The Life of Christ

Jesus healed many sick people who had leprosy. In times past, this disease was considered a sign of sin and uncleanness. The term for healing leprosy was "cleansing", indicating that this malady was considered to be a sign of God's judgement against sinners. Reading the Jewish medical books, one finds many cures for all sorts of diseases except for leprosy, for it was thought to be curable only by a miracle from God. We see this view clearly illustrated in the words of King Jehoram, during the days of Elisha, regarding the healing of Naaman the Syrian (2 Kings 5:7). A leper was expected to avoid all people, even those from his own household. If he dared to enter a city, he would be lashed forty times. A leper was actually considered to be a dead man; whoever touched him became unclean. He was ordered to observe such mourning practices as tearing his clothes, uncovering his head, covering his mouth, going without bathing, etc. He was always to cry, "unclean, unclean", in order to warn others of his presence. When a leper was healed, he had to prove this by obtaining a certification from the priest, verifying his cure.

One day, Jesus was visiting a city. A leper came to him, even though lepers were forbidden to approach others. One can visualise the crowd dispersing for fear of becoming unclean. His appearance must have been pitiful. We can imagine his head being shaved and uncovered; his clothes, torn; and his voice, hoarse, from the spreading infection. Luke the Evangelist says that he was full of leprosy, and so he must have looked frightening; parts of his nose, ears, lips, and eyelids were probably eaten up, and he went his way shouting "unclean, unclean". When he saw Jesus, he knelt in front of him.

Judging from his outward appearance, he must have felt miserable. But he was actually fortunate because the Spirit of God inspired him to bow down to Christ whom he called "Master". The only ones who had bowed down before Christ, prior to this leper, were the Magi at his manger. Following this leper's example, millions of people from different races have bowed before Christ.

We can still remember the authoritative voice of Christ when he rebuked the Devil, saying, ...it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only..' How could Jesus accept this worship? Even Christ's apostles and the angels prevented people from worshipping them, because it was forbidden. They knew they were altogether different from Christ, and they were not envious of the divine right of God who alone deserves honour. But Jesus Christ had divine rights; this made it possible for him to accept the worship of that leper.

The story of this leper astonishes us. How was faith born in his heart? All the other sick who sought Jesus' help said, ...But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us (Mark 9:22). They said this even though their infirmities were often curable. This leper, who was considered to be incurably ill, said, if You are willing, You can make me clean. With these words, the leper expressed his belief that Christ could heal him -- an act attributable only to God. The leper was humble; he did not demand that Jesus heal him. Despite his great need, he respected the will of Christ, and because of his great humility and faith, he became worthy of receiving this honour from Jesus.

Since the leper's faith was evident, Christ did not delay healing him. He immediately assured the man that he was willing to restore him. Christ never delays when believers ask for healing from their sins; he grants salvation at once through his forgiveness. Jesus was not moved to cleanse the leper merely out of a mechanical response to his petition, for he is not like that. Jesus also did not do it to become famous, because he later ordered the leper not to tell others about his healing. Jesus performed this marvellous act of mercy because he had compassion on him; he was moved with pity. He stretched out his hand, and touched him.

When Jesus touched the leper, he was proclaiming that God is love. After years of exclusion from his family, and of suffering from this dreadful disease, this man was rewarded for his wonderful faith. Christ comforted him through his touch. We cannot imagine the joy that filled his heart when Jesus, with his hands resting upon the man's head, said, I am willing, ... Be clean! These words restored the leper, and he. was made new -- inside and out.

Jesus stressed love's superiority over religious ritual. He said, I desire mercy, not sacrifice (Matthew 12:7). Christ came as God in the flesh to be a final, atoning sacrifice. By touching the leper, he foreshadowed his work of Redemption which is recorded in 2 Corinthians 5:21: God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Jesus knew of the disadvantages in publicising the news of the leper's healing, but the healed man was so enthusiastic that he wanted to tell everyone. Jesus told him, See that you don't tell this to anyone.... Jesus did not want the crowd to think that he had become unclean by touching the leper. This would have hindered his ministry. Jesus also did not want more crowds to gather around him, for this would have interfered with his important work of evangelism and teaching. John Chrysostom, one of the Church Fathers, said that Jesus wanted those who were healed to be quiet and reverent. He wanted them to think of God's mercies towards them so that they would not succumb to feelings of pride. He did not want them to seek fame either, due to the many people that would be impressed by what had happened.

Jesus gave the man an order: ...Show yourself to the priest. It was the duty of every Jew to submit to the Mosaic Law, and Jesus wanted the healed leper to go to the priest in Jerusalem to have his healing certified. A priest's confirmation of his cleansing would make it possible for him to return to his people. It was not easy to get such certification, but it was necessary. Jesus did not want the healed leper to announce his miraculous cure to others because the priest might then refuse him a certification of cleansing when he discovered who it was that had healed him; for the priests hated Christ.

The cured leper disobeyed Jesus and told others of his healing. Because of this, many people gathered around Jesus, and he had to go out into the wilderness to be alone and commune with his Father. Luke says: Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed (Luke 5:15,16).

Dear Reader,

This man, in his enthusiasm, disobeyed Jesus, and the result was detrimental to Christ's ministry. He should have submitted to Jesus' command. We need to show our thankfulness to Christ, for his graciously saving us from Sin, by being obedient and submitting to his orders.

Jesus stood at the customs office where the tax collectors collect taxes from the merchants. He greeted one of the men there and said to him, Follow me. Christ also invites you to follow him now, just as he invited Matthew (Levi) the tax collector.

If we meditate on this invitation, we can see that it is not as simple as it looks. To begin with, there was much about this man that made others dislike him when they saw him -- especially since he was now with Christ. It is true that he came from their city, Capernaum. His name was Matthew, meaning "the gift of God". His Hebrew name was Levi, meaning "priest", which indicates that he came from a noble, priestly family. He was an educated and rich man, but was also a tax collector, one of a despised and hated class. The disciples of Christ were probably anxious over this invitation -- fearing Matthew would join them. Because Matthew accepted the invitation of Jesus, and became one of his disciples, all Christ's enemies were pleased; they thought this would make Jesus look bad.

The invitation which was extended to Matthew shows us the greatness of Christ who was not influenced by the opinions of the people of his day. This is further evidence of his divine nature, for all other people are concerned about what other people think of them, and seek to conform to society. Did not God say to his people, For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways... (Isaiah 55:8). By not acting like his contemporaries, Jesus showed that he had a different origin, for his principles and thoughts were unique. He was not of this earth. The leaders of the Jews hated tax collectors, and deprived them of their civil rights. They did not accept their testimonies in court, and they put them in the same class as usurers, gamblers, thieves, murderers, adulterers, and pagans. They would not ask the tax collectors for a charitable contribution, nor would they sit with them at meals. They used to liken tax collectors to wild animals. This bad treatment only caused those who had chosen tax-collecting as their profession to become more and more corrupt. Why did Jesus invite a tax collector to join him and become one of his disciples, and later one of his apostles? The answer is that Jesus did not behave like other Jews who hated this class of people. In his great love, Jesus reached out to everyone, especially the outcasts of society, showing them God's tenderness. That is why Jesus invited a tax collector to follow him.

