the son of the widow of Nain.

In John 5:24-29 Christ talked about an hour that "now is" and an hour which will come in the future. What will happen at those two hours?

Why did Christ choose the son of the widow, to raise him?

The blow that the widow had received was twofoldhow?

Why did those who carried the coffin stop when Christ commanded them to do so?

What does it mean that God has visited His people?

Mention an experience in your own life where God visited you.

The ones in need were the disciples in the big boat headed eastward.

They were the people in the small boats accompanying the big boat, who returned westward when they saw the beginning of the storm.

Moreover, it appears to the observer that Christ Himself was included among those who needed a miracle, for He was sleeping in the boat exposed to danger! How much we imagine that the Kingdom of God is in danger and shout, We are perishing!forgetting that God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved. God shall help her, just at the break of dawn (Psalm 46:5).

The storm of fear:

How many storms rage in our lives! Life seems calm and then suddenly difficulties arise which upset and destroy our peace. Immediately, we must seek refuge with Christ, tell Him what we need and make Him confront our difficulty with us, committing ourselves and our problem to Him in order that we may rest assured, being in His hands, that He is the Powerful One, the Saviour, the Almighty. Let us commit our lives to Him, in order that He, rather than we, may confront our difficulty. Let us look towards the Good Shepherd, who rescues us from our fear and carries us on His shoulders and then arranges a feast. This is what happened with the disciples. Jesus confronted their difficulty and celebrated their rescue with them!

The storm of sadness:

Maybe someone who is dear to us dies and it appears that clouds have extinguished the stars! And those who fear and are anxious and sad without hope are right in a way. But why do those who do have hope confront their difficulties with anxiety as if their living Saviour, who shackled death and enlightened eternity did not exist? Despite their fears He will remain with them, enlightening their life until He brings them to eternity, in order that they may ascertain that His promises are true.

The storm of anger:

It may be anger towards someone who has hurt us or lied about us, which makes us furious. In such situations, Christ stills this storm, telling us, Be angry, and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your wrath(Ephesians 4:26).

The storm of doubts:

Sometimes we ask Him: Do you not care? This question expresses doubt in His love and in how highly He values us. We certainly do not deal with a Creator only, but with a Father. Let us address Him and speak to Him. This is the most beautiful thing which the disciples did, because they brought their complaints about Him to Him. They went to Him in order that He might save them from something He made! For He is the Master of the winds which raged on the waves. He gathers the winds into their storehouses, so that His waves calm down, and His children feel secure, and His perfect love drives out fear.

The storm of feeling guilty:

When we feel guilty Jesus gives us rest as He forgives our sins and reconciles us to God. So if the heart is heavy laden with concern for error, taking refuge with Him relieves us from sin and restores the relationship with God. The disciples had not known Christ before. When Christ made Himself known as the Son of Man, who would be delivered into the hands of the chief priests in order to be crucified and put to death, His disciples told Him: Far be it from you, Lord. They had not yet understood His message, and they needed more instruction. They needed first-hand knowledge That I might know Him and the power of His resurrection (Philippians 3:10). This is the knowledge of profound experience. Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Let us learn to know Him in the midst of the difficulties and troubles of life.

Christ is not disturbed by our requests, but by our lack of faith:

How loving and tender He is! He did not rebuke the weak faith in the midst of the storm, but calmed the storm first and then rebuked. He wants us to request. Oh, that we might have such a trusting and confident faith!

We see Christ with His immediate authority:

Moses used the staff (Exodus 14:15,16,21,26). Elisha used Elijah's cloak (2 Kings 2:13,14). Christ, the Word of God, rebuked the winds and told the sea, Peace, be still! The winds stopped at His command and there was calm.

Christ appears to be sleeping and unconcerned, but He is awake in order to rescue:

Maybe we complain about Him and to Him, but He does not do anything, which we can justly complain about.

Let us speak to the Lord and turn towards Him, cling to Him and remain in Him that we may find the blessing with Him.

What are the three names of the Sea of Galilee?

Why did Christ ask the disciples to cross the lake?

What did the people in the small boats do?

When did Christ rebuke the weakness of the disciples' faith?

How does Christ still in us the storm of grief at the death of someone dear to us?

How does Christ still in us the storm of doubts?

How does Christ still in us the storm of guilt?

Possessed by a division of demons:

The man who needed the miracle called himself "legion", which means a division or a battalion in the Roman army. It numbers up to six thousand soldiers. The same word is used in Ephesians 6:12, where it is translated "spiritual hosts of wickedness". This man was possessed by a whole division of demons. If he had been an ordinary lunatic, the swine would not have perished as a result of his healing. His madness was caused by evil spirits dwelling in him.

The result of this indwelling:

Christ is always at work:

My Father has been working until now, and I have been working(John 5:17). He crossed the Sea of Galilee to the country of the Gadarenes in order to meet this poor man and heal him.

Whenever we see evil spreading and dominating the world, we think that God is not working on earth. The children of Israel said in the days of the prophet Zephaniah: The Lord will not do good, nor will He do evil (1:12), because they found evil people succeeding and the believers going through tribulations. Let us, however, be fully confident that the Lord will do good, that the Kingdom of God is in a state of permanent mobilisation, and that God also inflicts evil in punishing wickedness.

Christ went to where the sick man was, because He is the Good Shepherd who searches for the lost sheep until He finds it. Then He did His work within the possessed man, and sent him to work and preach and proclaim the joyous news.

Christ came to set everyone free to move:

The demons said to Him: What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time? Christ says that when the Stronger One comes, He chains the strong one and distributes his booty (Matthew 12:29). When the devil takes possession of someone's life, he turns him into a thing without value and destroys his humanity. But Christ, the Stronger One, chains the devil and saves the victim, and makes the one who has been healed free to move to the glory of God, contrary to the condition he was in before!

Christ set the healed man free to move. He made him bow down before Him, made him receive healing, and then sent him to his friends. For when Christ enters into our lives, He moves us to serve Him. When we receive salvation, we make a significant beginning which requires continuous commitment. We offer our time, our money and our bodies as a living, holy and well-pleasing sacrifice on His altar of consecration, so that we are always at Christ's disposal (Romans 12:1,2).

Christ agreed to the request of the demons and the owners of the swine, whereas He refused that of the sick man who was healed!

Is it not strange that Christ accepts the request of the demons and the people of the country, and refuses that of the one who was healed?

God forces no one to follow Him for there is no compulsion in love. But as God's children we have an obligation. When God finds in our heart a desire which disagrees with this heavenly obligation, He refuses it because He wants us to implement His charge to us in order that the Kingdom may progress. For God does not charge strangers with serving His kingdom, but only His children.

May God grant us that we carry out His intention within our family, our homes and our community, which needs the good news of salvation.

How do you reconcile Matthew's account that Christ healed the demon-possessed man in the country of the Gergesenes with Mark's and Luke's that He healed him in the country of the Gadarenes?

Why did the demon call himself "Legion"?

In what way was the lunatic a stranger to himself and his community?

Which is the first love poem in the world? And what made its composer change his mind concerning what he had said in it?

Why did Christ make the swine perish?

What was the new movement which Christ created in the lunatic who was healed?

What do you think is the obligation Christ has charged you with?

The first needy person in this miracle is the girl who died:

The Gospel of Matthew says that Jairus told Jesus that she "had died", whereas the Gospel of Mark says that Jairus said: My little daughter lies at the point of death. The truth is that when Jairus left his house, she was at the point of death. When he came to where Christ was, he did not know whether his daughter was still alive or had died. So he described her once as having died, and another time as being at the point of death, for he said: My little daughter is at her last breath. If only you would come and lay your hands on her, that she may be healed, she will live. He uses the word "be healed" because she is ill, and the word "will live" because she has died. Jairus was not sure of his daughter's condition, so in one instance, he spoke about how serious her condition was, and in another instance about her death.

Often the one who needs Christ is unable to utter or express his need, like Jairus' daughter, so the Lord uses someone else as their substitute to clarify his condition. Here we have a sinner who knows that he needs Christ's mercy. The sinners who do not understand their sin, sin much and have given up all hope in the Lord's mercy. Or perhaps their eyes have become blind to their sins, and therefore they need someone to explain their need and present it before the throne of the Lord.

May God, then, give us grace to express people's need for Christ, so that we can speak to them about the Lord, and speak to the Lord about them by praying for them.

The second needy person is Jairus:

Jairus' friends:

While Jairus was speaking, his friends came from his house and told him: Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?(Mark 5:35). These friends were not lying. They were bringing true news. But the conclusion they reached was wrong: Why trouble the Teacher any further? The Teacher is not troubled and never gets tired of doing good. The word "any further" does not apply to Him, for Christ is the Lord of the past, the present and the future. He hastened to encourage Jairus with His words which revived hope in his heart after his friends had destroyed it. Christ told him: Do not be afraid; only believe (Mark 5:36).

Often we hear very reasonable words from those around us. If we do not take Christ into account, their judgment fills us with despair and bitterness. But thanks be to God, because Christ restores confidence to us. In our souls He raises hope anew.

The wailers and the hired mourners:

Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly(Mark 5:38). Matthew says: When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, `Make room' (9:23). It was customary to hire women to mourn and musicians to bewail the dead. There was a great number of them in Jairus' house, playing sad tunes, intoning poems of lamentation and mourning, in order to stir up sentiments of sadness by rending their garments and slapping their faces in grief. When Christ then told them that the girl was not dead, but sleeping, their sadness and weeping changed into ridiculing and mocking Christ. Their sadness was not real, but hired. Their condolence was annoying. How cruel and empty are the comments of some as they look on difficult situations!

Christ did not declare His glory to those hirelings. He threw all of them out. How far the mockers are from repentance and faith!

The disciples in training:

Peter, John and James were among the eye-witnesses to this miracle. They are the same three whom Jesus took with Him on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mark 9:2), and to the garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:33) because He was training them intensively to train the rest of the disciples. In this way the knowledge of Christ's power, authority and love could reach more people. To this day, we hear: And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2).

Christ, the loving One:

Before He performed the miracle of raising Jairus' daughter in Capernaum, Christ had already healed a man with a withered hand in the town synagogue on a Sabbath when Jewish people don't work. Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him (Mark 3:6), because He had broken the commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy. Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue in Capernaum, must have been among those leaders. But Jesus did not hold a grudge against Jairus and his colleagues because of their past plotting against Him. He could have told Jairus: When things were going easily for you, you wanted to kill me. Now, when things have gone badly for you, why are you seeking My help? But Christ is not like that. He is the loving One, from Whom we hear no refusal when our situation gets bad. True, we rush to Him and complain about our situation; but when things get better, maybe we go away from Him. But He tells us in every situation: Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me (Psalm 50:15).

On His way to Jairus' house in order to raise his dead daughter, Christ turned His heart to a woman who needed healing, one who suffered from hemorrhages. After her healing there arose a conversation between them, intended to strengthen her faith and that of Jairus before Christ arrived to his house in order to raise his daughter. Christ stopped his procession in spite of the urgency of Jairus' need because all Christ's deeds are love. He had come to serve, not to be served, and to give His life as a ransom for many. The Lord's deeds are deeds of continuous love, an unbroken chain of touches of goodness from the wellspring that never runs dry.

Christ, the Encourager:

Christ saw a spark of faith in Jairus' heart so He kindled it. He told him: Do not be afraid; only believe. How surprising Christ is, for He removes the scars of men's soul-harming words! As we read in the Gospel of Matthew: Then the Pharisees went out and took counsel against Him, how they might destroy Him. But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there; and great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. And He warned them not no make Him known, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: `Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen, my Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased; I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench, till He sends forth justice to victory. And in His name Gentiles will trust' (Matthew 12:14-21, quotation from Isaiah 42:1-4). Christ breathed on Jairus' weak faith that it might become strong by healing the woman suffering from hemorrhages on the way.

The Lord called death "sleeping", saying: She is not dead, but sleeping (Matthew 9:24). This is the same description He gives of Lazarus' death: Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up (John 11:11).

