Ask Mr Bible

Many felt the tender touch of the Savior’s hands while He trod this earth.  One was a man with dropsy (Luke 14:1-6).

SURVEY

During a Sabbath luncheon in the house of a prominent Pharisee, Jesus encounters a man suffering with dropsy.  Turning to the legalistic Pharisees who were present, He asks:

 “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

Receiving no answer, He touched the man and healed him.

SIGNIFICANCE

● This is the only recorded miracle done during a meal in the home of a Pharisee.

SPIRITUAL TRUTHS

● Thus supper was probably a set-up arranged by the Pharisees to trap Jesus, hoping He would do something unlawful.

1. It was on the Sabbath.
2. A very sick man was there who suffered from dropsy.  Dropsy was an abnormal accumulation of watery fluid in the body, which caused hideous swelling in the abdomen, legs, and feet.  It was symptomatic of cardiac disease.  In light of this, it is highly unlikely that this poor, suffering creature would be invited to the home of a Pharisee, especially on the Sabbath.  To the contrary, he would have been utterly refused entrance.

● According to the sacred account Jesus touched this man.  This was in stark contrast to the legalistic Pharisees who not only would have refused to touch the leper, the blind, the deaf, the maimed, etc., but would actually hurry home in horror to take a ceremonial bath if their shadow should come into contact with the shadow of those unclean outcasts!

 But not the Savior!  He was a “Hands on Healer,” as demonstrated by those He personally touched.

1. A leper (Matt. 8:3)
2. Peter’s mother-in-law (Matt. 8:15)
3. A deaf mute (Mark 7:33)
4. Two blind men (Matt. 20:34)
5. A man born blind (John 9:6)
6. Malchus’ ear (Luke 22:51)
7. Little children (Mark 10:13)
8. His frightened disciples (Matt. 17:7)

Jesus’ final miracle is recorded in John 21, the supernatural catch of fish.  Our Lord then cooked breakfast for His disciples on the banks of the Sea of Galilee.

●        Following both the miracle and the meal, Jesus asks Peter a question:

 “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs” (John 21:15).

Jesus’ question, “Lovest thou me more than these?” may have referred to at least one of three things.  He could have meant:

1.       “Do you love me more than you love these men?”

2.       “Do you love me more than fishing?”

3.       “Do you love me more than these men love me?”  It would seem that Jesus had the third meaning in mind, based on Matt. 26:33. ”Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee,yet will I never be offended” (Matt. 26:33).

●        Three times he is asked if he really loves the Savior.  Three times he answers in the affirmative.  Peter had once denied Christ three times in the presence of the Savior’s enemies.  Jesus was now giving him the opportunity to affirm his love three times.  God is the God of the second chance.

1.            As seen in the life of Jonah—“And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee” (Jonah 3:1-2).

2.            As seen in the life of John Mark—This young man had once failed God by abandoning Paul and Barnabas during their first missionary journey (see Acts 13:13; 15:36-39).  But Mark, like Jonah and Peter, served the God of the second chance.  Years later, just prior to his martyrdom in Rome, the Apostle Paul testified of this: “Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11). 

Why did the Father send His beloved Son to earth?  Here are but a few stated reasons:

 ● To reveal the invisible God:
  
“No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18).

God loved the world, and how could he get his message across?  He sent Jesus into the world to become man and tell God’s story in man’s language to reveal the invisible God.

 ● To provide an example for believers:

We are told in the scriptures that Christ suffered, and that he left an example for us, that we should follow his steps.  The world often misunderstands the Incarnation.  The world thinks Christ is the example for unbelievers.  That’s not what 1 Peter 2:21 says.  It says that Christ has come to be an example for believers.  He is not an example for unbelievers.  He is the Savior.  He came to save unbelievers and make them believers.  Once we are saved we study the life of Christ because he is our example.  But there could be no example apart from the Incarnation.

“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” (1 Pet. 2:21).

“He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked” (1 John 2:6).

● To provide the believer with a high priest:

In order to provide believers with a high priest, it was necessary that Christ should be made like unto his brethren.  He passed sinlessly through all human experiences, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for our sins.  He was obliged to become completely like his brethren—apart from sin, of course.

“Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people” (Heb. 2:17).

