The Miracles and Wonders--Part One

{This is the seventh part of a twelve part series attempting to answer the question "Who is Jesus?". The song "I AM" by Mark Schultz is utilized in this series as a reference point, and the lyrics can be found in the "I AM series" post found earlier.}

The Healer of the Broken

In his day, Jesus was somewhat of a celebrity, a rock-star, a person who drew constant attention, praise, scorn, or wonder. When news of his arrival permeated a city, the townspeople would flock to see him, to visit him, to listen, or to be healed.

Jesus went throughout Galilee teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him. (Matthew 4:23-25)

Why did Jesus heal the broken? It seems that he did so for a number of reasons. He did so because he was compassionate and truly cared about the diseases and infirmities that troubled the people. He did so because it would show how important and powerful faith was. He did so because it proved that he was God's own Son. He did so to fulfill prophecy. Finally, his healing was a metaphor for the great healing that Jesus can do, that is, forgiving our sins, saving us from death, and giving us eternal life with him. Let us look at examples of each of these.

Jesus wept. (John 11:35)

Why would Jesus do such a thing? He cared deeply for Lazarus and his family, as he had already spent time with these people before. Lazarus had just died of his ailments and Jesus had arrived to late to heal him. Some people were confused and angry, thinking that Jesus could have saved this man, but did not arrive on time.

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. "Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days." Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" (John 11:38-40)

Here, Jesus was showing how important faith was. Throughout the gospels, when Jesus is healing people, he was tell them that their faith has healed them and that faith makes such things possible. Let us continue in John's gospel.

So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." When he had said this, Jesus called out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." (John 11:41-44)

We can see here that Jesus used this event to show that he was sent by God. In a more powerful statement of the authority he has been given, let us turn our attention to a passage in the gospel of Luke. Some men have carried a paralytic man to were Jesus is speaking, hoping that he can be healed. In their struggle to get him close to Jesus, Jesus sees them and says that he forgives the man of his sins. Note that he has not healed the man of his paralysis, but has said that his sins are forgiven.

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can fogive sins but God alone?" Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . ." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. (Luke 5:21-25)

Which is easier, forgiving sins or healing paralysis? Back in Jesus's day, both must have seemed impossible, as things that could only be done by God himself. In our day, paralysis can be healed by doctors, through extensive and intensive effort. But can doctors heal us for eternity? Can human live forever? They cannot. Even if a person survives a bout of aggressive cancer, they are still mortal beings and will simply live for a longer number of days. Jesus offers the gift of eternal life.

This is another way that Jesus heals us. He heals us of the negative way that sin corrupts our lives. Jesus performed miraculous healings while alive on earth, but in his death, he healed us all the more. Remember Isaiah 53 from yesterday? Remember the person who was pierced for our transgressions and punished for our sins?

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows. (Isaiah 53:4)

This was what Jesus did during his life on earth. He healed people of their sicknesses and took up their sorrows, as when he healed Lazarus and many others. In this way, Jesus's healings fulfilled prophecy. Remember what else Isaiah 53 said?

He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

Not only did he cure ailments in his life, but in his death, he cured our eternal ailments, by taking away our sins. Through his blood, poured out on the cross, our sin has been washed away and our debt before God is cancelled.

When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:23-24)

Jesus's healing treatment is permanent and it is available to everybody free of charge, regardless of where they are in life. He is the Healer of the Broken.