The Greek word for cemetery means "sleeping place". This is what the Greeks wanted it to be, yet they could not achieve it. Christ made it reality for us. He encourage us to await the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.

Christ, the life giver:

He took the hand of the little dead girl and told her: Talitha, kumi, which means Little girl, I say to you, arise. This was the tender word with which the mother would wake up her daughter every morning. How tender Christ the Reviver is with the body of the dead girl!

And how tender Christ the Reviver is with the transgressor, dead in his sins and transgressions! The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live (John 5:25). Then it will come true what the apostle Paul said: And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins... But God who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us... made us alive together with Christ(Ephesians 2:1-10).

How tender Christ the Reviver is when He raises the believer every day from his slips and sins so that Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand (Psalm 37:24). He gives him spiritual food to eat which upholds and satisfies him, so that he can walk in the strength of that food (1 Kings 19:8).

How tender Christ the Reviver is when He comes again and all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth: those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:28).

Reach out and take Christ's hand, that He may raise you up from your death to a mighty work!

Who are the three whom Christ raised from the dead?

We see in the three whom Christ raised from the dead three degrees in the soul which is far from Christ. Which are they?

How do you explain that Jairus according to the Gospel of Matthew says: My daughter has just died, while, according to the Gospel of Mark, he says: My daughter lies at the point of death and Luke says: She was dying?

What does the name Jairus mean?

Why does God allow us to go through severe situations?

Who are those who derided Christ when He said that Jairus' daughter was "sleeping"?

Explain how Christ showed His love to Jairus.

The condition of the woman who had a flow of blood:

We may encounter a similar situation. We may be in chronic difficulties, so that our psychological condition deteriorates, and maybe we find no help from any religious or social source, so all doors are closed. But we do have a hope, namely that a door different from all other doors will open wide for us, because God gives a way out each and every time we are in tribulation.

The faith of the woman with a flow of blood:

The woman's faith in Christ's power was real. She thought to herself, If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well(Matthew 9:21). Christ acknowledged it. She was full of hope and determination to overcome any difficulties which might keep her from meeting Christ. From this we can see that the suffering of the woman was a spiritual blessing to her. It was the suffering that made her turn to Christ to rescue and save her.

A businessman who was once constrained to lie on his back for 45 days said: More than 45 years ago I forgot praying. I stopped talking to the Lord. I was busy with my accounting and my businesses, so the Lord made me lie down on my back in order to direct my vision towards Him alone, and He healed me. He is truly the God who does not let us be tried above what we can endure. He tries us in order to turn us towards Him.

The woman with the flow of blood after her healing:

Jairus, a man in a hurry:

Jairus faced a greater calamity, for when he left his house his daughter was at the point of dying. Undoubtedly he was critical of Christ for stopping and asking, Who touched Me? Jairus saw his own problem as the only one in the world. He had a bigger problem, one that made any other problem seem small!

However, the Lord of heaven and earth belongs to all humanity. In His heart there is room and in His time a share for everybody. When we bring a problem close to our eyes, we see nothing else. But Christ wants us to see people through His eyes and the world through His authority, so that our vision can be adjusted and our mental attitude corrected. In this way problems acquire their natural size. Thus, we do not constantly think about ourselves only, but also about others. For Christ has sufficient resources for everyone. There is no need to compare the way Christ deals with others with how He deals with us, for love is the only thing which grows whenever it is distributed. Whenever it is given to many, it grows and develops.

The disciples, asked in denunciation:

The disciples asked in disapproval, You see the people crowding against you, and yet you can ask, `Who touched Me?' Touching Christ was the ordinary thing. The disciples rejected the question of Jesus. They thought they know more than He did. They refused before they knew that Christ knew more than they. He, not they, is the Master of the problem and the question. How beautiful His word is: Judge not, that you may not be judged (Matthew 7:1).

We sometimes direct questions to Christ as if we knew everything, as if we understand better than He the ways to realise His goals, and as if we know better than He what serves His kingdom best!! We often reproach God as if we want to reform His way of thinking. May God forgive us for our lack of humility and give us the Spirit of grace to pay full attention to His word, trusting that there is a purpose to every word He says. For when Christ asked about the woman with the flow of blood, He wanted to bless her more in bringing her into a personal relationship with Him.

The disciples did not understand the difference between being touched in a crowd and the intentional touch of faith. They talked about the thronging which caused people to bump into each other, whereas Christ talked about the touch itself, the touch of closeness, love and need, the touch which heals and satisfies. Maybe John thought about this when He wrote: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of lifethe life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us (1 John 1:1,2).

We need to touch Christ in confidence and faith without the confused kind of worship which is devoid of concentration and contemplation.

Jesus, the famous One:

When the woman heard that Jesus was coming, she joined the crowd and came up to Him from behind and touched His clothes, for His renown had become wide-spread: And they came to Him from every quarter (Mark 1:45). He is unique; there is no one like Him. He was born of a virgin in order that the first promise might be fulfilled, namely that the seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). He lived a sinless life. He rolled the stone away from his tomb and rose because it was not possible for death to hold Him. Alone He vanquished the grave and sat at the right hand of the Power on high. He is the only One who is worthy of interceding for us, and that for two reasons: a) He needs no intercession, for He never sinned. b) He is the only One who paid the wages of sin and settled our debt. He intercedes for us by right of His redemption.

Because of His great reputation for miraculous healings the woman with the flow of blood thought of touching the border of His garment (Luke 8:44). The law of Moses commanded the children of Israel to wear garments with tassels, that they might remember the Lord's commandments to them (Numbers 15:37-41). The suffering woman reckoned that touching just the tassel would suffice for healing.

Jesus, the powerful One:

Christ felt that a power had issued from Him, causing the chronic flow of blood to dry up immediately. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). And your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O Lord, You preserve man and beast. [For the Lord in His mercy cares for all His creatures.] How precious is Your loving-kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house. And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. Oh, continue Your loving-kindness to those who know You. And Your righteousness to the upright in heart (Psalm 36:5-10).

Jesus, the knowing One:

Christ knew about the power that had issued from Him, and from which the woman benefited, therefore He asked: Who touched me? Often a father knows which of his children has done something, but he asks who did it anyway, not because he does not know, but in order that the one who has done it may come to confess so that he can forgive him and give him peace. Christ asked, not because He did not know, but because He wanted the woman to come to Him so that there could be a direct relationship between Him and her. He did not want her to be a mere beggar asking alms from Him, but to be a daughter of the heavenly Father, receiving much more than she asked for or could think of.

He wanted to grant her courage and access to the throne of grace by a personal relationship with Him, so that her life might be satisfied from the fullness of His house.

This knowing Christ said to Nathanael: Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you (John 1:48). John the Evangelist says about Him: (He) had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man (John 2:25).

Jesus, the Saviour:

After Christ had asked Who touched Me? He told the woman who had been suffering from the flow of blood: Your faith has made you well. Go in peace. The Lord asked Adam: Where are you? (Genesis 3:9) because He wanted to save and forgive him. Likewise He asked Cain in Genesis 4:9: Where is your brother? because He wanted to stir his conscience and give him a chance to repent. Elisha had asked: Where did you go, Gehazi? (2 Kings 5:25) in order to awaken his conscience.

God asks us questions in order that we might confess. He wants to grant us more of His gifts and blessings. He wants us to discover ourselves and our shortcomings by putting the spotlight on them, and then bring us treatment, healing and forgiveness.

Jesus, the Giver:

Christ gave three gifts to the woman who had suffered from a flow of blood:

Name two verses which explain that Christ is always at work.

Why was the woman with the flow of blood suffering psychologically, and why ritually?

Why did God allow the businessman to be constrained to lying on his back for 45 days?

What are the blessings of Christ's delay in going to Jairus' house?

What is the difference between an aimless touch and the intentional touch of faith?

Why did Christ want the woman who had suffered from the flow of blood to come to Him after she had been healed from her physical illness?

Name the three blessings which Christ granted this woman.

The two blind men:

In the Bible, blindness symbolises sin, which is spiritual blindness, because the sinner sees neither his evil condition, nor Christ's atonement. Blindness also symbolises ignorance, as ignorance does not see the reality of things.

These two blind men symbolise all of humanity, whose eyes are blind to God's love and its own sin, which is described in the book of Deuteronomy: And you shall grope at noonday, as a blind man gropes in darkness; you shall not prosper in your ways; you shall be only oppressed and plundered continually, and no one shall save you(28:29). Isaiah describes it in this way: Your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.... Therefore justice is far from us, nor does righteousness overtake us; we look for light, but there is darkness! for brightness, but we walk in blackness! We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes; we stumble at noonday as at twilight; we are as dead men in desolate places (Isaiah 59:1-10).

Scriptures describe salvation from sin as opening the eyes, as in Isaiah: In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. The humble also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel(29:18,19). Paul says: For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord(Ephesians 5:8). The day of salvation is the day when the ears shall be opened to hear the voice of Christ and the eyes shall be opened to see His light. Jesus said: I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life (John 8:12).

Need had joined them together:

The common affliction had joined the two men together. Often the Lord sends us troubles which are hard to deal with alone, so we meet together. It is beautiful when there is mutual agreement with a companion in prayer for one and the same thing, as Christ says: If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven (Matthew 18:19). When hearts are united in lifting up requests to God in harmony and mutual understanding, they find an answer from heaven.

The clear insight of the two men:

Their eyes were blind, but their insight was clear! For they knew Christ, the Son of David, as the coming Saviour.

When Christ performed His miracles, the Jewish religious leaders would say that it was by Beelzebub, the chief of the evil spirits, that He drove out demons (Mark 3:22). But the two blind men called: Have mercy on us, Son of David, because they believed that He was the expected Saviour, the conqueror of death. They had heard about His miracles, so they understood that He was the One whom Isaiah had prophesied about: There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord(11:1,2), The prophet Ezekiel said: I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed themMy servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them (34:23,24). So these two men had an insight which the religious leaders did not have!

The trusting faith of the two men:

When Christ asked them, Do you believe that I am able to do this? they answered, Yes, Lord. The faith which expects little, receives little. That which expects failure, receives failure. The faith of these two men expected to receive eyesight and they did!

Faith is the bucket which we lower into a deep well in order to draw the water of life. It is the purse which does not make its owner rich, but is rich with the treasure which is stored in it. Faith is not important in itself, but the object in which it is placed is. Faith is the means by which we obtain the blessing bestowed upon us by Christ. Christ Himself is the bestower of the blessing. He is the One who makes life rich, and who quenches the heart. True faith is built on scriptural foundations. It is not built on human promises, but on God's word. This is what the two blind men did, when they believed that the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament had been fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth.

Their faith was active. They prayed, Have mercy on us, Son of David. It was persistent, for they exerted a great effort, since they pursued Christ and kept walking until they reached the house which He entered. This they did, despite the fact that they could not see anything. This is the faith which does not give up but waits: I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry (Psalm 40:1).

Their faith was also cooperative. Each of them was concerned for the other. They remained together, calling upon the Lord in order to receive mercy.

Christ honoured their faith by opening their eyes so that they could behold the face of the Living One. And what a face, resplendent, radiant with love, goodness and grace!

Their loving disobedience:

When Christ healed the two blind men, He told them, See that no one knows it. But they spread the news all over the region. We may call this "the disobedience of love", for they meant no evil, but for sheer joy over their healing and out of love for Christ they were unable to keep it a secret. They were too dazzled and amazed to be able to keep quiet, even though they knew the advice of the prophet Samuel: To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams (1 Samuel 15:22).

This may raise the question as to why Christ issued an order to keep silent about this affair, while He ordered publicity in other cases.

Christ ordered His disciples to be silent about the Transfiguration on the Mount (Matthew 17:9); and the leper that he should not tell anyone about his healing (Mark 1:44); and Jairus' family not to divulge the news about their daughter having been raised from the dead (Mark 5:43). But He did the opposite when He told the man who had been healed from the Legion to declare openly the news of his healing (Mark 5:19).