Jesus saw that the faults of the religious leaders were much greater and more deserving of condemnation than those of the tax collectors. Had the Pharisees understood this, they would have escaped judgement. But since they did not, Jesus condemned them openly many times. Sinners who are conscious of their faults and confess them to Jesus are nearer to the Kingdom of God than religious hypocrites who pretend to be righteous. This is why a despised tax collector was given the opportunity to enter heaven before the Pharisees.

Jesus had already saved an outcast when he led the Samaritan woman to repentance and faith. Now, he invited Matthew to enter his spiritual kingdom. Jesus explained that the wickedness of the tax collectors was the reason why he, as the Great Physician, gave them favourable attention; he did not seek healthy people, but the sick. The Saviour of the Pharisees is also the Saviour of the tax collectors. He once told the high priests and elders of the Jews: ...Which of the two did what his father wanted? The first, they answered. Jesus said to them, I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him (Matthew 21:31,32). Here, we see Christ implying that he would meet the same fate as John the Baptist who was accepted by repentant sinners, but was rejected by the unrepentant elders of the Jews.

It is likely that Matthew already knew about Jesus Christ. He had probably heard his preaching several times, and had been moved by it. He may also have seen some of Christ's miracles and believed in him with a simple faith like many others. He probably began to hate his distasteful job, and longed to leave it. Jesus saw the attitude of his heart, and therefore knew that Matthew was ready for an invitation to follow him, and so he invited him. Matthew left everything and followed him. The work of divine grace was evident in him, for he lost his love for money, and sacrificed everything for the sake of Christ.

Matthew not only left his profitable job for Christ's sake, but he also prepared a big banquet in his home for him. He invited many of his colleagues, because other "respectable" people would not normally have responded to his invitation. Maybe he wanted his associates to come to know Jesus too, finding the light as he had; this is what every enlightened follower of Christ should do. Matthew was the only disciple who prepared such a banquet for Jesus. He wanted to express his gratitude to Christ because he had invited him into his circle of disciples and saved him from his sinful plight. Yes, Matthew lost his employment and income, but he gained salvation and forgiveness of sins. Whatever he had previously gained was now counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Jesus rewarded him with an honour that has endured through the ages. Matthew's account of the Gospel is the first of the four which tells the story of the good news of Jesus' coming into the world. His name has been immortalised more than the names of kings, scientists, or men of wealth. Through the Gospel account which he wrote, he has led many souls to Christ. Whoever denies this world, with its evil allurements, to follow and serve the great divine teacher, will be richly rewarded.

Matthew showed evidence of his transformed life because he immediately began thinking of giving rather than taking. Some people think that they do the Church a favour when they join it, and they ex-pect worldly benefits in exchange. They are like Peter in one of his lapses when he told Jesus, ...We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us? (Matthew 19:27). Instead of considering the Church to be their benefactor for accepting them, they should rather give a large portion of their blessings in appreciation.

In his account of the Gospel, Matthew described how Jesus invited him to be a disciple. With a humility that typified his character, Matthew did not mention that he left all to follow Jesus, or the fact that he prepared a banquet for him. Only Luke tells us this. While Mark and Luke, in their list of the names of the apostles, do not give Matthew the title, "tax collector", Matthew, in his Gospel account, does use this despised title. It seems that he wanted to give the glory to Christ who had graciously condescended to include a tax collector among his chosen apostles.

In many languages, there is a proverb which says, Birds of a feather, flock together. The Pharisees regarded Christ with scorn because he accepted the fellowship of outcasts, and ate with them. The proverb would be true of Jesus if he had shared with sinners in their sin. But this was not the case. His purpose in associating with sinners was to change them and lead them to the divine light.

Christ accepted the invitation of Matthew and ate in his home. By so doing, he broke down the divisions between different classes of people, showing that God is not partial but accepts people from all nations who fear him and do what is right (Acts 10:35). The people of Jesus' day could not see that, in the sight of God, there is no difference between rich or poor, educated or simple, king or slave. Jesus was the first to teach this principle, leaving it to the world as a precious legacy.

When one considers this unusual gathering in the house of Matthew, one sees a striking contrast. On the one hand, we see Christ who was called the Holy One before his birth and to whom the devils attested, ...I know who you are-- the Holy One of God! (Mark 1:24). On the other, we see a group of tax collectors and sinners. What brought these two together? The answer is found in the words of Jesus, I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

The scribes and the Pharisees complained when Jesus accepted the invitation of Matthew. They did not object to tax collectors eating with their own kind, but they were disgusted with Christ for mingling with this despicable crowd, and they reproached him for it.

When Jesus healed a paralytic in another house in the same city, he rebuked the leaders of the Jews, answering their unspoken objections. Perhaps they did not voice their thoughts against him publicly because they were afraid that his answer to their spoken criticisms would be stronger than that to their silent complaints. Therefore, they directed their attack at Christ's disciples, asking why their rabbi associated with sinners and tax collectors. Jesus did not give his disciples a chance to answer the question. He himself responded immediately. The disciples were not yet in a position to give a satisfactory reply to this important question which dealt with the primary purpose of Christ's coming into the world. In his answer, Jesus explained that his outward actions were merely symbols of his spiritual service; he healed bodies to show that he was also the healer of souls. As they had seen his interest in healing the sick, they were also to understand his interest in healing souls from Sin. Christ revealed to the leaders of the Jews that he was the Physician of Souls. They should have realised that, as the Saviour, he offered his service to sinners, not to the righteous. A doctor does not treat a sick person who claims to be well. Likewise, the Saviour does not save a sinner who claims to be righteous. But these leaders of the Jews were doing just that. They boasted that they were teachers of religion, and therefore they thought they needed no Saviour. Had they been truly righteous, they would have rejoiced to see Jesus giving his attention to the lost, leading them to the right path. They should have been pleased that he attended to the sick. This did not mean that he himself was sick, or that he shared their illnesses.

When Jesus declared, I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, he demonstrated the importance of penitence. What is that repentance to which he called people? To begin with, it is an awareness, on the part of a person, that he is a sinner and that Sin is loathsome. Also, the person should have sorrow for his sins, and have a genuine determination to leave them. Lastly, the person must find refuge in God who grants divine forgiveness, seeking his help to remain faithful.