 ● To make a sacrifice for our sins:

Jesus left the ivory palaces of heaven to come down to this world and enter the womb of Mary, to make a sacrifice for our sins.

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Heb. 2:9).

“And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins, and in him is no sin” (1 John 3:5).

•   To reconcile man to God:

 “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto   himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath  committed  unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:19).

 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man  Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due  time” (1 Tim. 2:5, 6).

•  To destroy the devil and his works:
  
  “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

 “And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;  And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord” (Luke 1:39-45).

Never in the history of childbirth did two expectant mothers have more to talk about than these two women.

1. Here was Elisabeth, well past the childbearing years, but anticipating a baby.
2. Here was Mary, a young virgin, but now with child.  This was the case because “with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37).

It should be noted that Elisabeth’s unborn child is referred to twice as “the babe” (Luke 1:41, 44), indicating Scripture’s position on abortion.  From the beginning, John was not looked upon as a developing mass of human tissue or a fetus, but as “the babe.”

Let me contrast this passage with the present day abortion holocaust—

But what about a therapeutic abortion?  Consider the following:  A therapeutic abortion occurs when a pregnant woman is persuaded (often by her doctor) that her unborn child presents an emotional or mental threat to her general well-being.  Therefore, the most practical and painless solution (for the mother at least) is simply to kill the offending baby.  There are two well-known instances in history in which this attitude toward unborn human life could certainly have been applied.

The first case involved that of an older woman, the wife of a respected religious leader, living in a large southern city.  Present-day advice to her would have been:  “Do you really feel it wise to complete this birth?  Consider your age.  The psychological strain upon you will be much greater than it would be to this infant?  I mean, it might even affect your relationship with your husband.  No, all things considered, it would be far better to terminate the potential problem right now.”

The second case had to do with a teenage girl, engaged to a struggling young tradesman, living in a small northern town.  Here there could be no doubt.  A quick abortion would immediately solve the embarrassment and downright hostility which would certainly develop if the unborn baby was not destroyed.

Two simple and clear-cut cases for the therapeutic abortion.  Not quite.  Could even the most calloused present-day abortion mill operator stomach the thought of Elisabeth (the older woman) and Mary (the teenager) with trembling hands and hearts awaiting the sharp instrument of some ancient abortionist?

SURVEY

En route to Jerusalem, Jesus encounters ten lepers who call out to Him for mercy and healing.  Instantly all ten were cleansed and leave to show themselves to the temple priests as instructed by the Levitical law for ceremonial cleansing.  Soon however, one of the ten, a Samaritan returned, fell at the feet of the Savior and began worshipping and thanking Him.

● Jesus, regarding the thankless nine: “Were not all ten cleansed?  Where are the other nine?”

● Jesus, regarding the thankful one: “Rise and go; your faith has made you whole.”

SIGNIFICANCE

● This miracle regards the greatest number of specific (ten) healings than any other as performed by Jesus.

● It is the only miracle involving a Samaritan.

SPIRITUAL TRUTHS

● This is the second of three miracles demonstrating the tragic fact that the one (or ones) experiencing physical salvation did not apparently experience spiritual salvation.  These three cases are:

1. The cripple by the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-16)—“Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath … Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee” (John 5:8-9, 14).

2. The nine lepers here in Luke 17.

3. The servant of the high priest whose name was Malchus (John 18:10)—There is no evidence that he accepted Christ after having his severed ear restored.

● The great sin of the nine lepers was that of thanklessness.  In some ways this is the ultimate sin, and goes along with pride and self-will, the root of all other sins.  Paul says that this transgression in the ancient world caused all mankind to turn from God.
 “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things” (Rom. 1:21-23).

● In essence, the cure for and solution to pride does not involve pious attempts to practice humility, but rather simply to be thankful.  A thankful person is, by definition, a humble person!  As someone has observed:

Be careful for nothing,
Be prayerful in everything,
Be thankful for anything!

For the answers, see Luke 18:35-43.

Two blind beggars, one named Bartimaeus, sitting outside of Jericho learn that Jesus was approaching.  Both immediately cry out for mercy.

The Savior: “What do you want me to do for you?”

The sightless: “We want to see.”
Filled with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, causing them to instantly reclaim their sight.