The answer to this question is that there is freedom in the work of God's Spirit. The Holy Spirit is dynamic, active and moving. Consequently, we do not put the work of God's Spirit into a rigid mould, neither do we restrict His work, nor hinder it, but respond and submit to it. For silence about a miracle may be an act of obedience. Christ said in the Sermon on the Mount: Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces(Matthew 7:6). In other circumstances it could be disobedience, for Christ said: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:19,20).

Every believer is obliged to be in direct contact with the Lord in order to heed His directions, step by step, each step according to its circumstances as God Himself sees them. This contact must be continuous and uninterrupted, regardless of the circumstances and the consequences. Just as yesterday's food is not sufficient for today, the divine direction and spiritual guidance from yesterday is not sufficient for today. We need to relate to God in prayer, in reading His word and in awareness of His actual presence with us in our everyday life. God let the heavenly manna fall to the Israelites every morning, in order that they might come to Him thankfully every morning to ask for the gift of His love. This is the dynamic of the Holy Spirit, and the nature of the movement of the Kingdom of God which is something living and actively at work, because it deals with living children.

Christ chose the time and place for the miracle:

The two blind men wanted the healing to take place on the way, at once. They shouted while they were on the way, asking for healing. However, Christ went on walking until He came to the house. There is no doubt that the timing and place of their healing was for their best, because Christ wanted to form a personal relationship with them. This is why He left them walking behind Him until they found themselves with Him inside the house.

Often, God seems to be late in answering prayer, but in reality He is not. Rather, He brings about the suitable condition for establishing the deepest and strongest relationship, in order that the heart may be filled with His grace before the body can enjoy His gifts. Christ delayed the healing until He arrived at the house, in order to perform the miracle in secret rather than openly. This is confirmed by Christ's request to the two blind men not to broadcast the news of their healing.

Christ expressed His tenderness in a way which suited their condition:

Christ healed many by a word, but with the two blind men, it was by a touch. Someone who cannot see, can feel the touch. Christ healed the man born blind (John 9:6) and the blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:23) in the same way.

God always speaks to us in a language we can understand, and deals with us in a way which is compatible with our way of thinking and our need, which He defines in His wisdom, reckoning with our condition and the social circumstances under which we live.

What does the epithet "Son of David" mean?

What does blindness signify in the Bible?

What was it that held the two blind men together? What does this teach us?

Propose two comparisons which describe faith, and which we have mentioned in the explanation of this miracle.

Name two descriptions of the two blind men's faith.

What is the first reward the two blind men received?

Why did the two blind men disobey the order of Christ and spread the news of their healing abroad?

They needed instruction:

They came walking from the different cities, hungry for God, wanting to eat living bread. Often, believers think that people don't care for spiritual things, but that is not true. For when people find spiritual food, their appetite is whetted and they feel hunger. When they find a believer who behaves in a way that glorifies the Lord, they will ask what the reason is for the hope which is in him and for the way he lives. Those who are used to reacting with grief, resignation, anger or escapism will be amazed. When they see a believer enjoying the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, they will ask for the same blessing (Galatians 5:22,23). Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled (Matthew 5:6)!

They needed care:

Christ saw them as sheep without a shepherd. It is the same with people today, burdened as they are with cares and anxieties. There are many like this, but the shepherds are few. How we need shepherds who will shepherd God's flock, purchased with the blood of Christ.

The multitudes listened to Christ's preaching. It became late, so they became hungry. This is where the work of Christ, the Good Shepherd, the mighty Shepherd of the sheep, comes in order to offer His perfect care.

Philip:

Christ asked Philip a question in order to test him: Where shall we buy bread that these might eat? Philip answered: Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little (John 6:7). A denarius was a day's wages for a hired man. Two hundred denarii may be what was left in the common treasury of the group. In Philip's opinion they were poor, not owning enough.

This is natural, human reckoning considered to be wise, sound logic. It is reckoning the expenses with regard to themselves and their buying power only. It did not take into account the power of Christ. Christ, however, wanted to bring Philip back to the deep faith he had in the beginning, on the day He met him near the Jordan River around December in the year 26 AD, and told him: Follow Me! (John 1:43-46). Philip had followed Christ and then gone away to call Nathanael to follow Christ, too. Christ wanted to give back to Philip the initial joy of being saved and the power of his first commitment, so that Philip could reach a new degree of power in his faith.

Christ tested Philip's faith so that he might see that Christ is not less than Moses, who fed and satisfied the children of Israel in the desert of Sinai with manna every day. Nor is He less than Elisha, who fed one hundred men with twenty loaves of bread, saying: Thus says the Lord: `They shall eat and have some left over' (2 Kings 4:43).

Often our faith becomes weak and shaken, and we ask, From where will the food come? However, when the Lord asks us to do something, He does not demand it merely from our own resources. He gives to us what we will give to others. He blesses us that we might bless others. When we take from Him and give, we bless and are blessed ourselves.

Andrew:

He is well-known for always introducing people to Christ. He introduced his brother Peter to Him (John 1:35-42). When the Greeks came asking Philip to arrange a meeting for them with Christ, Philip referred them to Andrew (John 12:22). Thus, Andrew was trained to take people to where they would find blessing. Bishop D.T. Niles of Sri Lanka has proposed a definition of an evangelist: A beggar who tells another beggar where he can find bread.

The meaning of the name Andrew is "verily, a man". So the one who was verily a man found Christ. This man was the one who led others to know Christ. Andrew was the one who could bring the boy to Christ and persuade him to offer the five loaves of bread and the two fish. Andrew's heart must have been so full of love and compassion. He gave the boy so much confidence that he was not afraid of him when He took him to Christ. When Andrew took his bread and fish from him, he offered it gladly.

Andrew did bring the five loaves and two fish to Christ with some reserve, saying, ...but what are they among so many? (John 6:9). When he said "but" he indicated that he felt that his problem was greater than his confidence in Christ. Our faith also may become weak, in spite of our past experiences in faith, and we might say "but". However, Christ granted the weak faith a fresh vigor when He said: `Bring them here to Me'... He blessed and broke and gave the loaves (Matthew 14:18,19).

The little boy:

He must have been perplexed, wondering at the miracles he saw taking place, listening to the words of grace from Christ's lips, so much so that he forgot his food and did not eat from it since the morning. It is the same with us when we see Jesus with the eyes of faith, so that He overrules the possessions of our hearts and makes us forget our problems and troubles. The deadly power of the flesh does not return, because Christ lifts us up and makes us think on a higher level.

When the boy met Christ, Christ filled him with love, so that he would share the little he had with all the needy people.

The disciples:

Christ had sent the disciples out to preach after having given them authority to do so, and now they had come back to Him in order to present their report, saying: Even the demons are subject to us in Your name. However, when the multitudes came, they said to Him: Send the multitude away(Luke 9:12). They had obtained spiritual power, but they were still in need of more love and a stronger desire to help people.

The disciples had seen Jesus as the Loving One and as the Strong One. Usually, we are first impressed by force, and then we are impressed by love. The disciples needed to learn more love and to practice it more, for Christ commanded them to give the multitudes something to eat by taking from Him and give what they received to the others. They were not the ones who had made the bread, neither did they persuade the people to take it. They only gave what Christ had given them. Today, we cannot persuade people to repent, but we can obey Christ and offer people the bread of life, and God's Holy Spirit Himself will persuade people to partake of it.

Christ, the One who gives rest:

He is the One who says: Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). Christ understands our bodies' need for rest. The body of the believer is a temple for the Holy Spirit, and God's Spirit dwells in it. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak and therefore, Christ does not think about our spirit only but also about our body. That is why He said to His disciples: Come aside by ourselves to a deserted place and rest a while(Mark 6:31).

Christ feels the need:

When He lifted His eyes and saw the multitude around Him, He asked Philip: Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?(John 6:5). He feels the need before the ones in need do. Our heavenly Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him(Matthew 6:8).

Christ tests the faith:

Therefore, He asked Philip: Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat? But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do(John 6:6). God allows His children to be tested in order to make them succeed. He does not want to cause them to fall prey to despair, but to grant them more learning in order that they may discover the aspects of their weakness and trust more in Him.

Christ's reaction to Philip might well have been a reproach, since Philip had seen many of Christ's miracles and must have known that Christ was capable of feeding the multitudes. However, Christ made him realise his weakness and his continuous need to trust in Him. It was not possible for Philip to make himself independent of Christ. Without Christ he could do nothing, but with Him he could do all things.

Christ organises the ranks:

Jesus said: Make the people sit down... gather up the fragments that remain (John 6:10-12). He wants us to be organised, Let all things be done decently and in order(1 Corinthians 14:40).

Furthermore, He does not want us to think about our own personal benefit only, but also as a fellowship group. He does not want us to disturb each other by being disorganised, so that one person takes more that he needs, while his neighbour does not find what he needs. Our problem is in distribution, not production. After having organised the people and distributed the food, Christ asked for the remaining fragments to be gathered in order that they might find food afterwards, and in order to keep the green grass clean and protect the environment from pollution. It is nice when we leave our place clean for those who come after us, so that we may find it clean when they leave it to us.

Christ creates:

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life(John 1:3,4). Christ made in a moment what it takes nature several months to make, sowing, growing, harvesting, grinding and baking. He did the same in His first miracle, when He turned water into wine (John 2:1-11). He concentrated nature's work and gifts. He commands and it comes into effect, because He is the Lord of nature and the One who has authority, the mighty Creator and the One who is unlimited by time.

Christ satisfies the soul and the heart:

The Jews thought that He was the political saviour they expected. They tried to make Him their king in order that He might save them from the yoke of the Romans and feed them with bread. This was not what Christ had in mind, so He withdrew from their midst. He did not want to be an earthly king (John 6:15). Those who have earthly power only make a small group of people happy and only for a short time. But in the spiritual kingdom, the blessing extends to include all and stays for eternity. When this present world ends, there will be the kingdom of the world to come. Christ commented on their attempt to make Him king saying: Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life.... If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world (John 6:47-51).

Why did Christ ask His disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee to Bethsaida?

People are not hungry for the living breadis this saying true or false? Prove that your answer is correct.

Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?Why did Christ ask His disciple Philip this question?

What does the name "Andrew" mean? And why was it an appropriate name?

Why did the boy forget to eat his bread and fish since the morning?

In this miracle, we see Christ as the Creator. Explain how.

Why did Christ withdraw after having fed the five thousand?

The disciples:

The one who is even more needy, namely Peter:

The praying Christ:

This miracle begins with Christ praying on the mountain.

He did not ask for forgiveness, nor for strength. But, because He is one with the Father, He prayed for the disciples, as He said: I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word (John 17:20). Thus Christ prayed for the twelve and for those who would believe through their word. He always lifts us up in intercession. Only His intercession is acceptable, because all mankind is sinful and in need of an intercessor. Christ, on the other hand, is the one and only perfect One. He only is worthy of being an intercessor, because He is not in need of anyone to intercede for Him. Moreover, He can do what Job asked for, namely lay His hand on God and us (Job 9:33). For His human nature as a perfect human being makes Him lay His hand on us: Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same(Hebrews 2:14). So Christ is flesh and blood just like us for He is perfect in His humanity, born of the holy virgin Mary, died on the cross and buried. At the same time He is perfect God. He came to our earth, being pre-existent before His birth, "born, not created" "begotten, not made". After His crucifixion and burial, He rose from the grave. The grave cannot keep life captive when it is the Lord and Master of life, the One through whom all things were made, and without whom nothing was made that was made. This perfect human being lays His hand on us, and this perfect God lays my hand in God's hand in order to effect reconciliation. Thus, the words of the Gospel come true: God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them (2 Corinthians 5:19).

The tender Christ:

From the mountain, in the dark of night, Christ saw His disciples in agony on the lake (Mark 6:48). The eyes of love pierced the curtains of darkness, for He is the One who knows the hidden things. It took no time for Him to move from the mountain to the middle of the lake, walking on the water. For the Lord said: I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians (Exodus 3:7,8).

The mighty Christ:

He is the Lord who walks on the water: He alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea (Job 9:8).