John the Evangelist tells us how a man who had been sick for thirty-eight years was healed. He stayed by a pool called Bethesda, near Jerusalem, which had a bubbling spring. Whenever that spring bubbled, people claimed that healing properties were released. People flocked to that pool to be healed. Five large porches had been built around it where people could stay while they waited for the bubbling of the waters.

One Sabbath day, Jesus came to this pool and visited one of these porches. He saw a pitiful multitude of sick, blind, lame, and paralysed people, waiting for the movement of the water. Out of all of these, Jesus chose to heal one old man, blessing that Sabbath day with a miracle of mercy. Why did Christ choose this particular man? Maybe it was because of his advanced age or his chronic illness. No doubt, he had been beside this pool the longest. We can infer that Jesus found him to be an appropriate example of a person needing spiritual and physical healing from an illness which others thought was caused by his hidden sins. He was in despair over his hopeless predicament. Unless a person is desperate about his condition, Christ cannot stretch out his hand to help.

Christ stood beside that sick man, looked at him, and asked him a question that appeared to be quite simple: Do you want to get well? This teacher from Galilee was interested in an invalid whom he had never met before. It would be possible for the man not to have taken this question from a stranger seriously, but, out of respect for Jesus, he told him how he felt. No doubt, he must have been impressed by the appearance and voice of Christ, for he answered respectfully: Sir,I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me. The only requirement Jesus made of this man, for his healing, was that he himself should desire it. Because Jesus always wants every sinner to be saved, he, in essence, was asking the man if he really wanted salvation. God wants everyone to be saved, but each sinner has to ask for salvation individually.

From the reply of this sick man, we can see how feeble his sickness had made him; when the waters bubbled, he was never able to reach the pool before the others. We also find that he was alone, without anyone to give him this vital assistance. Had he only known that Jesus selected him because he was without help, his disposition would have changed from despair to hope. This Saviour is still seeking and saving all who realise and confess that they have no one else to aid them. David wrote: Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save (Psalms 146:3).

The fact that this sick man was beside the pool draws us that he wanted to be healed. Why then did Jesus ask him, Do you want to get well? It could be that the will of this sick man, like his body, had become destitute after so many repeated failures, and the long duration of his illness. It was therefore necessary for his will to be revitalised so that he could surrender himself to the healing power of Christ. Jesus wanted to rouse him from the sluggishness to which he had long become accustomed; he also seeks to do the same with sinners who practice external religious rituals in hope of being saved from their sins. As the man tried to break the power of Sin in his life, he was afraid of failure, for he had failed so often in the past. With the passing of time and no hope of improvement, his will had become stagnant, and he stopped asking for help. That is why Jesus asked him if he wanted to be made well.

Christ insists on asking those whom he wants to help if they really desire his assistance, because many people do not want the salvation he offers. Christ only grants this precious gift to those who ask for it with all their hearts.

This man had chosen to pursue his own method of healing. Yet, his cure came to him in a way completely different than he had expected. He had always looked to the pool for blessing, when the angel supposedly came to move the water. But Christ, the one whom all the angels obey, came instead. He gave this invalid complete healing in a way he never imagined possible.

Christ said to the sick man: Get up! Pick up your mat and walk. We would not be astonished if the sick man had answered with the following words: Please help me up and take me to the pool when the water moves. Then I will be able to carry my bed and walk. If you really are concerned with my situation, wait beside me until the water moves. Be my friend in time of need. Be the one whose help I have always waited for, but who never came. Even though he did not say these words, he did have faith and acted upon it; and for this we praise him! We learn from this man that the necessary knowledge of salvation is acquired from Christ himself, through meditating on his teachings. It does not from our own preconceived ideas, or from other people.

Since healing from sickness is a symbol of salvation from Sin, Jesus did not postpone healing the sick man, despite the fact that it was the Sabbath. Salvation also cannot be delayed. When Jesus said to the man, Get up!, he was telling him to do all he could. Jesus still says to sinners: Be sure that the One who orders you to come to him will give you the necessary power to do so. You can study the Bible. You can bow down in prayer. You can find fellowship and instruction among other believers. You can seek the counsel of those whom you consider to be spiritual leaders. Now get up, and move spiritually!

Christ instilled hope in the heart of this desperate man. He felt new energy in his muscles, and was healed immediately; he stood up, carried his bed, and walked. When Jesus asked him to carry his bed, he wanted the man to demonstrate his instantaneous healing which was free and complete, in an act which would honour his healer. He wanted him to leave that place where he had been lying for so many years -- never to return to it. It is as if Jesus had commanded him to get up and begin doing useful things for himself and others. Christ tells the sinner: Rectify the effects of your sins, as much as possible, now that you have received free and complete forgiveness. Then, go out and do what you know to be God's will for yourself and others. Instead of having them carry you, you carry them. Instead of having them serve you, you serve them. Show by your good works the evidence of your salvation. Announce your resolve never to go back to your old sinful life.

When Christ told the sick man to walk, it is clear that he wanted him to be healed. He also wanted him to leave the company of the sick, join the fellowship of those who are well, and become like them. He needed to go out among the people to show them what Jesus had done for him. Every saved sinner should leave his old corrupt associations and join the fellowship of believers, so that his faith can grow stronger. Through his words and deeds, he should demonstrate to everyone the important change that had taken place in him, and in so doing he will glorify his Saviour. Christ made the porches of Bethesda into a place where the power of his divine healing was manifested. Jesus also makes the place of repentant prayer a place of salvation.

The sick man obeyed the orders of his healer. He carried his bed and walked among the people. It was a Sabbath. The Jewish elders criticised him, and when they asked him who it was that had or-dered him to carry his bed, he said he did not know. Many people are pleased with what Jesus does for them; yet, they do not care to develop an intimate relationship with him or to express their gratitude to him for the salvation they have received.

Blind fanaticism filled the spirits of the Jewish elders. They wanted to condemn Jesus because he had told the sick man to carry his bed on a Sabbath. They did not care to ask the sick man who it was that had healed him. Instead, they asked: Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk? When they discovered that he did not know, they left. But Jesus did not leave him. He went to him in the Temple and said: See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you. All the suffering that a person endures will not bring him to repentance or quench the evil tendencies within him. The former misery of that healed man did not guarantee that he would stay away from sin. That is why Jesus warned him not to return to it.

As soon as the man discovered the name of his healer, he told the Jewish elders. They wanted to kill Christ because he had healed on the Sabbath and said that God was his Father. By this, he was making himself equal with God. In the Scriptures, we find mankind repeatedly described as children of God. This description, however, does not mean that people are on the same level as God. Because Jesus stressed his equality with God, the Jewish elders regarded his words as sacrilege, and they started thinking about how to put him to death as a blasphemer. In actuality, we are indebted to them for their aggressive resistance toward Jesus, for it gave him the opportunity to publicly proclaim his true divine nature and intimate union with the Father.

