I’m continuing my series complementing our “Follow” series through Matthew. In Matthew 8-9, several stories of healing are found interspersed in the narrative. Often, the healings are connected to controversial issues. One such issue was purity. He touched a leper and a corpse, and was touched by a bleeding woman. Another was the combined thorny issues of Gentiles and Roman soldiers, yet Jesus heals a servant and marvels at a Centurion’s faith. Although not in these two chapters, His healings were often on the Sabbath and conflicted with certain leaders’ understanding of Sabbath restrictions. Jesus also healed the blind, mute, paralyzed, demon possessed, and Peter’s mother-in-law’s sudden high fever.
What seemed not in dispute was that Jesus had the power to heal. Even His enemies admitted as much. What they disputed was that His healings were by the power of God, even going so far as suggesting His power was Satanic. Later the Talmud said that Jesus learned magical arts in Egypt. Nevertheless, they admit, He healed.
In healing, Jesus was like the great prophets Moses, Elijah, and Elisha. For Matthew, one character especially stood out—the Suffering Servant.
17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
"He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases."
Matthew 8:17/Isaiah 53:4 NIV
The healings were signposts to Jesus’ person, character, and mission.
We can read these stories, and the very many others in the Gospels, and imagine they begin with, “once upon a time,” placing them distinctly in the past, and only by Jesus. However, in Matthew 10, the twelve are sent out with the authority to heal, and they do so. Even one outside the number of disciples with Jesus, was casting out demons in the name of Jesus (Mark 9:38-41).
In Acts, the apostles were often singled out as healers, but not always only them[1]. In Hebrews 2:4, we are told, “God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will” (Heb 2:4 NIV). Among those gifts from the Holy Spirit was healing, as noted in 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28. In our faith tradition, some have gone to great lengths to tell us that such spiritual gifts ended when the canon of Scripture was completed (In my judgment, a serious misreading of 1 Corinthians 13:10[2]).
I know that there are abuses by charlatan forehead smackers, just as there were and are false prophets. But the Lord’s arms have not been shortened and the power of the Holy Spirit has not lessened, and so we still pray for healing. I also know that many folks of faith, including Paul, did not experience the physical healing for which they prayed, and yet God has used the very disability or illness they prayed to end to glorify Himself. I hope that I’m among them, but I also think of Joni Eareckson Tada, who became a quadriplegic after a diving accident, or Nick Vujicic, who was born without arms or legs. Both of these beautiful souls, still seriously disabled, have marvelous ministries! And, again, I know that we all will one day die. Healing is for the moment, but life in Christ is everlasting! Nevertheless, we pray for healing in this life because the LORD still heals through our prayers, and people still suffer.
The work of physicians is important, and people of faith should consult them. The ancient world of Jesus’ time had many physicians, and Jesus was not in competition with them. On a level different from physicians, but a very real one, Jesus was and is the Great Physician through whom our ABBA worked and still works. He still works in ways beyond the skills of doctors. We pray expectantly, trusting in His perfect will. In simple trusting faith, our elders visit the sick with olive oil, believing God hears and responds to our prayers of trusting faith. Jesus, the unique Lord and Healer, is still in our midst as surely as He was when Matthew wrote of His healing ministry, and it is He who empowers us.
Tim Kelley
[1] The house-shaking prayer in Acts 4 does not specify the apostles when the church prayed, “Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus” (Acts 4:30 NIV). The Lord also healed through Stephen, Philip, Barnabas, and Paul.
[2] Importing the idea of the completion of the New Testament into 1 Corinthians 13:10 is foreign to the context and would have puzzled Corinthian Christians, whose Scriptures were only the Old Testament.