The unhurried Christ:

He came in the fourth watch of the night. Many believers complain about God because they think He leaves them in the midst of trouble. However, God's patience forms their lives and teaches them through their trials. He does not come according to our timing, but according to His own wise timing, the timing of the Master, the timing of the Father. He is like a life guard: When someone is about to drown, he leaves the poor person for a few well-calculated seconds until the person is ready to submit. Then he carries him or her to the saving shore.

Once Christ calmed the storm while He was with the disciples in the small boat. This time He was not with them. He wanted to teach them that even though He was absent from them in the body, He was with them in His Spirit. The first time He saved them, they saw Him calm the storm with their own eyes. The second time, however, they saw Him coming from far away. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed(John 20:29).

It is not so important that you see Him. What is important is that He sees you. It is not so important that you touch Him. What is important is that He touches you. Then you will see and touch Him when He fills your heart with peace and joy.

Christ, the One who waits for the call:

Christ tried to pass by the boat: He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by (Mark 6:48), because He wanted to hear the disciples ask to be rescued. He did the same thing with the two disciples at Emmaus, in order that they might extend an invitation to Him: Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther (Luke 24:28). Here we see the exaltedness of Christ's salvation. We see human responsibility and divine work: Man is responsible for inviting Christ to enter the heart, and God is responsible for entering: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me (Revelation 3:20).

The encouraging Christ:

The Lord always encourages His children, saying, It is I; do not be afraid (Mark 6:50). He wants them to be always secure: Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you(John 14:27). This is because what the world can give is limited and the peace it can give is mixed with anxiety. The peace of the Lord is different, for it is pure and clear. This is what caught Peter's hand: Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him (vs. 31). Jesus did not reproach the weak faith of His disciple until after He has lifted Him out of the heaving sea! He did not say to him, Why did you come to Me? Peter had the right to come to the Lord. He said to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? (vs. 30). The believer has a right to request from God, but not to doubt God's love.

Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!

What did Christ pray for on the mountain?

What does "the last watch" mean?

Why did the disciples think that Christ coming to them walking on the water was a ghost?

We learn two things for Peter's request, Command me to come to you on the water. Mention them.

What do we learn from Christ's walking on the water?

What do we learn from the word, "He wanted to pass them by"?

Mention a spiritual experience where you were allowed to do something similar to Peter walking on the water.

The Phoenician girl:

She was a lunatic, possessed by an evil spirit (Mark 7:25). Satan destroys the mind of those who submit themselves to him. To illustrate this, there is a story about two merchants who each had his own shop. One of them was successful, whereas the other was not, so he hated his successful neighbour. The hateful man plotted his neighbour's downfall by sending someone who changed the prices of his wares, putting a high price on the cheap goods and a cheap price on the expensive goods. The successful neighbour incurred a huge loss before he discovered the trick! The devil plays the same trick on us. He puts a high price on trifles and a trifling price on the valuable things so that we run after transitory things and forget that which endures to everlasting life! There are people who value themselves according to what treasures they have, which will perish one day, but the wise will say, Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there(Job 1:21), as poor, yet making many rich (2 Corinthians 6:10).

The devil had come to dwell in this poor girl and taken her reason away. The devil still continues to lead people astray and destroy their sound, reasonable and logical way of thinking. Satan turns things upside down, thereby making them run after trifles and neglect what is more important. They do this even though the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it (Matthew 13:45,46).

The mother who requested:

Christ was only severe with the Phoenician woman in words:

This was like Joseph's severity with his brothers when they came to him from the land of Canaan. Joseph dealt severely with his brothers in spite of his strong love for them. Joseph saw his brothers and recognised them, but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them... And said to them, `You are spies!' (Genesis. 42:7-9). But then He turned himself away from them and wept. Then he returned to them again, and talked with them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes(vs. 24), and then he gave them the grain and paid its price, and gave back to them what they had paid, putting it in their sacks! Thus Joseph was making earlier prophecies come true, as he was experiencing the repentance of his brothers and their love for one another. Christ acted with this Phoenician woman similarly to the way Joseph acted with his brothers.

In order to understand the words of a person, we need to look at his face when he is speaking:

We need to see the features of Christ's face when He said to the Phoenician woman, It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs. If Christ's face had been stern, unsympathetic or tense when He was speaking these words, she would have been content with that and returned. However, His features must have been reflecting sympathy and tenderness, which encouraged her, and the affront did not frustrate her sound thinking. So that which she did not expect to hear from Him and what she saw in the traits of His face, stirred her mind and her heart to say to Him, Yes, Lord, I agree with what You are saying, and I base my request on what You have said. Give me the crumbs, and that will be enough for me. Let us not forget that after He had spoken about the dogs, Christ said, O woman to her (vs. 28). This is a tender word, which He had used to address His mother with before (John 2:4).

In order to understand Christ we need to see His face and in order to see His face, we must find ourselves in His presence, bow down and worship Him in all humility, pray to Him, and then go forth from our encounter with him full of confidence, comfort, reassurance and joy, waiting faithfully for Him to act.

There are two reasons for Christ's strange way of answering the woman which only appears to be severe.

The first reason: Christ shook the Phoenician woman's faith because He knew that it was strong and steadfast. If her faith had been weak, He would never have spoken to her in this way. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able (1 Corinthians 10:13). Christ gave her a test according to the strength of her faith.

God does not tempt us beyond what we are able. Our temptations will never be too much for us to bear. Let us rest assured and calm because we do have a source of power which we have not tapped into yet. We do have a supply of grace which we have not yet spent. There is an abundance of great faith by which God supports every believer, In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:6,7). Christ taught the Phoenician woman, as He teaches us, first of all to pray at all times without getting tired and without despairing. Secondly, He taught her, as He teaches us, that there is no doubt that the answer will come.

The second reason: Christ wanted to teach His disciples a lesson.

They were used to regard the Gentiles as dogs, so He wanted to change their view. It is as if He is telling them by this miracle, You do not respect the Gentiles, but there are those among them who will believe with a faith the like of which is not found in all of Israel. Peter would come to learn not to say that anyone or anything is unclean and would carry the good news to the Gentiles (Acts 10). Of course, the preaching began among the Jews, but the goal was that it should go out to all the world. Paul said: Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: `For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, and sing to Your name.' And again he says: `Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!' And again: `Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!' And again, Isaiah says: `There shall be a root of Jesse; and He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him the Gentiles shall hope' (Romans 15:8-12). So the blessing is for Jews and Gentiles alike. And when Simeon carried the infant Jesus (Luke 2:29-32), he said that He was salvation to Israel and a light to the Gentiles. Christ also said about Himself that He was the Good Shepherd, who had other sheep which were not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd (John 10:16). Christ began with the lost sheep of the house of Israel, in order that they might be the beginning of the Church, which would eventually include all peoples (Matthew 13:31,32).

How do you explain that the mother is described as a Canaanite, a Phoenician, a Gentile and a Syrian?

Why did the disciples ask Christ to send away the mother?

What are the crumbs?

How does the devil attack us with demons?

How did the Phoenician woman show her faith, and how did she show her humility?

When Christ said, And throw it to the little dogs there was a reason for it related to the Phoenician woman. What was the reason?

When Christ said, Throw it to the little dogs there was a reason for it related to the disciples. What was the reason?

The blind man did not come to Christ of his own accord:

His friends brought him to Christ (vs. 22). People come to Christ in many ways. Some come of their own free will because they feel a spiritual hunger and thirst. They seek to be satisfied and quenched. Others do not understand what their real need is. Somebody else brings them, as it happened with the blind man.

We have seen miracles where Christ found the sick person, as for instance the sick man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5). There are other instances in which the sick person was carried to Christ, as with the paralyzed man (Mark 2). Then, there are miracles where the sick person is led to Christ, as we see here.

The only one who appeared to be healed gradually:

The gradual healing of the man brought him into a better situation:

When he saw people like trees, walking, he was in need of a clearer vision. Christ did not leave him until he had obtained that.

Some of us get a little blessing and are satisfied with that; but the Lord wants to give us more. When one of the Jewish scribes came to Christ and asked what was the first and most important commandment, Christ told him that it was to love God and one's neighbours. He answered, Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices (Mark 12:32,33). From his answer, we see that he learned a new spiritual lesson. The Jews used to regard sacrifices and burnt offerings as more important than anything else. However, what he had learned was not sufficient for his salvation, for Christ told him, You are not far from the kingdom of God. Not being far from the kingdom is similar to seeing people like trees, walking. The lawyer was not far away, but he was not yet inside the kingdom. He needed to take another step which would bring him into the kingdom of God and give him the full blessing. The desire of Christ is to bestow the full blessing on you. Do not stop where you have arrived.

The friends brought the blind man to Christ:

When the eyes of the blind man were opened and his eyesight became clear, his friends experienced perfect joy!

The friends of the blind man asked Jesus to heal the blind man in the way they specified, by touching him:

Often because of our zeal and love for a person, we order the Lord to do for him what we specify. The friends asked Christ to heal the blind man in a certain way. What we really need, though, is to learn the prayer of our Lord in the garden of Gethsemane: Not what I will, but what You will. We must not dictate the Lord how to act and care for us. However, the Lord disregarded their specifications and honoured their faith, healing the blind man in His own way.

Christ took the blind man far away from his friends, outside the village. There He performed the healing miracle. He touched him and blessed him not only once, but twice. He showered him doubly with grace. The Lord loves the disabled person more than the friends who brought him did. The gifts of the Lord to this soul were greater than the expectations of those who asked on his behalf.

He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town(vs. 23).

He wanted to be alone with him. He gave him more time. Sometimes, the Lord takes us away from our friends and our worldly concerns and isolates us from those whom we know, in order that we might spend more time with Him. This is what He did with the blind man. He isolated him from his community, his past and his idol-worship!

When the Lord appeared to Saul of Tarsus on his way to Damascus, He threw him to the ground. Then Saul was led to the place where he met one who prayed for him. The Lord opened his eyes and his heart. After that, Saul withdrew to the desert to be alone with the Lord, in order to re-evaluate everything he had learned before. When he read the Torah in a new light, he came to know that its prophecies had been fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth. To deepen his knowledge of Christ, to whom he was going to bear witness, he studied and prayed more and more. Someone who speaks about God must first speak with God and enjoy Him. Then he can go out to bear witness to Him.

He spit on his eyes and put His hands on him (vs. 23).

The Lord took an ordinary thing and did something extraordinary with it! Christ clothed the natural with the supernatural! Before, He had taken the rainbow, which appeared after the flood, and made it the sign of a covenant with mankind that He would never again drown the earth with a flood (Genesis 9:12). He took circumcision, which was practised in some Middle Eastern countries, and made it the sign of a covenant with Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 17:10). He took the bread and the cup and made them a sign of the new covenant (Matthew 26:26-29). Moreover, He took five loaves of bread and two fish to feed five thousand (John 6:1-14). Therefore, we need to present all that we are and have to Him, including the first fruits of our labour, in order that He may turn these ordinary things into extraordinary blessings.

Christ healed the blind man gradually:

He did not leave him until He had completed his healing. He does not leave us until He has completed our salvation, for He is the beginning and the completion of our faith. We can say with Paul the apostle, When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known (1 Corinthians 13:11,12). The Lord's love introduces us to the most profound depths of the blessed knowledge of Him, which saves us and liberates us eternally.

Christ commanded the blind man not to enter the town:

The blind man's faith was weak. His enthusiasm was at zero level. So what could he possibly tell his townspeople?

Was it not better that he stayed out of town for a while to ponder how much the Lord had done for him and how much mercy He had shown him, before he went to proclaim it, or before the townspeople began to ask him about it?

How we need to know and love Christ more in order to become better at speaking about Him!

Mention one whose heart was opened to Christ in Bethsaida, and one whose eyes were opened there.

Mention a healing miracle where Christ went to the sick person, and give the Bible reference.

Why was the blind man of Bethsaida so unenthusiastic about everything?

What is the point of similarity between the scribe mentioned in Mark chapter 12 and the blind man of Bethsaida?