Christ did not deny his claim of equality with God, his Father. He did not remain quiet either, lest his silence be considered an acknowledgement of their opinion of him. He did just the opposite; he expounded this accusation, saying that whatever the Father does, he himself does also; for the Father loves him and shows him all that he does. Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so too the Son grants life to whom he is pleased to give it. The Father will judge no one, but has entrusted all judgement to the Son that all may honour the Son just as they do the Father. Therefore, those who do not honour the Son do not honour the Father who sent him. The Father has life in himself, and he has granted the Son to have life in himself; he has given authority to the Son to judge, because he is the Son of Man.

Christ did not refute the fact that God was his Father, or that he shared equality with him. In fact, he would not keep silent about it but confirmed this fact by more statements to this effect, such as the following:

Jesus presents us with five testimonies to his being the only Son of God:

Christ described the two-fold task with which the Father had entrusted him; namely, to restore life and to destroy it. He made it clear, however, that people are damned by their own choice when he said: ``...You are not willing to come to me that you may have life.'' Lest his listeners believe that his nature was solely divine, he also emphasised his humanity. He said that the Father had given him authority to execute judgement because he is the Son of Man. Philippians 2:5-11 makes this clear:

Dear Reader, what do you think of Christ? Will you believe what the Gospel says about him?

Apparently, the disciples of John the Baptist were fasting according to Jewish tradition whereas Jesus and his disciples did not fast. When Matthew, the tax collector, was called to follow Christ, he prepared a banquet for him and his disciples. This drew criticism from the Jewish leaders.

The Jews thought highly of fasting, and even today it is considered to be very important. The Law required them to fast one day each year, on the Day of Atonement. They thought that their fasting itself would please God, so they added more annual fastings, after their return from the Babylonian captivity. They soon imposed upon themselves two fast days per week, year-round. From Christ's reply, one concludes that fasting is voluntary and dependent on circumstances. There is no need to fast except when it is appropriate to do so. It should not become a set duty to be observed at certain times, regardless of the prevailing conditions. Because the Jews did not fast with proper motives, God often found their self-denial to be unacceptable. The prophet Isaiah writes about how God views fasting. In Isaiah 58:3, the Jews confront God with the following question: 'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?' God gives them the following reply:

Acceptable fasting is that which comes as a result of real sorrow. One notices that the sad person does not eat. He cannot enjoy his meal because of his sadness, for his body cannot easily digest the food. A joyful spirit stimulates digestion, whereas sadness hinders it. Humbling the body without humbling the spirit is useless. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned us against pride and hypocrisy while fasting. He said that the fasting which God accepts is that which no one knows about except God and the person fasting (Matthew 6:16-18).

When Jesus spoke to the Jewish elders concerning fasting, he explained that the disciples of the Baptist had reason to fast. Their teacher and master was taken away from them and had been thrown in prison unjustly. The disciples of Jesus had no reason to fast, however, because their master was still with them. Jesus said that a time would come when their bridegroom (he himself) would be taken away from them; then they would fast. In saying this, Jesus was hinting at the cruelty and hard-heartedness of the Jews which would lead them to crucify him. Yes, Jesus offered himself on the Cross by his own free will, but his death was carried out through the hostility of his own people. The prophet Isaiah described this when he wrote: By oppression and judgement he was taken away (Isaiah 53:8). The Apostle Peter depicted this as well: This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross (Acts 2:23).

The disciples of John the Baptist were listening to Jesus as he spoke about fasting. Jesus reminded them that their master had likened him to a bridegroom, and his disciples to the wedding guests. How can wedding guests fast and mourn while the bridegroom is still with them? This illustration is the strongest analogy Christ used to explain the total unity between himself and believers. This unity is like the relationship between a bridegroom and his bride. Jesus loves believers even unto death, and will continue to do so throughout eternity. This love effects a complete union between himself and all believers. The two become one; they are in Christ and he is in them.

They are the body and he is the head. He pays all their debts to God, provides all their needs, shares their difficulties, and carries their burdens. He sympathises with their weakness, is patient with their mistakes, and never leaves them. If someone does them good or ill, he considers it as being done to him. He is ready to give them the glory which the Father has given him before the creation of the world. Where he is, there they will also be. This noble relationship is the joyous result of believing in him and being united to him.

After Christ had explained that the believers' union with him resembles the relation between a bridegroom and bride, he went on to give his view of the Mosaic traditions. He used two parables which were aimed especially at the disciples of the Baptist, for they thought that the Good News which Jesus had brought would be added to the old, which Moses had given them. They thought the old would stay, not needing to be replaced by the new. This would mean that Christ and his disciples would have to keep all the Jewish ordinances. But Jesus said that the new order, if connected to the old, would destroy it; nothing would be gained because the new was stronger. He said: No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. (Mark 2:21). No wise person would do that; neither would he put new wine into old wineskins, for it would result in the loss of both the wineskins and the wine. Garments clothe people, while skins contain wine. Christ taught that when a cloth has done its work and has become old, it is discarded and something new is used in its place. It is not patched. This does not mean that the old is bad, but that it has fulfilled its purpose. When someone wants to attend a wedding, he does not repair an old piece of clothing with holes in it. He buys new clothes for the occasion. This is also true of our religious life. If any of the disciples of the Baptist or the Pharisees wanted to follow Christ, the heavenly bridegroom, they would have to put on new clothes; that is, they would have to adopt new practices -- baptism instead of circumcision, Holy Communion instead of the Passover Feast, the priesthood of all the believers instead of the Levitical priesthood, worship on the first day instead of the seventh, and the Church, or collective body of believers, instead of the Temple.

With this good illustration, Jesus clarified the fact that the traditional Mosaic order had served its purpose and had thus become old. It could not be reformed. It had to be replaced with something superior which would supersede it. The Law of Moses was like skin or the outside cover of religion. In the second illustration, Jesus said that whoever accepts his new teaching has to accept it with a new heart which is born through the work of the Holy Spirit. When Christ concluded his discourse, saying, And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, 'The old is better' (Luke 5:39), he meant that the renewed heart is like a new skin which can bear the pressure of new wine, the powerful Christian message. This is how Saint Basilius interpreted it. Saint Augustine said that this was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, when the new wine was poured with force into new skins; that is, the Holy Spirit filled the new apostles who were born from above. Some commentators have described the old skins as the Pharisees and the new skins as the apostles.

The disciples of the Baptist held on to the old wine. This is what most people usually do. They need to realise that the new is much better than the old. This understanding can be attained through careful meditation and consideration. A knowledge of this is essential when seeking to share the new light with others. We must not be harsh or overbearing, but should determine which obstacles stand in the way of their seeing the superiority of the new wine.

