“JesusHas Power Over Disease”

The miracles of Jesus reveal who He is. John opened his gospel with these great words, “In  the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God…” [John 1:1] This week’s Sunday School lesson teaches that God the Son has power to forgive sin, spiritual illness, and power to heal physical illness. First we will study the miracle of the healing of the man let down through the roof. Second we will turn to the Gospel of John and study a miracle the man healed of physical and spiritual blindness.Both of the miracles attest to the fact that Jesus the Son of Man has authority to forgive sin and to heal diseases.

Healing of the man with palsy, Mark 2:1-12

The Setting: Jesus had been preaching and healing people of various diseases in the town of Capernaum. [Mark 1:21-34] He left Capernaum to go into the “next towns,” to preach there also. [1:35-45] “And again He returned to Capernaum …and it was heard that He was in the house.” [2:1] The house is probably that of Simon Peter since it is referred to as “the house,” one that was known by the people.

When people heard that Jesus had returned they “immediately gathered together, so many that there was no room to receive them, not even near the door.”  [v.2] Jesus was preaching the word, logos, to them. Get the picture – Jesus is preaching, talking, to a room jammed pact full of people! No room.

At that time four men arrived at the house carrying a paralytic on a pallet. [v.3] When they realized they could not get near to Jesus, “they uncovered the roof where He was…they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.” [v.4]  Get the picture – Jesus is talking to the room full of people when suddenly some roof tiles were removed and a man was lowered on a makeshift bed. This is what preachers know as a major interruption! Things stop right there.

How did they accomplish such a task? Most likely: (1) they took the stairs to the rooftop – a large house would have exterior stairs going up to the roof, (2) they removed several roof tiles, again that would be consistent with a larger house in that area and time, and, (3) they lowered the man down by hanging on tight to the four corners of the blanket like bed. This was probably the most difficult part of their escapade.

The paralytic man was most fortunate in that he had four friends willing to carry out a “what ever it takes” mission to get him to Jesus. Few people ever get to Jesus without someone or someones taking action to introduce them to Him.

“When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” [v.5] First note that Jesus saw “their faith.” This could mean  the faith of the men who believed Jesus could heal their friend, climbed up to the roof, removed the roof tiles, and lowered the man down in front of Jesus. It looks to me like the “their faith” could be all five men – including the paralytic – but that’s a guess. Second, note that Jesus did not say anything about the man’s malady, but addressed his sins, “your sins are forgiven you.” You can be sure that was an intentional statement. Not just for the man but for some in the crowd. It also reveals that this man’s sickness had a spiritual spiritual cause.

One more important truth – Jesus said to the paralytic, “Son, (a term of endearment) your sins are forgiven you.” [v.5b] The Greek word translated “forgiven” is “ephiemi” meaning “to send away.” (Strong’s # 863) The Priest could declare sins covered, “atoned”, but he could not send them away in his own power. Jesus sent them away.

Enter the scribes. They were “sitting there reasoning in their hearts…” [v.6] The word “reasoning” is “dialogizomai” it is from dia – through, and logizomai – reckoning. It means to accurately reckon. The word deals with fact not supposition. The scribes were right – the fact is that only God can forgive sin! [v.7]  They charged, “this man” (a derogatory term) with blasphemy.

When Jesus knew in His spirit their reasoning, He immediately said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?” [v.8] Matthew recorded Jesus’ words as “Why do you think evil in your hearts?”  [Matthew 9:4] First, the scribes believed that the Messiah would be able to read thoughts based on Isaiah 11:3. Second, though the scribes were right, the intentions of their hearts were evil. They would not allow for an examination of the truth.

Jesus asked the scribes the question, Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk?” [v.9] Actually neither statement is easier.

Jesus’ declaration, The Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins! He said this that the scribes would know this truth. Then He said to the paralytic, “Take up your bed and go to your house.” [v.11] The man got up, took up his bed and went out. Everyone was amazed and glorified God saying, “We never saw anything like this!” [v.12] The declaration of forgiveness was essential to make the claim Jesus was making: Jesus is the Son of Man and thus has authority on earth to forgive sins.* *{From, “Jesus, The Greatest Life – The Paralytic and His Friends,” White, Randy}

The healing of the man blind from birth, John 9:1-7

A Question of “Who Sinned?” As Jesus left the temple He saw a man who had been blind. [v.1] His disciples asked Him, “Who sinned, this man or his parents that he should be born blind.” [v.2] Jesus’ answer, “neither, he nor his parents; but so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” [v.3] This is a good place to, “Question the assumptions.”