The friends of the blind man showed three things by how they acted; mention them.

Mention three ordinary things which Christ turned into extraordinary things.

Why did Christ command the blind man not to enter the town after he had been healed?

He needed to know what it means that Christ is the Son of God:

As God's Son He did not have to pay that tax. When Christ asked His disciples, Who do men say that I am? Peter answered Him: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.Then Christ said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven (Matthew 16:15-17). Peter, the one who made this declaration, does not appear to have known all the dimensions of meaning contained in his own words. He needed the help of the Holy Spirit to get a deeper understanding of them.

Likewise, Peter was not aware of all the implications of Christ's name: "the Son of God". This name, which Peter himself knew and had declared, meant that Christ was "the Lord of the Temple", who does not need to pay the temple tax!

When the tax-collectors asked Peter, Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax? (vs. 24) he answered in the affirmative without referring to Christ. He was confident that his pious Teacher carried out all the demands of the Law, and when he returned to the house, Jesus took the initiative and asked him, What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their own sons or from strangers? (i.e. from those outside their own clan, vs. 25). The natural answer was that they would take it from the strangers, not from their own sons. Therefore, Christ told Peter, Then the sons are free (vs. 26). This is tantamount to saying, I do not pay the tax, for you yourself have told Me, `You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'

God gave Moses instructions for building the Tabernacle. Solomon as well received specifications according to which he built his temple. This temple was destroyed and rebuilt according to the same specifications. However, there is a great difference between the Son, the Master of the temple, and the one who serves there! For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end (Hebrews 3:4-6).

Christ is the temple and the Lord of the temple, whereas Moses was the servant of the temple. Therefore Christ is greater than Moses!

Peter needed to know that Christ is God's temple and therefore should not pay the tax:

The tax was paid to the temple. Christ is the temple, so how can He pay a tax to Himself? Christ declared that He Himself was God's temple when He said: `Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.' Then the Jews said, `It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?' But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said (John 2:19-22). In fact, they did destroy Him on the cross, and He did rise after three days.

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily(Colossians 2:9).

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth(John 1:14).

Peter needed to grasp the meaning of Christ being the ransom:

As thus He should not pay the tax. The required tax was half a shekel as an offering to God for expiation and for meeting the needs of the temple ministry. The tax was collected from the children of Israel as a "ransom of atonement". As this tax was a ransom to the Lord, Christ did not need to pay it, because He is the Saviour, the Redeemer and the One who atones for us.

God said, Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; the soul who sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:4). So every soul is His by creation, since He is the Creator. It is also His by redemption, since He is the Redeemer. By the gifts of grace He grants the new life, since He is the Saviour. He is the rescue and the salvation from certain death and damnation. Christ as the One who redeems, does not pay ransom for Himself.

After Peter had declared Christ to be the Son of God, Christ declared that He was coming to redeem and atone: From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day (Matthew 16:21). Then Jesus said to His disciples, `If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me' (Matthew 16:24).

The Lord Jesus is the One who went into the Holy of Holies once for all with the sacrifice of Himself, thereby bringing about eternal redemption, so that the sacrifice does not have to be repeated year after year.

Christ's wonderful and marvellous love:

Christ, the All-Knowing:

Christ declared the authority of the Son:

The angel declared to Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God: Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son... He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest... That Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God(Luke 1:31,32,35).

The Father Himself declared the same at Christ's baptism in the Jordan River. He said, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17). Christ declared it, too, at the time of His visit to the temple as a twelve-year old, saying, I must be about My Father's business (Luke 2:49). He declared it again when He cleansed the temple the first time. He told the people who were selling doves, Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise! (John 2:16).

Christ made a distinction between His Sonship to God and ours. His is an original Sonship. On the other hand, the sonship of the disciples to God is acquired as they are adopted by His grace. Christ's Sonship is pre-existent before all ages whereas our sonship is granted to us the day we commit our lives to Him and are born again. Christ said to Peter, You will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you (vs. 27). He did not say, Give it to them for us. In another situation, He said, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God (John 20:17). He did not say, To our God. We see here the Redeemer and the redeemed, the Saviour and the saved.

How informative is the Father's statement to the Son in the second psalm! He said, You are my Son; today I have become your Father (Psalm 2:7). Jesus did not become the Father's Son after He was born. He was always the Son. In the fulness of time He was born of the virgin Mary. His Sonship preceded His birth. As humans our sonship begins after we are born. As for Jesus, His Sonship to God was from eternity; before the miraculous virgin birth.

God wants to teach us a lesson that we should cast ourselves entirely upon Him and thus become spiritually rich. When we lay down ourselves before Him in all our weakness He will perfect what is lacking and strengthen our weakness and make us perfect by His grace. This is because the Lord wants to teach us that He has the authority and the final solution to all the problems which seem endless to us. He accounts for the expenses and removes the impediments to expanding His kingdom and spreading His word, and strengthens His children's weaknesses.

He revealed Himself to be the Lord of nature:

When Christ paid the tax by a miracle He revealed that He, submitting to the Law, at the same time is the Lord of nature. This miracle met the need and declared the Lord's authority as well. Christ cut Peter down to size when he was confronted with his problem. Often we need to remember that without Christ we can do nothing, but that we can do all things in Christ who strengthens us (John 15:5; Philippians 4:13). Even though we amount to little in front of the problem, we are able to solve it by Christ's grace.

The Lord caused Peter's fishing hook to catch the required fish in the first attempt. And when he took the coin from its mouth, it proved to be of the exact value needed, so he took it to pay for the needs of the temple.

The Lord puts a hook in the devil's mouth in order to fish out everyone whom He has chosen to take up the ministry of His temple. Then He makes the believer whom the Lord's fishing-hook has caught a fisher of men.

Peter was hidden like the coin in the fish's mouth. Christ took him out and used him to fish men when He told him and the other disciples, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men(Matthew 4:19). Thus, He gave his life a greater and deeper meaning, and fulfilled in him the heavenly purpose for his life.

It should be the same with you.

Mention and explain all the three lessons Christ wanted to teach Peter by this miracle.

Christ revealed His love towards Peter in this miraclehow?

Christ revealed His love towards the collectors of the temple taxhow?

What do you learn from the fact that Peter caught the right fish at the first attempt?

In what way was Peter like the coin in the fish's mouth, and what did Christ do with him?

The ten lepers:

They were all in need of healing from Christ, as they all shared the same disease. They were not worthy of approaching Christ, so they stood at a distance from Him. This is a situation similar to that of sinners in need of repentance.

We can see several aspects of similarity between leprosy and sin:

Nine lepers who were also sick with ingratitude:

All the ten lepers cried out to Christ: Master, have mercy on us! (vs. 13), and they were all physically healed. But nine of them did not return to give thanks!

The sin of ingratitude is widespread among us. It appears in many daily practical situations. For instance, many children forget to thank their parents for their love and the service they render. We often forget to thank those whom Christ uses to lead us to His saving knowledge. How many responsible people serve us in the government, in the church and at home without hearing a word of thanks from us. They would only hear our noisy grumbling if we see in their performance something we would consider to be laxity! Think about a friend of yours. Think about your teacher. Think about your doctor. Think about your religious leader! Have you thanked any of them for their services?

How often we forget kindness and favours! Therefore David said to himself: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits(Psalm 103:2).

Why did they go ungrateful?

Why do we not give thanks?

A lesson from the one who gave thanks:

His condition was wretched. He cried out to the Lord, who heard his cry and healed him. When he returned to give thanks, he received even greater blessings.

The diversity of His ways of interacting with us:

God's work with us is many-faceted. It is impossible to cast it in one mould. God speaks and interacts with us in many ways.

Christ did not touch the lepers in this instance, but healed them by His authoritative word. He then ordered them to go and get their healing certified by the priest in the temple, according to the law's commandment (Leviticus 13:17). He had healed a leper before, where He put out His hand and touched him (Mark 1:41).

In our studies of the miracles we have seen how Christ interacted with people in ways suiting their faith and conditions, in order to bring them life, and that they may have it more abundantly(John 10:10).

He challenged the strong faith of the Phoenician woman to make it even stronger (Matthew 15:23-26).

He strengthened Jairus' shaky faith in order that he might not fail in facing the trial (Mark 5:36).

He first healed and then forgave, as we saw it with the sick man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:8,14).

He first forgave and then healed as we saw it with the paralyzed man who was lowered from the roof (Mark 2:5,9).

However, no matter how different the ways in which Christ interacts with us are, His love never changes. His faithfulness remains the same, for He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8) He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End... who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty (Revelation 1:8).

Let us consider with open and alert minds and thoughts the ways in which He interacts with us, and understand that He comes to our aid, whether from far away or near, whether it takes a long or a short time. He may come in the last or the first watch of the night, but He will come for certain. So let us live, waiting for the Lord with a trusting faith.

He asks, Where are the nine?

Christ was never stingy with His gifts. He is the One who lets His sun rise over all. He gives to everyone in need. However, He does ask, Where are the nine?(vs. 17) because He expects a word of thanks from us, which is His right!

Christ asked this question because He wanted to give those nine something more. He does have a greater blessing in store than food which perishes. He wanted the healed men to return to Him so that He can satisfy them with the food which endures to everlasting life and tell them about the living water which leaves the one who drinks of it never to thirst, but flows from him to others.

May God make us like the healed man who gave thanks!

Why does this command of Christ to the ten lepers seem strange: Go, show yourselves to the priests?

Mention five ways in which leprosy resembles sin.

Mention three reasons that supposedly could have kept the nine from offering thanks to Christ.

Why do people today fail to give thanks to God?

Mention three things by which God distinguished the healed man who gave thanks.

Blind since his birth:

This man born blind represents all of us. He is a symbol of our spiritual blindness. We were brought forth in iniquity and our mothers conceived us in sin (Psalm 51:5). We are born spiritually blind. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way (Isaiah 53:6). The influence of the Gospel is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them (2 Corinthians 4:3,4). Therefore, mankind walks as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart (Ephesians 4:17,18).

People reproached him:

The calamity of this blind man was not confined to his disease only. The bystanders added insult to injury, considering his blindness to be the result of a sin he had committed. Any self-defence on his part was useless and maybe it even made things worse. They ascribed his disease even to a sin his parents had committed. Poor man for his blindness, and poor man for the mercilessness of those around him! People always pick up stones to throw on others in order to let others mend their own ways for them and to blame their own shortcomings on others.

In His love Christ took the blindness of the man away as well as the unjust accusation. We know that the parents of the blind man were sinners. We, too, are sinners, for which human being is without sin? Christ, however, defended this man born blind by saying: Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him (vs. 3). His blindness was the result of neither his own nor his parents' sin.

Sin may cause disease, as was the case with the paralytic who was lowered from the roof by his friends. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, `Son, your sins are forgiven you' (Mark 2:5). It is also possible that sickness cannot be linked directly with sin, as we see in the righteous Job's case. He was pious and avoided evil (Job 1:8). When Christ explained this truth to the listeners, He gave back the man's self-respect and silenced the voices of the reproachful. They were ignorant of what they were saying, attributing people's diseases to their sins while knowing nothing about these people's conditions. Often calamities are a means of proclaiming God's mercy.

He believed and obeyed:

Christ healed the blind man by spiting on the ground and making clay with the saliva. He anointed the eyes with the clay. He ordered him to go and wash himself in the pool of Siloam. The blind man went to the pool in faith while he was still blind. Although he did not know who Christ was, he obeyed Him and went. Therefore, he received the blessing. Blessing is always on the head of the one who obeys.

Let us consider the faith of this man:

His faith grew gradually. In vs. 11, he said about Christ: A man called Jesus. Afterwards, he came to a higher degree of knowing Christ (vs. 17) when he answered the question of the Sanhedrin, What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes? He said, He is a prophet.After some thinking he had come to understand that Jesus could not possibly be a mere man. Then, in vs. 33, he said, If this man were not from God, He could do nothing. There were some false prophets who performed miracles by the power of the devil, but this prophet was from God, from above. Yes, He is above all, for He who comes from above is above all(John 3:31).