Jesus and his disciples were walking through the grain fields. The disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain. The Law of Moses permitted this. It said, If you enter your neighbor's grainfield, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to his standing grain (Deuteronomy 23:25). However, when the disciples did this, it was a Sabbath, and the Jewish elders had ruled that plucking is like harvesting; and harvesting is not allowed on the Sabbath. They also considered rubbing the heads of grain as threshing; and threshing too was not allowed on the Sabbath. Therefore, the Jewish elders considered the disciples' action to be breaking one of the Ten Commandments which God had given to Moses on Mount Sinai. The thunder and lightning which accompanied the giving of these commandments emphasised their importance and severity. The ritualistic Jewish elders had seized on the one commandment regarding Sabbath-keeping since it was concerned with outward observances. They went to great extremes in for-mulating prohibitions on all kinds of activity which went beyond the true intent of the Law.

The Pharisees criticised what the disciples of Christ had done. They said, Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath? Jesus replied by quoting the Torah which they knew by heart. He rebuked them because they did not recall what David, their great king, leader, and prophet, had done. When he and his men were hungry, they ate the sacred bread which only priests were to eat. This meant that David broke the law for the sake of mercy on that occasion. If God did not rebuke David for this, then the Son of David, who was much greater, could surely give permission to his followers to pluck and eat heads of grain on the Sabbath.

According to the teachings of Christ, the first commandment, loving God with our whole being, does not contradict the second one, which is to love others. We cannot please God by keeping the Sabbath while, at the same time, we are unkind towards others. Christ, therefore, reminded his listeners of the prophetic word which says, For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6). If Jesus' listeners had understood the meaning of this passage, they would not have passed judgement on his innocent disciples.

Jesus then made reference to another instance which recurred every Sabbath with the leaders' full awareness. This was in obedience to divine orders and was not a human tradition. He said, Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? (Matthew 12:5). They desecrate the Sabbath by lighting the fire for the sacrifices and by working twice as hard for the sake of religious service.

Christ asserted his religious authority on this occasion. He claimed to be greater than the Temple, for he is its Lord. If it was permissible to break the laws of the Sabbath in the service of the majestic Temple, how much more would the Lord of the Temple have the right to violate the man-made prohibitions which the Jews prescribed for that day, for he is the Lord of the Temple and Lord of the Sabbath. In fact, he himself is the Temple, for in him the fullness of deity dwells in the flesh (Colossians 2:9). In him, true worship is rendered to God because he is the mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). If the Temple is greater than the Sabbath, how much greater is the Lord of the Temple!

Christ made an additional comment concerning the Sabbath. He said that this day was made for man, and not man for the day (Mark 2:27). Both the Sabbath and the Temple are for the service of man. Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath, and he honoured it. At the same time, he broadened its usefulness and liberated it from the bonds which the Pharisees had put on it. If Christ were a mere man, he would have had no right to call himself the Lord of the Sabbath.

From many verses in the New Testament -- especially those dealing with the resurrection -- we can conclude that Christ used his authority as Lord of the Sabbath to move the primary day of worship from the seventh day of the week to the first, which is Sunday. Sunday has come to be called "the Lord's Day". The principle here is to have one day per week set apart for good works (works of mercy), worship, and rest. As long as we fully consecrate one day a week to the wor-ship of the Lord and service, we fulfill the intent of the divine commandment. The apostles of Christ, under his guidance and inspired by the Holy Spirit, moved this day from the seventh to the first day of the week. But this did not change the spirit of the commandment nor its purpose. God, in the Old Testament, gave the seventh day a special place, but reserved a nobler day for the New Testament age: the first day of the week. As the Jewish Sabbath was to commemorate the divine work in creation, the Christian day of worship pays tribute to something even greater: the work of Redemption which was consummated when our Redeemer rose from the dead on the first day of the week. This is why we call it ``the Lord's Day.'' Worship on the first day of the week also helps us to remember the day of Pentecost, when the Christian Church was initiated by the outpouring of the wonderful Holy Spirit. The benefits of honouring the Christian day of worship in the history of civilisation since the days of Christ cannot be overestimated.

On another Sabbath day, Jesus taught his third lesson on the subject of the Sabbath. He gave the first lesson in the Temple, the second in the fields, and this third one in a synagogue. On that Sabbath day, when Jesus was teaching in the synagogue, the scribes and Pharisees present noticed that there was a man whose right hand was withered. Christ was known to cure all those whom he saw were sick, as well as those who came and asked him for healing. The scribes and Pharisees were hoping that this man would be healed, not because they pitied him, but because they wanted to find some fault against Jesus, which they could report to the Jewish religious leaders. Hence, their interest in this sick man! Then they asked Jesus: Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?

Christ did not respect their question because they were being insincere. He asked the sick man to stand in their midst, so that his adversaries would be silenced, and to show them that he was not afraid of them. He then asked, I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it? (Luke 6:9). Restoring this man on the Sabbath would be doing good, whereas their desire to kill Christ on the Sabbath was wicked. Now, who was keeping the commandment and who is breaking it? He reminded them that each of them, if owning a sheep which fell into a pit on the Sabbath day, would surely rescue it. How much more then should one save a human soul which is of far greater value than a sheep! Whoever neglects doing good, when he can, should be considered evil. Likewise, whoever disregards leading a soul to salvation, when he is able to do so, contributes to that soul's damnation. Christ condemned the scribes and Pharisees by his question, and they were unable to object.

Jesus waited for their answer, but they kept quiet. By their silence, they admitted that Jesus had the moral authority. Unfortunately, their consciences were not troubled because of their error; neither did they confess their sin nor ask for forgiveness from the man whose hand was withered. Jesus was angered and saddened by their hardness of heart. Indignation, for the Lord's cause, is noble, and sadness over the state of his kingdom sanctifies anger and makes it virtuous. We read in the Bible many times about God's anger; yet, God is holy and perfect! This is how we view the anger of Christ. In its rightful place, anger is a commendable. Christ was angry at those proud people, but was full of pity for the man whose hand was withered. He healed him with a few words, and by this miraculous cure, he proved that he was indeed the Lord of the Sabbath. He said to the man, Stretch out your hand. A normal response to this sort of statement would be, Lord, I cannot. If I could stretch my hand, I would not need your help. But this man believed the impossible, and Jesus healed him, not partially but completely. His hand was restored. Christ does not give incomplete forgiveness either; he grants full pardon to all who come to him. In the example of the man with the withered hand, we see a true example of salvation. This man was not healed by what he did but by what Jesus did. Christ will not heal unless a person believes in him and his work. The work which saves a sinner is the work of Christ, not the work of man. The salvation which Christ offers sinners depends on their faith in his person and work as Saviour.

On these three occasions, when Jesus spoke concerning the Sabbath, he expounded a great principle, saying, The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life (John 6:63). This agrees with what the Apostle Paul said, concerning how God has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant-- not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6).

