Matthew 8-9

HEALING ALL

Ever since Jesus walked out of the desert, he has been healing people as fast as they could get to him.

This is from a previous chapter, but from then to now he is healing ALL.

Mat 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.
Mat 4:24 And His fame went throughout all Syria. And they brought to Him all those being badly ill suffering various diseases and torments, and those who had been possessed with demons, and those who had been moonstruck, and paralytics. And He healed them.

And it doesn't seem like he is just healing people who
profess belief, or
agree to devote their life, or
the ones who get baptized.
No, they brought ALL those being badly ill, and He healed them.

Even five chapters later, we are told:

Mat 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Healing EVERY sickness and EVERY disease.
Wow!
no discrimination?
He didn't pick the ones most deserving?

Did he feel like those popular people surrounded by autograph hounds, not wanting to turn anyone away?
He even touches lepers, something no one would do.

Now I get the impression the buzz is building.
Large crowds, or in some translations GREAT MULTITUDES are following him.

How long can this continue?

If that wasn't enough, he heals someone some distance away, a complete stranger!
and I don't even think he had x-ray vision!

Mat 8:8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my boy will be healed.

Mat 8:13 And Jesus said to the centurion, Go. And as you have believed, so let it be to you. And his boy was healed in that hour.

My logical analytical mind wants to know how this works. This kind of power is unimaginable to me. It doesn't even seem like he is praying or anything. He says it is so, and it is so.

Mat 8:23 And He entering into a boat, His disciples followed Him.

What?
He is leaving everyone else behind?
Is this a "time-out"?
Looks like he immediately went to sleep.
I'm wondering if all this healing is draining him.

Mat 8:34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus.

Hey, the crowds are back...
How is this going to end?
How much healing can one man do?

What is the purpose of all this healing? Are the recipients just like lucky lotto winners? Who just happened to be at the right place at the right time to enjoy the party?

Mat 9:15 (ISV) Jesus said to them, "The wedding guests can't mourn as long as the groom is with them, can they?

Is he tuning our minds to the fact that we will all be healed when he returns?

Then I read:

Mat 9:2 And behold, they brought to Him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, Child, be of good cheer. Your sins are forgiven you.

And another one is healed.
Wait a minute...
...what did he say?
Your sins are forgiven you?

Now we are in uncharted territory folks!
No one in the history of mankind has ever truthfully uttered this statement, have they?

Isn't this a first?

moving on....

Mat 9:18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a certain ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, My daughter has just now died. But come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.

Mat 9:25 But when the people were put out, He went in and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose.

Ok, now my mind is throughly blown.

He just brought someone back from the dead.

If God has taken a life, what reason is strong enough to bring it back?
What are we supposed to learn from this?
Even in my limited understanding of what Jesus was here to do, I can't imagine he is teaching us that we have the ability to direct the power of God in this way.

Is this reserved for God alone?
Is that what he is showing us?
To prove once and for all to see
that he is the one?

Well, it works for me.

hmmm...
I wonder how the girl felt about it?

The girl, or at least the fruit of her life is released from this world, her spirit is on its way to God, and suddenly she is jerked back into the empty husk for a while longer?

Did she glorify God in that moment?

What would you think if Jesus snatched a butterfly from the air and said,
"Your fellow caterpillars are mourning you. Come on back to caterpillar-world for awhile". (?)