The peak of his growing faith is shown in vs. 38. When Christ asked him, Do you believe in the Son of God?he answered, Lord, I believe!and then worshipped Christ.

First of all, this beggar had his eyes opened. He, then, experienced the grace of being adopted as a son. What he received from God was not what beggars get, but what sons get. Some are far from God while they ask from Him. They receive and experience His care. When God graciously adopts them, they ask for salvation from Him and experience it. They, then, experience God's salvation as well as His care.

He bore the witness of experience to Christ:

A wise proverb says, A bit of experience is worth more than a wealth of doctrine. This blind man had a profound experience, so he testified mightily to the power and love of Christ. After his healing the Pharisees threatened to cut him off from his membership with God's people. That poor beggar, who had never received any amount of teaching, stood firm in front of seventy religious scholars to answer their questions. He knew himself and witnessed to his own experience: Though I was blind, now I see(vs. 25). Later, he said, I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?(vs. 27,28). He went on to say, Why, this is a marvellous thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He has opened my eyes! (vs. 30). He was saying that the source of healing was divine, yet they wanted to explain it as a work of the devil or some kind of sorcery. The blind man's testimony before the Sanhedrin was rational and logical. He had not seen Christ before. However, as soon as he knew that Christ was a prophet, the Son of God, he worshipped Him in front of everybody. This was a living testimony and a proclamation of being His follower. Christ accepted his worship because He was worthy of such a worship.

The neighbours:

The neighbours heard what had happened with the man born blind. They loved gossiping and began discussing what had happened to him without having the slightest interest in him as a person!

They asked each other, Is not this he who sat and begged? (vs. 8). Some said that it was he. Others that it was someone who looked like him. He himself insisted that he was indeed that person. Perhaps these neighbours were confused because the eyes of the man had been opened, causing a change in the appearance of his face. Furthermore, the joy that had filled his heart showed itself in the features of his face so much that it changed them.

These neighbours are like the many who live on the margin of life, who love to spend all their time gossiping, not caring about more important things. Not one of them was interested in the man himself. They did not try to ascertain anything concerning his identity. After only a superficial discussion they brought him to the Pharisees.

The Pharisees:

They were close-minded people. They refused whatever disagreed with their beliefs, even when their own eyes contradicted these beliefs! They did not like to do good except when it was favourable in their view. Their problem was hidden in their will, for they had no desire to believe in Christ.

A split occurred among them. One group said, This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath (vs. 16), whereas the Law of Moses permitted people whose ox had fallen into a well on a Sabbath to pull it out. The Pharisees, however, refused Christ's work, the saving of a soul and the healing of a body, just because it happened on a Sabbath. They said, We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from (vs. 29). They said this even though His miracles should have clearly convinced them that He was from God.

The Pharisees also denounced the blind man who had been healed. They said to him, You were completely born in sin, and are you teaching us? (vs. 34). They refused his experience. It was as if they did not know that teaching is not just theory, but first of all experiences of everyday life!

The parents:

The Pharisees asked the parents of the man born blind three questions:

They knew that the Pharisees wanted to punish them for having declared that they knew Christ and witnessed that He had performed the miracle.

There were three degrees of punishment:

The Jews applied the third and most severe punishment in the case of the blind man who received his sight: And they cast him out (vs. 33).

Christ saw the blind man and took the initiative to heal him:

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth(vs. 1). He saw that he needed to be able to see.

The blind man saw himself as nothing but a useless beggar, but Christ changed his life completely and made him a witness to Him. Thus, the beggar began to give the bread of life to the hungry in spirit. His life became most useful.

The disciples saw the blind man as a subject for intellectual discussion on the reason for sickness and suffering in the world.

Christ, however, saw him as a chance to proclaim God's love. He turned towards him in order to heal him without the blind man's asking for it. He also did this with the sick man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5). How often we are ignorant of the blessings we miss. God opens our eyes to see their importance. He grants them to us. He then shows us their importance after we have received them. We discover that they are a great honour bestowed on us by the Lord. He then says to us: You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain (John 15:16).

There were reasons why Christ healed the man:

John mentions four miracles which Christ performed in Galilee, and four which He performed in Judaea. Mention them with the Scripture references.

How can we say that this blind man represents and symbolises us?

How did Christ reject the allegation that blindness was the result of the blind man's sin or that of his parents?

Mention how the faith of the blind man grew gradually and then became complete.

A little experience is worth more than a wealth of doctrine.Explain how this appeared in the testimony of the blind man to Christ.

Why did the parents fear testifying to Christ, who had healed their son, before the tribunal of the Jews?

Why did Christ take the initiative in healing the man born blind?

Lazarus:

It seems that Lazarus was the person in need of the miracle. But this is not the case. Lazarus had gone to be in and enjoy the presence of the heavenly Father. He had entered into the joy of his Lord and experienced that which the apostle Paul longed for, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better (Philippians 1:23). Lazarus could have said with Paul, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing (2 Timothy 4:7,8).

The advantage of Lazarus was to be with Christ. He was released from his earthly obligations and entered into his eternal rest.

So Lazarus was not the one in need of the miracle. Those who really needed it were his sisters Martha and Mary.

The two sisters:

The disciples:

They loved Christ. When He told them, Let us go to Judaea again (vs. 7), they said to Him, Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again? (vs. 8). There is a background to this: Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him... they sought again to seize Him but He escaped out of their hand (John 10:31,39). Therefore the disciples feared for Christ and sought to keep Him safe. When they found, however, that He was intent on going to the dangerous place, Thomas said, Let us also go, that we may die with Him (vs. 16). In that way they threw in their lot with Christ. They made His concerns their own, so they had the mind of Christ.

The comforters:

Many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother(vs. 19). Often those who came to pay their condolences would be tiring company, as Job told his friends, Miserable comforters are you all! (Job 16:2).

The doubt of the Jews who were present there was stronger than their faith. Four months had passed since Christ had miraculously healed the man born blind, so they asked, Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying? (vs. 37). Their doubt came from their superficial contact with Christ. Even though they knew that He had already raised people from the dead, they were not sure that He was capable of working a miracle with the dead Lazarus.

The Jewish leaders:

Among the eye-witnesses there were members of the Sanhedrin, who gathered a council and said, What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation (vs. 47,48). This means that their political concerns meant more to them than their spiritual concerns. They feared that the people would install Jesus as king, as the expected Messiah, the king of Israel. The Romans would therefore suppress their revolt, destroy their land and kill them. Then Caiaphas, the high priest, said, It is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish (vs. 50).

Caiaphas prophesied unintentionally that Jesus ought to die, not only for the people, but for all the children of God who were scattered abroad. This prophecy of Caiaphas was, as far as he was concerned, only a political prediction, devoid of any spiritual implications. That was what Caiaphas had seen coming on his nation, and it did! What he said contained a profound spiritual meaning. Caiaphas' words were like those of Balaam, when he said about Christ, I see Him, but not now (Numbers 24:17). When the Jewish religious leaders heard Caiaphas' political words, they began plotting to put Christ to death. Later they also began to plan to kill Lazarus, whose resurrection from the dead was a proof of Christ's mission and of His being the Messiah. Therefore the chief priests took counsel that they might also put Lazarus to death, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus (John 12:10,11).

May the Lord keep us from just having knowledge about Christ without really knowing Him, the knowledge of someone who has a wealth of information and not the slightest bit of experience!

May we have the experience of knowing Christ more than a wealth of doctrine!

Christ sees what is behind the difficulties of life:

When Christ heard that Lazarus was ill, He said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it (vs. 4). He knew that the two sisters were exhausted and suffering. No one could blame them for being disturbed. Nevertheless, Christ did not respond to their invitation, because He knew that Lazarus' sickness was not unto death, but that He might wake him up from the dead (vs. 11). He was also to open the eyes of the two sisters to His life-giving power. Because of raising Lazarus we know who Christ really is.

Christ knows what is behind every problem we go through. He allows the problems to arise because He wants to be glorified in us and to glorify us and purify us to be like precious, pure gold and silver, purified seven times (Psalm 12:6). There is wisdom in His work. He will deal with our problems as He dealt with the storm on the lake: Even if the storm is so strong that it overpowers us, He will calm it. If He allows it to continue, He gives us greater strength to oppose it. We triumph in His strength.

If we are going through difficulties, it does not prove that God is punishing us. The objective of the difficulties is that we wake up from our slumber and spend the night waiting for His coming.

Sometimes Christ postpones the answer:

Sometimes, the Lord answers prayer even before we ask, because our heavenly Father knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8). At other times, though, the answer tarries. When He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was (vs. 6). At that time Christ was in Peraea. There must have been people there in need of His ministry. We only see our own needs, whereas Christ sees our needs and the needs of others. He cares for all, gives to all and plans for all at the same time. That is why He did not leave Peraea immediately for the sake of His friend, because His ministry in Peraea had not yet been completed.

This delay was a blessing to Lazarus' family and also to us. Had Christ arrived while Lazarus was still sick, He would have performed a healing miracle like hundreds He had performed before. Now when Lazarus had died, He had to perform a miracle of raising someone from the dead. How happy Lazarus' family became! They paid a temporal price to obtain an eternal gain, both for themselves and for the Church through all generations. They and we have heard Christ declare, I am the resurrection and the life (vs. 25).

Christ substantiated His words by His actions:

A false prophet speaks but does not act, whereas a true prophet substantiates what he says by what he does. Christ said, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life (John 8:12). He proved that His word is trustworthy by opening the eyes of the man born blind, making him say, Though I was blind, now I see(John 9:25). And Christ said, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die (vs. 25,26). This claim of His was then substantiated by what He did when He ordered, Lazarus, come out. The dead man came out (vs. 43,44).

There was no difference between Christ's teachings and His behaviour. He never commanded His followers to do what He Himself did not put into action. He never exempted Himself from any principles He espoused.

Christ is perfect man:

Christ is perfect God:

He said, Lazarus, come forth! (vs. 43) and the dead man came out at once. Some pious person once said: If Christ had just said, `Come forth!' without defining the name Lazarus, all the dead would have risen from the graves! However, He called Lazarus specifically, so he alone rose.

Christ's authority over the spirits was evident when Lazarus' spirit returned from Paradise to the body four days after having left it. Christ's authority over the bodies was evident. The body rose uncorrupted after it had begun to decay! The light shone in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it (John 1:5).

Who is that who has command over the whole world, heaven and earth, but the One who said about Himself, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).

With this heavenly authority Christ invites you now to rise from the death of your sins to a new life with Him. He says, He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life (John 5:24).

What does the name "Lazarus" mean? How did Christ fulfil the meaning of that name?

What does the name "Martha" mean? And how did this meaning become reality for her?

Why was Lazarus not the one who needed the miracle?

How did the disciples declare that they loved Christ?

Was Caiaphas a prophet? How were his words about one man dying for the people fulfilled?

Why did Christ delay accepting Mary's and Martha's call?

Why did Christ ask someone to remove the stone from the tomb?

Her infirmity:

Luke the evangelist describes the crippled woman thus: [She] had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up (vs. 11). The bones of her back had become rigid, bending her spine. She had not been able to raise herself up for eighteen years. Satan had kept her tied like this for all those years. She had to be loosened from those ties.

God in His love does not want any human being to experience what that woman had passed through. The Greek word for "human being" is anthropos, which means "upright man", someone who can raise his eyes to heaven. This is God's design for humans. This is what humans should have as their goal. Those who really enjoy being human are those who look to heaven where Christ is seated (Colossians 3:1).

Satan had stung this woman with an infirmity which crippled her very humanity. She had become like an animal, looking down. In spite of this, though, her spirit was still striving for heaven. She craved for the image in which God had created her. Solomon the wise said, Truly, this only I have found: that God made man upright (Ecclesiastes 7:29).

Her faith:

Christ met this infirm woman as she had come to the synagogue as usual to worship. She was faithful towards God. All the time she had been sick. In spite of her being bent over she had been going regularly to the house of God.