Jesus' words angered the scribes and Pharisees. Luke the Evangelist says that they were filled with anger and discussed with one another what to do to Jesus (Luke 6:11). In order to keep the commandment regarding the Sabbath, they were willing to break the sixth commandment which says, You shall not murder. Their thoughts toward Christ, and dealings with him, were identical to the way the people of the world have treated God's men in all ages. The prophets, apostles, reformers, and martyrs, with their burning zeal and outstanding piety, suffered a similar fate as Jesus. When the righteous are being scrutinised by hostile people, it is beneficial because it makes them more careful in their public and private life, and the radiance of their testimony becomes brighter.

The rulers of the Jews joined forces in their hatred against Jesus. Although they belonged to different sects, they united to kill him. The Pharisees hated him for ``breaking'' the Sabbath. They considered him to be a corrupting influence, a blasphemer, a Samaritan, and a deceiver, possessed by a devil. He associated with sinners, and, in their view, had dishonoured their Law and Temple. The Herodians, on the other hand, were afraid that he would usurp the throne from King Herod.

When Christ saw that the elders of the Jews were in league against him, he went away to the shore of the Sea of Galilee to minister to the needy crowd and to choose the followers whom he would train for service. He wanted these apostles to declare the Good News after he would die at the hands of the Jewish leaders, resurrect, and ascend into heaven. Many came to him from Galilee, Judea, ldumaea, the coasts of Tyre, Sidon, and Berea; and he healed them all.

In this great crowd, some came to listen to Jesus' teaching while most others sought healing. Christ cast out evil spirits from those who were possessed. Demons recognised him and said, You are the Son of God. Devils saw the divine authority of Christ, and testified to it. People crowded around Jesus in order to touch him, for power went out from him and healed them. He told his disciples to keep a small boat nearby so that he could step into it when pressure from the crowds necessitated it. He himself was often emptied and exhausted in order to fill, strengthen, and relieve others.

Let us now look at his choice of apostles whose task it would be to heal the sick, drive out demons in his name, spread his teachings, organise the groups of believers, and record the truths of the Faith for future generations. Jesus did not choose the great people of the world lest they would claim credit for themselves; God would not then be honoured as he should. All glory belongs to God alone. The Apostle Paul said the following in support of this: ...But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us (2 Corinthians 4:7). Jesus chose the weak and ignorant, and enabled them to serve him. The result was that they excelled much more in their influence than any worldly leaders of their day. Jesus chose them in the early years of his ministry in order to train them before his ascension into heaven.

The apostles stayed with Jesus long enough to know him intimately, and their faith in him grew. They experienced his love, and endured troubles and persecution for his sake. Christ chose twelve of them -- the same number as the tribes of Israel. By this, he wanted to bridge the Old and New Testaments. The choice of apostles was crucial, so Christ spent the whole night in prayer before his selection. That night of prayer sowed spiritual seed in their lives. Their later works and writings yielded a harvest that has influenced mankind throughout the generations. This harvest continues today for the glory of God and his Christ.

Christ called the twelve disciples apostles (Greek: "the sent ones") because he would send them to work in his name, not their own. Later, he said, ...As the Father has sent me, I am sending you (John 20:21). He appointed them long enough before his ascension so that they would have time to unlearn the misguided ideas and cultural customs that they had been taught during childhood, and which they had learned from their leaders as adults. He wanted to satisfy them with his new spiritual food, the true Godly instruction, in order to help them discern the nature of the old and new teaching.

We can visualise Jesus looking with love at the group assembled before him. We can hear him graciously explaining the importance of his new project to his chosen apostles. He told them about his loving purposes and the great responsibilities they would be asked to carry. What could his audience have been thinking prior to his choosing anyone? All of them were probably hoping to be one of the chosen. They trusted Jesus, their beloved teacher, absolutely, and for them it was a golden opportunity to accompany him and listen to his wisdom. Then, an opportunity for noble service arose. No doubt, the hearts of those gathered were filled with joy as he began naming his apostles one by one. Most likely, some wanted to congratulate those whom he had selected; others probably struggled with feelings of envy.

Jesus may have chosen Simon because of his energy and zeal. His name comes first, which suggests that Jesus called him first. We can infer that Christ gave him the new name, Peter, in order to differentiate between him and the another man named Simon, whom he had also chosen. After this, we find Andrew's name. Andrew was the first to follow Jesus and was also the first Christian evangelist in history, inviting his brother, Peter, to follow Christ. There is not find much else recorded about him in Scripture later. Jesus then chose the two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were from the same town and had the same occupation as Andrew and Peter. The older one, James, became a leading elder of the Church after the ascension of Christ. Herod Agrippa killed him to please the Jews fifteen years later. John, the younger one, lived a long life, and served many churches after all his other colleagues had died.

The reason for mentioning these four apostles first is because these were the first ones to follow Jesus while he was still relatively unknown. Jesus then chose two others, Philip and Nathanael. Philip is not mentioned after that, except in John's account of the Gospel. Nathanael is another name for Bartholomew. These six were the first half of the apostles. All of them had been disciples of John the Baptist. They had remained with him because they had recognised the essence of true spirituality which he proclaimed. No doubt, all the disciples felt honoured for having been chosen by Jesus.

The choosing of Matthew, the tax collector, to the position of apostleship, is thought-provoking. Would a man of his calibre be able to be an apostle? Spiritually and mentally, he was suited for the task. By selecting him, Jesus proved that many of those, whom others despise, are important in the sight of God. Choosing Matthew was a good example of the power of the grace of God which takes an outcast and makes of him a great apostle. The apostle whose name appears in conjunction with Matthew's is Thomas. We do not know anything about his past. In this, he is different from the seven who were chosen before him. We then find another: James. He was given the title of "James the Less". Some think that he was the brother of Matthew because both had a father named Alphaeus. But this may not be true because the two names are not found together in the same way as with Peter and Andrew, and James and John.

We are astonished at the person Christ chose after that: Simon the Zealot, an enemy of the Romans. He was a member of a society that rebelled against Rome, and therefore, his people respected him. Jesus wished to add, to his group of disciples, one of his kind so that the group would include people of different temperaments, and backgrounds. The eleventh apostle had several names: Judas, the brother of James, and Lebbaeus or Thaddaeus.

The last apostle, Judas Iscariot, came from Judea. All the others were from Galilee. He was different from the others because he came from a different area, and because he betrayed his master. His name is always followed by the terrible adjective, "traitor". Although Judas did not manifest the necessary characteristics for being an apostle, Jesus may have chosen him in order to fulfil prophecy and bring about God's will (see Psalm 41:9; 109:7,8). By selecting Judas, Jesus may also have wanted to provide his followers with an example of how to reach out to the lost. Some people do not respond immediately, and the methods that lead one person to repentance may not necessarily work with others. Judas had no reason to betray Christ, but he did nevertheless. He had had many chances to reform, but he neglected them.