The common assumption was, all suffering is a direct result of sin. Jesus confronted their wrong assumption, their false theology. Jesus said the man’s blindness was so that God could display His glory in the face of tragedy. [v.3] Jesus had proclaimed Himself to be the Light of the world, 8:12, now He would demonstrate that truth. It was His time to shine as the Light of the world, a time that was growing short. [vv.4-5]

The healing. This is Jesus’ sixth sign and the event that sets the stage for Jesus’ teaching. Jesus spat on the ground, made clay, applied it to the blind man’s eyes, and told him to go wash in the pool Saloam. [v.6] In this event there is no record of Jesus asking the man if he wanted to see, or be healed. Remember Jesus was walking away from the angry Jewish leaders when he, “passed by and saw…” the man. The disciples asked their question, Jesus answered, then the next scene is that of Jesus making, mixing, and applying the mud to the man’s eyes, and Jesus’ command for him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. The man obeyed, went and washed his eyes, and came back seeing. [vv6-7] Did the man have faith?  Not at this point. In the account that follows we’ll see him moving from the darkness to the Light.

When others saw that the blind beggar had gained his eyesight they were bewildered. [v.8] They asked “How then were your eyes opened?” [v.10] He told them, “it was by a man named Jesus who made clay and anointed my eyes and told me to go wash in Siloam,”  which he did and was healed. [v.11] They asked, “where is He?” but the man did not know. [v12]

What do we know so far? First, Jesus met a man blind form birth, who’s blindness was so that the, “works of God might be displayed in him.” [v3] Second, Jesus made a clay mass and put it on the blind man’s eyes, and told Him to go wash it off. [vv.6-7] There is no record of Jesus asking the man if he wanted his sight restored, or of the man beseeching Jesus for sight, although he may have rattled his beggar’s cup as Jesus walked by. Third, the man went and washed as Jesus commanded and received his eyesight. [v.7] My guess is that if he had gone to his ophthalmologist he would have had 20/20 vision. Forth, the people and his neighbors could not understand how he could gain sight in blind eyes. [vv.8-10] They asked how was he healed, and where was the One who did it, but he did not know. The healed man gave a clear witness of the healing Jesus had given him. [vv.11-12] Notice the man was quick to obey the Lord, and the crowd was slow to believe the sign. We’ll skip down to the final outcome.

The Seeing man sees the Light. John 9:35-41
Jesus sought out the man. [v.35] Notice first, Jesus sought the man out, “and finding him, He said,” Finding him indicates a search. The man had been thrown out, a dreaded thing for any Jew. Perhaps he was wandering around bewildered, but Jesus found him. Again! Jesus had found him earlier as well. When Jesus “hid Himself and went out of the temple. “As He passed by He saw a man blind from birth.” [John 8:59b; 9:1]

Notice second, when Jesus found the man He asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” [35] It was a straight foreword question to the man. The man answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him.” [v.36] The NASB95 translation has a note that the word “Lord” could mean “Lord,” or “Sir.”  The Greek word is translated as “Sir” six times – when the speaker is referring to a master, and when the woman at the well was talking to Jesus. I think the Sir may be indicated here as the man does not yet know who the Son of Man is. Notice the man wanted to know who the Son of Man was, “that I may believe in Him.” [v.36b] His was a searching heart.

Jesus’ twofold answer to the man, (1) “You have both seen Him…” Literally he had seen Him, fact is Jesus had to have been the first person He had ever seen face to face. But the man was also beginning to “see” with “spiritual” eyes. Notice his faith progression: first he referred to Jesus as, “the man who is called Jesus,” [v.11] Second, when asked by the theologically elite who he thought Jesus was he said, “He is a prophet.” Third, in this discussion he called Him Lord, or Sir. [v.36] and forth, he confessed to Jesus, “Lord, I believe.” [v.38] (2) The second part, “…and He is the One who is talking to you.” [v.37] To the woman at the well He had declared, “I who speak to you, am, He,” and she believed. [John 4:26ff] To the man born blind but now seeing Jesus declared He was Himself the Son of Man. The man confessed, “Lord, I believe.” The unnamed man heard the words of Jesus the Savior and he believed. Believing he, “worshiped Him.” [v.37]

Jesus said He came into the world for judgment. He came to bring salvation to all men, but those who reject His salvation are condemned to judgment. He came so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind. [v. 39] The Pharisees responded that they were “not blind too, are we?” [v.40] Jesus told them that since they still said, “we see” they were still in their sin. Sad words to the Pharisees close this section, “your sin remains.” [v.41]

I pray that is not so with you. The Bible is clear that, “Whoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” [John 3:16] The women at the well believed and was saved. The man born blind and given sight believed and was saved. As a boy I believed in Jesus Christ, God’s Son who became sin in my behalf, and I was saved. I’d like to hear your testimony. If you are searching for Light and life, I’d like an opportunity to talk with you.

See you in Sunday School