SIGNIFICANCE

● Of the sixteen healing events, involving some 26 people, only one is named, Bartimaeus.

● This is also the only New Testament miracle associated with the city of Jericho.

1. The most famous Old Testament miracle concerning Jericho occurred in Josh. 6:20 (the shouting down of Jericho’s walls).

2. The final Old Testament miracle concerning Jericho is recorded in 2 Kings 2:18-22 (the purifying of some poisoned water).

SPIRITUAL TRUTHS

● This marks Jesus’ final visit to Jericho.  He will now leave for Jerusalem.  (See Matt. 20:29.)  Before this, he had told the story of a man who left Jerusalem for Jericho (the parable of the Good Samaritan—Luke 10:25-37).  But now the original Good Samaritan would reverse the trip, leaving Jericho for Jerusalem, where he would soon “fall among thieves.”

● Note the spiritual insight of the blind beggar:

1. He asked the right person—“Jesus, thou Son of David.”
2. He asked in the right way—“Have mercy on me.” 

It has been said that God will hush every harp in heaven to hear this kind of prayer!

3. He asked at the right time—“And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.  And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by” (Luke 18:36-37).
4. He asked for the right thing—“that I might regain my sight.”

● One of the most famous New Testament miracles also had to do with a sleeping Hebrew prophet in a boat during a storm.  The Old Testament prophet was Jonah.  The New Testament prophet was Jesus.  The second would later use the experience of the first as a sign to an unbelieving generation:  “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:40).

● The Greek word here refers to a violent storm, a furious squall of hurricane proportion.  The Sea of Galilee, situated in a basin surrounded by mountains, is particularly susceptible to sudden, violent storms.  Cool air from the Mediterranean is drawn down through the narrow mountain passes connecting the two bodies of water, and clashes with the hot, humid air lying over the lake.  Thus, in a matter of seconds, the quiet Galilean waters can be turned into a howling, life-threatening watery nightmare for all those sailing upon it.

● Note the words as recorded by Mark’s account:

 “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39).

The language of this verse strongly suggests that the vicious storm may have been caused by satanic activity, perhaps in an attempt to drown Jesus.

1. The Greek word for rebuke is epitimao, a word Jesus used in denouncing both Satan and his demons.
a. The rebuking of demons (Luke 9:42; Matt. 17:18)
b. The rebuking of Satan (Mark 8:33; Jude 9)

2. The Greek word for peace, phimoo, used only here and in Mark 1:25 (where Jesus denounced a demon), means literally, “be muzzled, be gagged.”  This action often referred to the muzzling of a wild dog.

● There are many lessons to be learned today from this miracle.  Three questions should be asked when the storms of life beset the Christian.

1. Is this storm one of punishment or purification?  That is, am I being chastened for my sin (as was true in the case of Jonah), or is this simply a trial allowed by God to purify me (as was true here with the disciples)?

2. Have I made room for him on board?  Am I aware of his presence?

3. What does He want me to do in the time of the storm?  In a nutshell, three things:

a. He wants me to thank Him for the storm.  “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thess. 5:18).

 b. He wants me to fellowship with Him in the storm.  “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17).

c. He wants me to trust Him through the storm.  “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths”  (Prov. 3:5-6).

Read about it in John 4:46-54.

SURVEY

Jesus heals a man beside this pool near the sheep gate in Jerusalem who had been an invalid for 38 years.

SIGNIFICANCE

● This is the first of at least four occasions when Jesus was criticized for healing on the Sabbath.  For the remaining three, see miracles 9, 27, and 28.

SPIRITUAL TRUTHS

● The statement, “Sir, I have no man,” is profound in its spiritual implications.  Both Luke and Paul later write concerning its importance:

1. Luke’s testimony—“And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him” (Acts 8:30-31).

2. Paul’s testimony—“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”  (Rom. 10:14-15).

● While Scripture is clear that personal suffering is not always a punishment caused by individual sin (John 9:1-3), this case seems to be the exception.  Note Jesus’ warning to him:

 “Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee” (John 5:14).

SURVEY

Upon stepping ashore in the land of Gadara, Jesus is confronted by and speaks to the leader of a band of demons who were possessing a violent and uncontrollable maniac.  The Savior orders them to leave the victim, and, at their request, permits them to enter a herd of nearby pigs, which results in the death of those animals by drowning as they plunge into the Sea of Galilee.