Her physical disability did not affect her spirit. At one of her regular visits to the synagogue, she received the blessing. Christ changed her life completely when He laid His hands on her and immediately she was made straight and glorified God (vs. 13). Thus she realised the goal of her life and looked towards heaven. This woman's going to the synagogue could not be called dead, useless routine. After all, Christ called her a daughter of Abraham(vs. 16), because she had the faith of Abraham. She was steadfast and regular in her worship and sought refuge with God. Many of us are distracted when we go to the house of God because of illness, family concerns or activities or stress of work. We lose many an opportunity where we could have met the Lord and received a greater blessing than we asked for or thought.

Her healing and thanksgiving:

This sick woman did not ask for healing; but her presence in the synagogue was a sign of her desire to be healed. It was a silent request for it. Christ hears the groan in the depth of the heart, however silent it may be. He sees the tears even though we do not scream and proclaim our requests loudly. He knows what we need before we ask Him. He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven the Lord viewed the earth, to hear the groaning of the prisoner, to loose those appointed to death (Psalm 102:19,20).

After she had raised herself up, the woman became a companion to the one Samaritan among the ten lepers who became whole (Luke 17:15). She praised God. She also became a companion to the blind man at Jericho mentioned in Luke 18:43. The result of her thanksgiving filled the believers who were present with joy: All the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him (vs. 17).

He spoke to the people present while actually aiming his words at Christ without confronting Him directly:

He said, There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day (vs. 14). If he had enough courage, he would have accused Christ directly, for it was He who broke the Sabbath and healed the sick woman. But the ruler of the synagogue instead directed his anger at the innocent crowd gathered there for worship.

This man had taken up Moses' seat without actually judging according to the Law of Moses or teaching what Moses taught:

It is written in the Law of Moses, `You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.' Is it oxen God is concerned about? Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written(1 Corinthians 9:9,10). The Law of Moses was merciful to animals, especially on the Sabbath; and this synagogue ruler would deny mercy to a human being on a Sabbath!

He broke the rules of mercy which any ordinary human being would expect to be applied:

He claimed to be concerned about the Sabbath because he hated Christ and was jealous of His fame and people's love for and interest in Him. Therefore he broke the rules of mercy which any person would follow in such cases.

He wanted good to be done in his own way:

This man was a leader, but he acted as a follower. He served a rigid law. He was not a citizen of a living kingdom. He was more loyal to his own narrow-minded interpretation of the Law of Moses than to mercy and love. He had his own idea about how to do good. When Christ came and did good in a different way and explained a new understanding about doing good, the soul of the synagogue ruler was filled with jealousy. He wanted good to be done in his way, instead of being filled with thankfulness and amazement at Christ's majestic work and at seeing God's power at work, represented by Immanuel, God with us.

He tried to incite others to side with him against Christ:

Sadly enough, many of the people present agreed with his words and his opposition to Christ. However, they understood the injustice done to Christ and the crippled, pious woman. When Christ silenced the ruler with His convincing answer, all His adversaries were put to shame (vs. 17).

Christ first diagnosed the woman's illness and then healed it:

Christ expounded the Law of Moses:

Many say that Christ contradicted and abrogated the Torah. This, however, is not what happened. A book which has been divinely revealed cannot be abrogated by another divinely revealed book. That is why the Bible contains both the Old and the New Testament. There is no contradiction between the two, for they have one source: God. Christ confirmed the Torah in several ways:

Christ's attitude towards women:

With well-informed historical thinking we see that it was Christ who really treated women justly. He brought women back to the way God wanted them to be. In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28). Christ's healing of the woman who was bent over reminds us of Christ's way of dealing with women in general.

What had the illness done to the crippled woman? For how long had this been going on?

Who truly enjoys being human?

How did the crippled woman express her desire to be healed, and what do we learn from that?

Mention two shortcomings of the ruler of the synagogue in Peraea.

Mention four things which showed that Christ cared about the crippled woman.

Mention the sound logical principle for interpreting the Law of Moses.

Mention three women whose importance Christ enhanced and how He raised each one's position.

He cried out:

Bartimaeus had lost his eyesight, but he had a powerful voice which he had become accustomed to using to attract the attention of passers-by that they might grant him some financial assistance. He used what he had, his voice, in order to get what he did not have. He cried, Son of David, have mercy on me (v. 47). God always gives us a gift. We have to use that gift and to spend our latent energy in order to make up for what we lack.

He believed:

Bartimaeus saw in Christ "the Son of David", the Messiah, the expected Saviour who was to come into the world. When he asked what the reason was for the noise and commotion he heard, people answered that Jesus of Nazareth was on His way out from Jericho. The blind man, however, knew more about the "Nazarene" than that He was a wonder worker. He understood that He was "the Son of David", the Saviour Himself. Therefore he asked Him to have mercy on him. Not many citizens of Jericho saw in Jesus what Bartimaeus had seen.

We often hear about Jesus of Nazareth as a mere human being, a prophet, a messenger or servant of God. This is true, because the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory (John 1:14). But when the Holy Spirit enlightens our vision, we see His divinity and His humanity together. Beside being a man, He is also God, Jesus the Christ, the Saviour of the world and the Redeemer of mankind. We see His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. From His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace, because He is God made manifest in the flesh (John 1:16, 1 Timothy 3:16).

He was persistent:

He cried out, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! Many rebuked him in order to silence him. But he persisted and cried out all the more. It was possible that he could have fallen silent because this beggar was so used to having his requests turned down. He did not have any way of forcing anyone to give him something. This time, however, he persisted, implored and cried out more in spite of the opposition of the crowd towards him. He did not care about the ordinary human beings who were around him. He addressed his words to the One he trusted: Jesus the Son of David.

We, also, must knock on the doors of heaven and obey when we hear His answer, because His instructions must be followed.

He won:

Christ heard Bartimaeus and answered his request. The bystanders called him and led him to Christ. When he found that his garment would hinder or hamper him from moving, he threw it aside. He threw aside something valuable which he needed and could not easily replace. Even so, as soon as he understood that this thing would hamper him, he threw it aside and came to Christ. Blessed is the man who overcomes that which may make him stumble or impede his coming to the Lord of Glory. There are things in our spiritual life which hamper us from coming to Christ. We must throw them aside. We can mention self-righteousness, which makes us believe that our good works will bring us near to Christ, as the Pharisee said: God, I thank You that I am not like other men... I fast twice a week... (Luke 18:11,12). Let us instead ask for the garment of righteousness which Christ grants us, intoning God be merciful to me a sinner! (Luke 18:13). Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1).

He knew what he wanted:

When Christ asked what he wanted he knew it exactly. Because of his poverty he could have thought of asking for money to invest and live off its returns. He did not do that, however, for he had already decided what he wanted and already knew what he needed: to be able to see. He did that although he knew that being able to see would lose him his job, as he would no longer be able to live from charity.

He received clear vision of his eye and his heart:

Christ gave him what he asked for. He ordered him, Go your way. Your faith has made you well (vs. 52). Blessed was Bartimaeus, because he did not receive sight only, but insight as well. He was given the privilege of having seen Christ's face and the salvation of his soul.

He followed Jesus on the road:

Immediately upon having had his eyes and his insight opened, Bartimaeus made an extremely important decision: to be a disciple of Christ forever. He followed Jesus on the road.

The road of Christ is narrow. The person who walks it must deny himself and take up his cross in order to follow Christ (Matthew 7:13; 10:38). It is also the road of holiness without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

Sometimes the road of Christ will take us up on the Mount of Transfiguration, where we can see Him in His risen power. But it may also sometimes take us down to the Valley of Tears and the Shadow of Death. In either case, however, He will go before us and lead us in paths of righteousness for His name's sake (Philippians 3:10, Psalm 23:3).

Bartimaeus followed Christ because He is the Master. He called Him: "Rabboni", "My Master" (vs. 51). He confessed that Christ was the Lord and Master who had it in His power to give and to change the gift to an even better one. That is why Bartimaeus put himself at the disposal of the only Wise One, our Lord Jesus Christ.

They rebuked Bartimaeus to silence him:

They were concerned about Christ's effort and time. When He was in Jericho, He preached and performed miracles. They thought that He would have no time for Bartimaeus. They imagined that they were expressing their love for Christ by preventing Bartimaeus from disturbing Him. This is what the Church does sometimes. When it receives blessings from Christ it does not share them with others. The world around us is seeking Christ. We sometimes keep Him to ourselves, or we stand as a stumbling block to those who need Him!

They called him, saying, Be of good cheer, rise:

Christ came for the sake of all, especially for the ones in need. That is why Christ stopped the crowd and commanded them to call Bartimaeus. Some of the bystanders understood Christ's good will. After they had rebuked Bartimaeus in order to silence him, they changed their attitude towards him in obedience to Christ. They told Bartimaeus, Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.

The bystanders teach us an important lesson. They were ready to change their minds so that they agreed with Christ's, just because they understood the divine mind.

King David told the prophet Nathan that he wanted to build the Lord a house. Nathan responded logically to David's proposal and encouraged himwithout taking counsel from the Lord. Then the Lord commanded Nathan to tell David not to build such a house, because David's son would do it. Nathan was great when he went to excuse himself to David for his first answer and present his second answer which was from God (2 Samuel 7). The faithful messenger is always ready to change his mind so that it agrees with Christ's mind. He is the one who receives from Christ what he presents to people.

They led him:

Some led him through the throngs of people to Christ. Because he was blind, he would no doubt bump into people if he tried to get to Christ on his own. Those who led him expressed their love for him and for Christ.

Christ expects us to discern His voice and speak His words. We should take a stumbling person by the hand to lead him to where he can meet Christ. For people do not search for Christ's servants, but they do search for Christ by way of His servants. May God teach us as a Church to know our own limits. We are only servants carrying the Word, of which Christ is the Master.

Christ the famous:

He heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth(Mark 10:47): Christ's personality is extremely attractive. Everyone who hears about Him would love to get to know Him and study what He says. He is unique and perfect in every way. When we have experienced Him in our hearts as the Saviour, we say with the Psalmist, My heart is overflowing with a good theme, I recite my composition concerning the King; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer (Psalm 45:1).

Christ the Son of David, the merciful:

Son of David, have mercy on me!(vs. 47). How wonderful are His mercies! Christ did not perform one single miracle in order to serve Himself. Every one of His miracles comes from love, sympathy and tenderness to souls in need. He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, `You are the Son of God' (Mark 3:10,11).

Christ the unique One:

The multitude shouted at the blind man. They warned him to be quiet. But Christ acted differently. Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called (vs. 49). In everything Christ was different from the multitudes around Him. Being holy means being different. Christ's way of thinking and His responses were different from that of others. Human beings have limited capabilities and strength. They become tired and cannot give attention to the needs of everybody around them. Whereas Christ is unlimited and opens His door wide. The one who comes to Him He will by no means cast out (John 6:37).

Christ compels no one:

Christ asked Bartimaeus: What do you want Me to do for you? (vs. 51). He asked what he wanted even though He knew the need! He still asks us the same question in order to assure us that we have freedom to choose and that He does not compel us.

He says, If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come unto him and dine with him, and he with Me (Revelation 3:20). If anyone desires to come after Me...(Luke 9:23). He never presumed on anyone's hospitality. He is strong but tender and respects man's freedom. He draws us with gentle cords (Hosea 11:4), so we love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).

Christ is the One who grants salvation and is worthy of being followed:

Christ said, Go your way. Your faith has made you well. Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road (vs. 52). Christ granted him healing of his body and soul and let him go. But Bartimaeus decided to follow Christ. There is something very attractive about Christ which makes us love and respect Him and want to be like Him. When we consider Him, we want to be His image, for there is no wrong in Him which we could excuse Him for or defend or hide from people, or try to explain away! When we let people see His splendor, they enjoy seeing God. He Himself said, He who has seen me, has seen the Father (John 14:9).

He followed Jesus on the road.Following Christ is not just following a certain idea, philosophy or doctrine. It is following a living person. Jesus is a lifestyle. That is why primitive Christianity was called "The Way" (Acts 9:2).