Judas may not have been a wicked man when he first followed, Jesus. But after he became an apostle, he went astray like those who begin well but end badly, due to their faulty understanding of divine grace. Judas was the treasurer of the group, and his being placed in this position was probably decided by his colleagues. They may have found him enterprising and business-minded.

With a full understanding of what would happen to his disciples in the future, Jesus brought his selection of apostles to a close. With the spirit of prophecy, he not only saw their weaknesses and mistakes, but also their zeal, energy, and victory over difficulties and persecution. Moreover, he saw the influence their preaching would have during their lifetime. He also saw the effect their writings and the institutions, which they would found, would have on others after their deaths. He saw them crowned with exceeding glory among the martyrs, sitting at the right hand of the divine throne, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28).

After choosing the apostles, Christ preached a decisive sermon -- the "Sermon on the Mount". It deserves careful consideration because it is a guideline and complete summary of what God expects from people in matters of religion. Christ presented it on a hill near Capernaum. Most commentators think that the place of its delivery was at the Horns of Hattin, north of Tiberias. It is the best known and longest-recorded sermon of Christ, and its excellence is readily acknowledged by all -- even by the foes of Christianity.

This sermon is the constitution of the new spiri-tual kingdom which Jesus established. It is based on the revelations to Moses and the prophets, which Christ came to fulfil. God spoke of Christ as the king of this spiritual kingdom through the pro-phet David, saying, I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill (Psalm 2:6). As a king, it was essential for him to deliver a special decree to the apostles, his ambassadors, announcing the new elements of his kingdom, as well as the new meanings of the old order. The king not only ap-pointed his apostles, but also gave them special power to undertake their wonderful, varied task.

Before listening to the words of Christ, let us consider the context in which this sermon was given. It was not delivered like the Old Testament Law on barren Mount Sinai, by the voice of the invisible God, accompanied with thunder, lightning, earthquake, and fire. No one was supposed to come near that mountain except Moses, and whoever approached would be stoned to death. By contrast, the Sermon on the Mount was delivered on Mount Hattin, carpeted with greenery; the singing of birds could be heard, and the pleasant fragrance of wildflowers perfumed the air. The message that was heard came from the lips of the gentle, incarnate God who was surrounded by his disciples and an attentive crowd, gathered from all regions of Palestine.

It is said that there is a Jewish tradition describing how the Messiah will appear, standing by the seashore near Jaffa, ordering the sea to yield up its treasure. The sea will immediately cast at his feet the jewels and treasures buried in its depths. He will dress his followers with gor-geous clothes, deck them with precious stones, and feed them with heavenly manna, much sweeter and tastier than that which they had in the wilderness. This tradition, however, portrays a coming, imaginary Messiah, and it is deceptive.

Is not the actual scene we are now contemplating more beautiful and perfect? Are there any gems in the bed of the sea to compare with the fundamental spiritual teachings before us? Are there garments more gorgeous than the commendable qualities embodied in this sermon, and exemplified in Christ's character? Does ordering the sea to yield up its treasures demonstrate the same awesome authority as rebuking devils, raising the dead, or demanding his followers to forgive offences?

Not all the teachings of Jesus on this Mount were new. The Jews were familiar with the foundational truths of his teachings through their knowledge of the Old Testament; even the Gentiles had principles in their laws which reflected the Law of God (see Romans 2:14,15). Christ's teachings breathed life into the Old Testament Law just as God breathed life into the beautiful body of Adam after he had formed it from the dust of the earth.

Christ said that he had come to serve people, not to be served. He is the only one who always fulfilled his claims completely. His listeners said that he spoke with authority, and not like the scribes. Authoritative deeds followed his authoritative words. When he finished his teachings, he began again with his miracles. He entered Capernaum, surrounded by a large crowd. A delegation of Jewish leaders met him and asked him eagerly to heal a Roman centurion's servant who was paralysed and approaching death. We can infer that this servant was dear to the centurion, for the words my servant here can also be translated as "my boy". In Greek, this title was used for sons. This Roman soldier was an honourable man, for his words and concern showed that he loved his servant while most of his contemporaries despised their servants, and treated them badly.

This Roman centurion thought that Jesus would listen to the request of the elders of the Jews, so he sought their help. From this, we can infer that the relationship between Christ and the Jewish leaders in Capernaum was still good -- not like it was in Judea. The Jewish leaders delivered the centurion's petition because they were not yet opposed to Christ. They went to meet Jesus, leaving the centurion with his servant. When they arrived, they told Jesus that the centurion loved their nation and had built their synagogue; therefore, he deserved to have his servant healed. We do not blame the centurion for thinking that Jesus needed mediators before he would respond. Little did he know that Jesus knew him better than these mediators, and that he loved him far more than they ever could. Thus, their interceding was unnecessary. Even in our day, we have no other mediator than Jesus Christ. Neither angel nor saint can do anything for us, because Christ is the one and only mediator between God and man. This was accomplished through his unique work of Redemption on the Cross. We read the following words in 1 Timothy 2:5: For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

Those who seek the intercession of angels or saints are like people asking for a lamp in the middle of the day; they do not realise that the kindness and grace which they possess are not to be compared with the noble character of Jesus. No saint has ever shown more love than Christ. He alone came down from heaven, became incarnate, taught, served, suffered, died, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is sitting today at the right hand of God as our mediator and intercessor. He did this because of his perfect love. Those who seek help from one, other than Christ, are like a child who has difficulties and turns to a servant instead of his mother who has devoted and sacrificed herself lovingly for him. The mediation of Mary, the earthly mother of Christ, is also futile. In support of this we can cite the example of Jesus at Cana, when he stopped his mother from interfering.

Sick people were generally taken to Jesus. In this case, however, Jesus went to the sick servant of the centurion, possibly because he was foreign. As soon as the centurion knew that Jesus was coming to his home, he sent some of his friends to meet him on the way to express his great respect for and faith in Christ's power. He wished to tell Jesus that he was not worthy to have him come under his roof. He just wanted Jesus to say the word, and he knew his servant would be healed. What great humility! This was the best proof that he became worthy of Christ's help. The realisation of one's unworthiness is an essential requirement for all who seek Christ's help and salvation.

Perhaps this man thought that Jesus would repeat what he had done with another centurion one and a half years earlier, healing from afar by his word. He believed that Jesus had the same authority over nature and sickness which he, as a Roman official, had over his soldiers and servants.

Jesus was astonished at the great faith, wisdom, and humility of this Gentile. He looked around him and said, I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel! Christ did not care about the reaction of his Jewish audience, and he made it clear that God accepts people regardless of their race. He said that many will come from the east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:11,12). Jesus also gave clear proof that he was not a typical religious teacher, nor a mere human for that matter. His thoughts were completely independent from those of his contemporaries. In fact, they were completely opposite. Here he refuted the idea that belonging to the Jewish race is a condition for acceptance by God.