SIGNIFICANCE

● This is perhaps the most graphic and terrifying account of demon possession in all the Bible.  Note the recorded facts regarding this man:

1. His home—“Who had his dwelling among the tombs” (Mark 5:3).
2. His helplessness
a. He was naked (Luke 8:27)
b. He was “exceeding fierce” (Matt. 8:28)
c. He was totally unmanageable (Mark 5:3-4)
d. He was constantly crying and cutting himself with stones (Mark 5:5)
e. He was seized upon and driven about by a legion of demons (Luke 8:29; Mark 5:9)  The usage of the word legion here may indicate the man was possessed by as many as 6000 demons.

● This shows just how many fallen angels there may be if Satan could afford to spare 6000 on a worthless madman!

● It is the only recorded extended conversation between Jesus and a demon.

● This is the first of two occasions on which Jesus performed a miracle in a way that had destructive results (the death of the pigs).  The other miracle was the withering of the fig tree (Matt. 21:19)

● This is the only miracle where Jesus instructed the recipient as follows:
“Go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee” (Mark 5:19).

This is in stark contrast as seen in the other healing miracles where Jesus commanded the healed not to tell anyone!

SPIRITUAL TRUTHS

● What a contrast is seen in this wretched demoniac following his glorious conversion–He now is:

1. Sitting, not screaming.
2. Praising, not cursing.
3. Dressed, not naked.
4. In his right mind, not insane.
5. A convert of Christ, not a captive of Satan.

● This account might well be entitled, “How A Madman Became a Missionary.”   We have previously observed Jesus’ instructions that he should tell others what had been done, which he did.
“And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel” (Mark 5:20)

Decapolis (literally, “ten cities“) was a league of ten cities characterized by high Greek culture, allied together for purposes of trading.  All but one city (Scythopolis) were east of the Galilean Sea and Jordan River.  This convert thus became the greatest missionary to Gentiles since the preacher to Nineveh, Jonah the prophet.

“And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?  And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me (Luke 8:45, 46).

SURVEY

A woman who had suffered with internal bleeding for 12 years, being unable to be helped by her physicians, approaches Jesus in a crowd and by faith touches the hem of His garment, resulting in her immediate healing.

SIGNIFICANCE

● This is the only miracle where the person in need touched Jesus first.

● It is the only time where Jesus uses the title “daughter.”  On a previous occasion He had referred to a paralytic who had been healed as “son” (Matt. 9:2).

SPIRITUAL TRUTHS

● This poor woman’s condition carried with it religious and social consequences as well as physical consequences.  According to Lev. 15:19-30, she would have been considered unclean for twelve long years.  Note also she had spent all her resources on her problem.  Thus, she was pain-wracked, penniless, and prohibited from social gatherings.  But then, we read, “she … hears of Jesus.”

● Luke describes the aftermath of this healing as follows:

“And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me” (Luke 8:45-46).

● The two statements of Jesus here point out two profound insights concerning His earthly ministry.

1. His total dependence upon the Holy Spirit—Note his question, “Who touched me?”  Even though Christ retained His divine attributes (His omnipresence, His omnipotence, His omniscience) upon coming to earth, He chose not to use them in an independent way, but depended upon the Holy Spirit to lead, advise, and empower Him.  In other words, Jesus may not have known at that moment who touched him.  A similar example can be seen later when he was asked concerning the date of the second coming.

 His answer was: “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father”  (Mark 13:32).  (See also Matt. 4:1; John 5:19; Phil. 2:5-8).

2. The awful demands upon his physical body—Note his statement: “Virtue is gone out of me.”  The Greek word for virtue here is dunamis, and refers to power or strength.  How taxing it must have been upon his body to perform his mighty miracles.

A hint of this may be seen through a statement made by some Pharisees during a confrontation with Jesus.  Note:

“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am”  (John 8:56-58).

The point of the above is that Jesus apparently looked to be much older than He really was, being mistaken for nearly fifty (an advanced age back then) when in reality He had yet to celebrate His 33rd birthday!  Caring for the sick in the world and, at the same time, carrying the sins of the world was exhausting labor indeed!