Have you come to know Christ the Saviour? Have your eyes been opened to the splendor of His love? Come and follow Him on the road!

How many blind men did Christ heal at Jericho? Why does Mark only mention Bartimaeus?

How did Bartimaeus use what he had in order to reach Christ?

How can one say that Bartimaeus' persistence in wanting to be healed represented a danger to his material situation?

Which are the things we must lay aside because they hamper our spiritual healing?

What important decision did Bartimaeus take after he had been healed? And what do we learn from him?

How can we compare the Church today with the eye-witnesses to the miracle of Bartimaeus' healing?

"Christ is unique" - explain this idea.

Uselessness brings about destruction:

In spite of having leaves, occupying a piece of land and sapping the soil, the fig tree did not produce the fruit that was expected of it. Its uselessness thus was the reason why it withered.

God put us on earth that we might bear fruit. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). We were dead in our sins and transgressions, but Christ brought us to life and raised us up from the death of our sins and made us to sit with Him in the heavenlies, that we might be fruitful in good works. Christ comes to us to look for our fruit. Are we really fruitful, or is the light which is in us darkness? He will ask us what benefit we have rendered to His Kingdom and the world. We must justify our existence by being beneficial to those around us.

Hypocrisy results in judgment:

The tree appeared to have produced figs, but, in reality, there were just leaves. It did not bear fruit, because it did not have the power to do so. In this way it became a symbol of lip service and hypocrisy.

The great Indian leader Gandhi might well have become a Christian. In the early years of his life in South Africa, he used to pray in a church. When he studied in England, he went to church regularly. However, what did he find in the churches where he prayed? The church he attended in South Africa was like a social club where people went to enjoy themselves with their friends. It had no message of salvation and no concern for other people! In England, he was sitting in a church one day, when the church warden came up to him and said, This place is not for you. Then he led him to another place reserved for coloured people! Gandhi then said, If it weren't for the Christians, I would have become a Christian! If Gandhi had in fact become a Christian, he would have had an enormous impact on the whole Indian society, but he had too much contact with Christians who were like the unfruitful fig tree. Many Christians have the form of godliness, but deny its power (2 Timothy 3:5).

Christ said, Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit... Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me... If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned (John 15:2-6).

The apostle Jude talks about clouds without water (Jude 12). What is the use of a cloud that gives no rain so that the earth may bring forth fruit? It is just a deception, raising hopes of heavy rainfall, but no rain comes! It is like the angel of the Church of Sardes, to whom Christ said: I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead (Revelation 3:1). He had a name and an image, but in fact he was devoid of life. He was like the fig tree which had an appearance but no substance.

Attempting to hide oneself leads to ruin:

When our original parents sinned in the Garden of Eden and ate from the tree of which they were forbidden to eat, their eyes were opened and they knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings (Genesis 3:7). However, it was impossible for those leaves to cover them, for they would dry out. God then opened their eyes to see that they needed the clothing of godliness and the garment of salvation. The Lord God made tunics of skin and clothed them(Genesis 3:21). Lest these our original parents should think that they could be forgiven by hiding under tunics of skin (i.e. by expiatory sacrifices of animals), God promised that the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent's head (Genesis 3:15). The "Seed of the Woman" is the One who atones and forgives and covers our sin. With His sacrifice there is no more need for repeated sacrifices. Christ, in sacrificing Himself, brought about everlasting redemption, once and for all. The Righteous One died for sinners. So we see in Adam's and Eve's attempt to cover themselves with fig leaves a human attempt which is a total failure.

When Christ cursed the fruitless fig tree, He wanted to tell all of us that no one can be justified by his own efforts. Justification is only by the sacrifice of Christ, who said on the cross, It is finished (John 19:30). All attempts of man to cover himself will fail, because they are the fruit of a sinner who is a failure. The only Saviour is Christ in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7).

Effective prayer:

Matthew the Evangelist says, Now when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, `How did the fig tree wither away so soon?' Jesus answered them, `Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, "Be removed and be cast into the sea", it will be done' (Matthew 21:20,21). This verse has a special place in the history of the Egyptian Christians. In the Fatimid age, a Jewish person told the Fatimid Caliph al-Aziz Billah about this verse. The Caliph sent for the Orthodox Patriarch and asked him to prove the truth of his gospel by moving Mount Muqattam. After fasting and prayer, the mountain was lifted up. This was a most influential event in the life of the Fatimid statesmen.

May we by the grace of Christ have a life of continuous, profound, answered prayer. Christ gave His disciples a mighty promise: And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it (John 14:13,14). Effective prayer removes the mountains of hindrances. It helps us to do the work of God. It makes us receive His grace so that we are changed. It gives us strength to bear all difficulties, whatever they may be.

Three objections are raised against Christ because He cursed the fig tree:

We have three observations about Christ:

What common lesson can we learn from Christ's cleansing of the temple and His cursing of the fig tree?

In which way does the cursed fig tree resemble the Israelite nation?

Explain how uselessness leads to destruction.

Explain how hypocrisy leads to condemnation.

Three objections are raised against Christ. Mention and answer them.

Malchus:

His name means "king", but he behaved like a servant of sin. He was not free to decide for himself, but being a servant he was subject to the whims of his master, the high priest. He was different from those who came to arrest Christ. They could claim their wages as police officers, whereas he had heard much about Christ from his master, so he saw and judged Him according to the opinion of the high priest. Accordingly, he had decided that Christ presented a danger to the state because the people wanted to install Him as king. If that were to happen, the Romans would consider it a revolt against them and would attack and destroy the country. Therefore the high priest had said, It is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish (John 11:50). This meant that Christ would have to die! Being convinced about this, Malchus accompanied the group going out to arrest Christ under the pretext of serving the whole people. As soon as Peter saw the attackers coming, he drew his sword, struck at Malchus and cut his ear off!

None of the four evangelists mention that Malchus, after he was healed, backed off from what he came to do. This shows how ungrateful Malchus was. He had received a blessing from Christ, but did not render Him any thanks or recognition. He expressed no repentance. He made the devil's case against Christ his own by remaining unresponsive to Christ's love.

How many are those who receive a favour, and how few are those who recognise it and give thanks!

Peter:

We have four comments on Christ:

We can learn many things from the miracle of the healing of Malchus' ear:

Mention two reasons why it must have been Christ Himself who was arrested, and not some other person.

Mention four blessings resulting from the healing of Malchus' ear.

What does the name "Malchus" mean? How can we say that his name contradicts his actions?

Did Christ's miracle change Malchus' attitude towards Him? Why or why not?

What did Christ mean by saying It is enough, when the disciples told Him, Here are two swords?

Write a comment on Christ's saying: All who take the sword will perish by the sword.

Explain the necessity of the cross from this miracle.

They spent a night fishing in vain:

However, they were not alone. The eyes of the Lord were watching them. When we experience pain, distress and failure, we may think that we are alone, but this is not true. The eyes of our beloved Lord are watchful over us. A glorious morning will surely come. He knows what we are going through. His right hand will be stretched out with blessing the moment He finds to be suitable. When He takes His time, it is not because He is neglecting us, but because His timing is blessed and wise.

They did not recognise Christ when He came to them:

St. John says: When the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus (vs. 4).

The outward appearance of Jesus had changed after His resurrection from the dead. He had acquired the body of glory. He will do the same to those who love Him in the last day. He is the One who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself (Philippians 3:21). This is the reason Mary Magdalene did not recognise Him when she saw Him at the tomb: She turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus (John 20:14). For the same reason, the two disciples at Emmaus did not recognise Him when He joined them on the road: So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him (Luke 24:15,16).

At His word they cast the net:

When Christ issued His command, they obeyed and caught many fish. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning(Psalm 30:5). This is what the disciples experienced. In Psalm 143:8 David says, Cause me to hear Your loving kindness in the morning, for in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You. He had said, I will never leave you nor forsake you, so we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?(Hebrews 13:6).

The disciples needed the expenses of the journey to Jerusalem. Christ provided for them completely with the fish they had caught.

The disciples caught 153 big fish:

The Gospel mentions the exact count of the fish they caught. There are many symbolical interpretations to explain the number:

They recognised Him:

When the disciples had caught the fish, they knew Him. The first one who knew was John, the disciple whom Jesus loved. Peter was the first who jumped into the water in order to meet Christ! We notice the difference between the gifts of the apostles: John had the gift of acquaintance by his heart because of his intimate knowledge of the Lord. He could distinguish Jesus' voice and work. Peter, on the other hand, rushed into action, throwing himself, body and soul, towards Christ, swimming in the water. The Lord gives gifts to everyone according to His choice and what is good in His eyes, for the perfection of the saints for the work of the ministry, that the Body of Christ might be built up. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4).

They learned:

Christ opens the conversation with them:

Children, do you have any food?(vs. 5). Food here means what is eaten with bread. Christ meant fish. Christ took the initiative in His contact with the disciples. When we committed our lives to the Lord and experienced the new life, He had the initiative. It was His love that reached out from on high to save us from our sins. It took our hand into His and raised us up, thereby leading us to salvation.

The Lord's hand still reaches out in endless mercy. He waits for us to stretch out our hand to receive the blessing prepared for us I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord (Psalm 116:13). When we receive it, He will say to us: Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full (John 16:24).

Christ, the One who knows everything:

Children, do you have any food?(vs. 5). He always pin-points our need exactly. Whatever the need is, He knows it before we ask Him. He meets every need and rescues from every tribulation and failure. He gives in abundance for us to enjoy.

When the disciples answered that they had no food, He said, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some (vs. 6). These were experts, specialists in fishing, having spent their whole life at the Sea of Galilee. But they did not know where to find fish. But He is the One who knows the need and where to find what they need! When we hear His voice and agree to what He says and wait for His directions to us, He shows us where to find the blessing we need! Try yourself to obtain His blessing.

Christ, the loving, tender One:

The disciples were exhausted from working all night. They were hungry in the morning. The world had given them nothing. But Christ, the loving One, gave them an abundant catch of fish from the lake. When they had come to land, they found a fire of coals there and fish laid on it and bread (vs. 9). This was really a token of love to the tired disciples!

This means that Christ thought of all their immediate needs in every way. He took into His consideration all the specifics of what they needed in the long run. When we reach a time and an area of need, we find that He has already prepared everything in advance in a much better way than we had asked for and thought of!

The psalmist asks: Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? (Psalm 78:19). We ask the same question. Is not life itself a desert!

The answer comes to us from God's mercy and loving-kindness. What God did for His prophet Elijah is an example of this. When this hero of a prophet was in a weak position, confronted with the evil queen Jezebel, he ran away from the danger zone to the wilderness. The Lord took pity on him and sent him an angel with food: Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him and said, `Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.' So he arose, and ate and drank (1 Kings 19:1-9). This meal strengthened him so that he could go back to Mount Horeb.

It is possible for you to feel God's love and tenderness towards you if you surrender the control over your life to Him.

Jesus respects our self-esteem:

After the disciples had seen the fish on the embers and the bread, Christ told them, Bring some of the fish which you have just caught (vs. 10). This He did to make them feel that they had really accomplished something! The Lord gives to us when we are unable, but He wants us to feel accomplishment and self-esteem. He encourages us to present to Him what He has already given us. David understood this truth, for He said to the Lord, All things come from You, and of Your own we have given You(1 Chronicles 29:14). True enough, God does everything, but He wants us to be partners with Him in what He does, in order that we may respect ourselves and have self-confidence.

Verse 13 says, Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. When we are reluctant to come forward to Him, He comes forward to us, and He presents to us what we need, so that we may feel secure and find safety.

Christ teaches us:

In what sense is this appearance of Christ His third after the resurrection, and in what sense is it His seventh appearance?

Mention three important things which happened at the Sea of Galilee.

Why did the seven disciples return to fishing?

Why did the disciples not recognise Christ when He stood on the shore?

Mention one lesson we can learn from the catch of the 153 fish.

The dragging of the net to the shore teaches us two things; what are they?

Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?Explain your answer.