Christ sent his reply to the centurion without going to his home, saying, Go! It will be done just as you believed it would. And his servant was healed at that very hour'' (Matthew 8:13). The servant was healed at that very moment. When the messengers returned to the house, they found the servant healed. Jesus rejoiced to see, in that centurion, the firstfruits of the Gentiles who would believe. His own people had refused him. They did this not only during his earthly life in Palestine, but they continue to do so even in our own day!

Dear Reader,

Do you feel you are unworthy of obtaining God's forgiveness? Blessed are you! This is the beginning of the way to receiving pardon. Ask God to forgive you on the basis of what Jesus has done for you on the Cross. Ask him to make you a believer in the full authority of Christ.

"Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out-- the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, 'Don't cry.' Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, 'Young man, I say to you, get up!' The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. They were all filled with awe and praised God. 'A great prophet has appeared among us', they said. 'God has come to help his people.' This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country" (Luke 7:11-17).

Jesus travelled from Nazareth to the city of Nain. It was a one-day journey on foot. The Lord of life and the crowd behind him met another procession carrying a corpse in a coffin, led by the angel of death. The dead boy was the only son of his mother, a widow. The sadness of the mother was great, and sharing this sorrow, the townspeople escorted her to bury her only son. But suddenly, they met Christ, the Resurrection and the Life, from whom not only death but also the prince of death must flee.

We can visualise Satan sitting on the coffin, invisible and proud of his victory over this youth. We can imagine his anger at seeing the crowd led by Christ, his enemy, who had defeated him in every battle so far. Did he not grit his teeth with pure rage in the past, every time Christ cast out a devil from those who were possessed? Maybe Satan consoled himself with the thought that Christ had not yet snatched a victim of death from him. He had still been the unchallenged victor in that arena.

The Jews considered it a very important and sacred duty to console the mourners during a funeral, esteeming it worthy of a divine reward. According to the custom of the day, Jesus and his followers were supposed to step aside to let the funeral procession pass; they too were then expected to join it. In Galilee, the women sometimes walked in front of a coffin, acting out their belief of Sin and death entering through the female gender. But Christ confronted the procession and stopped it.

Weeping usually increased when others joined a group such as this; so, when these two crowds met, there was more sadness and louder wailing. When Jesus saw the poor widow, he was moved with compassion and told her, Don't cry. He did not say this because weeping was wrong, for tears are a gift from God. Crying can be a blessing, because it gives vent to the pain of sad-ness. How noble are the tears which are shed for the love of others, and how wonderful are those of remorse, which are shed as a result of one's iniquities and sins. We should even weep for a person who cannot -- when the occasion calls for it. Jesus told the widow to stop crying, and he gave her good reason to believe his words. He moved forward and touched the coffin, and the bearers halted. The reverence of Christ gripped them all, both old and young, and they stopped the procession and waited for his orders.

A trumpet had announced the death of this youth in Nain. Now, however, everyone on the road would hear the voice which had proclaimed a profound reality in front of the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem: I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. (John 5:25). Christ would prove his words by a miraculous act. He called the dead man, and said, Young man, I say to you, get up. This voice fell on them like a thunderbolt! It is true that those gathered had previously heard of this great teacher casting out devils, ordering sickness to leave, and rebuking a storm, but they never thought or dreamed that the same voice could order a soul to return after death. Restoring a soul to its body would mean that the very life, which had left the corpse, would return. Yes, they had read in the Torah about great prophets who had raised the dead, after much struggle with God in prayer. These men had used difficult methods, which indicates that such a miracle was not trivial. They also did this in secret, as if they were afraid of failure. Moreover, nine hundred years had passed since a resurrection took place, in the days of Elijah the prophet (1 Kings 17:17-24). The crowd never dreamed that this could happen again -- right in front of them. But here was a man who confronted death with authority He did not plead humbly like the prophets. What great power!

We can judge the effectiveness of Christ's miracle by its results. The youth sat up and began to speak. How amazed he must have been when he opened his eyes and saw that he was being carried in a coffin, surrounded by mourners. He saw the great sadness of his mother and heard the wailing of the crowd. He was even more astonished when he saw a stranger standing beside him touching the coffin. In this man's face, he saw great intelligence, heavenly purity, and kindness flowing out like a river.

What would Jesus' expression have been like when the son of the widow of Nain saw him? Ancient writers have tried to tell us something about the external appearance of Jesus, but we cannot be sure of any of these descriptions. Did he have physical beauty? In the prophecies concerning him, we read some verses that suggest that Christ's countenance had no beauty in it. Isaiah said: ...He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him (Isaiah 53:2). On the other hand, we read other verses that describe him as beautiful. The Psalmist said: You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever (Psalm 45:2). In the Song of Solomon, it is written: My lover is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand... he is altogether lovely (Song of Solomon 5:10,16).

We prefer to think that Christ had striking physical attractiveness. God is beautiful and loves beauty. This is in harmony with what the Psalmist said: One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple (Psalm 27:4). There is no doubt whatever that God created everything lovely. Whatever is not appealing is of Sin or its results. Taking care of one's appearance is important, and all who seek to maintain and encourage beauty through their life's work render mankind a good service which should be remembered and commanded.

Some of the ancients, especially the Greeks, went to such extremes in glorifying external beauty that they made it the subject of their worship. This, like all other false religions, led to corruption. But their interest in beauty helped elevate their civilisation, and it immortalised their fame among the nations.

Jesus most likely had an attractive countenance and form because he was the only one to be conceived by the Holy Spirit in a virgin. God chose Mary from among thousands of virgins in Israel to bear the body in which the Godhead would dwell. Our view of Christ being attractive is strengthened by the knowledge that inner beauty is reflected externally. Jesus, a sinless man, must have had great personal beauty and charisma which influenced many people in a positive sense -- even his enemies.

Christ did not remove death from the world. This divine sentence could not be abolished, though it was occasionally suspended. Jesus did not want to dazzle people with his great power when he raised the dead youth; his motive was compassion for the widow. The Devil delights in subjecting mankind to death, and to remove compassion and pity from peoples' hearts. Christ's sympathy towards that widow was a way to overcome the work of the Devil. As soon as the young man returned to life, Jesus returned him to his mother, as though telling her, You can understand now why I asked you not to weep. Kindness and compassion are united in the heart of every follower of Christ. This is in obedience to the commandment which says, Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15).

No doubt, the widow of Nain and her son believed in Christ the Saviour. We can visualise them as two loyal followers of Jesus. The germ of faith had been planted in Nain -- that humble town which Jesus made famous. This great miracle caused the fame of Jesus to spread widely throughout the land. The result was that they were all filled with awe and glorified God. A great prophet had appeared among them.