On Faith and Healing

The other day I had a friend tell me a story about a woman from her mission. This woman was the only member of her family, but had a terrible sickness causing her legs to rot away. She had the faith to be healed and asked many times for the Elder's to come and give her a blessing that she might be healed, but she never was. Now my friend poised the question: "Why was she not healed? Couldn't she have done even greater good if she had the mobility to move and act as she willed, than being confined to a wheelchair or her bed? She had the faith, why was she not healed?"

Her question made me think of the New Testament and all the examples in which Christ healed people. To some he healed them the first time he saw them. To others he passed by them everyday of his life and many times throughout his ministry and did not heal them till later in his ministry (John 5:1-16). And to others, he waited until they died before he came unto them (John 11:1-46). The question then is why did he heal some immediately, others after years of passing them by, and others after they had died? Why did he not heal them all immediately, especially if they had the faith to be healed? And what about those he never healed? I think in each of these examples as well as in modern day examples we need to look at the whole picture: who was present, why was the miracle performed, what was the purpose of the miracle, and how were others affected by the miracle. Each of these plays a pivotal point in the questions of why.

To those of us with limited knowledge we might rashly ask "Why?" before knowing the whole picture. In each instance in the bible, the purpose for the miracle was different. Let's look at some examples:

1. Healing as a teaching point:

Man with withered hand healed on Sabbath (Matt 12:9-13; Mark 3: 1-5; Luke 6:6-10)
-Christ enters the synagogue to find a man with a withered hand. The people set him up and ask if it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath trying to find reason to accuse him. Christ tells them it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath and gives the sheep in the pit as an example. Heals the man's hand in front of the Pharisees. They go out and seek council against him.

Man with dropsy healed on the Sabbath (Luke 14:1-6)
-Christ goes to eat bread in the homes of one of the chief Pharisees on the Sabbath. In the midst there is a man with dropsy. Christ asks if it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? They don't answer. Christ heals the man and lets him go. Christ then teaches about the ox and ass in the mire. Again they didn't answer.


2. Healing out of compassion

Peter's Mother in Law healed (Matt 8:14-15; Mark 1:29-31; Luke 4:38-39)
-Christ comes to Peter's house and heals Peter's mother-in-law from a fever with the touch of his hand. She arises and ministers unto those in the room.

38 yr old man with infirmity is healed on the Sabbath (John 5:1-16)
-At the time of a feast in Jerusalem Christ goes to the pool of Bethesda. Here lie a great multitude of impotent folk (blind, halt, withered, etc.) Christ only heals one man. He talks with the man who has been there 38 years, and tells him to take up his bed and walk. And it was the Sabbath. The Jews tell the man it is not lawful for him to carry his bed because it was the sabbath. He doesn't know that Jesus healed him so he can't answer the Jews who told him to do so. Christ later finds him in the Temple and tells him to sin no more lest a worse thing befalls him. The man tells the Jews and they seek to kill him because he performed a miracle on the Sabbath.

Widow of Nain's son Raised from the dead (Luke 7:11-17)
-Dead man carried out of the city. Lord sees the crowd and has compassion on the woman. Tells the woman to weep not and then tells the young man to Arise. The young man sits up and begins speaking. Fear comes on all and they glorify God calling Christ a prophet.

Man born blind healed on Sabbath (John 9:1-39)
-Christ passes by a man blind since birth. His disciples ask who sinned, the man or his parents that he was born blind. Christ says neither, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him. After teaching his disciples that he is there to work the works of God, he spits on the ground and anoints the man's eyes with clay. He then tells the man to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. The man went, washed, and came seeing. All this was done on the Sabbath. The Pharisees ask the man how he received his sight. The man tells them how it was done. The Pharisees are divided as to whether the man who performed the miracle is of God because he performed a miracle on the Sabbath. They ask the man, he says the healer is a prophet. They did not believe that he was blind until they called his parents and asked about the man. The parents tell them that they know this to be their son and that he was indeed born blind, but they don't know how he received his sight. They tell the Pharisees to ask the man. The Pharisees determine that the healer is a sinner. They question the man again. The man getting frustrated tells them he already told them and they wouldn't believe and asks if they will be this man's disciple. They say nope, only Moses. The man testifies the healer is a man of God. The man is then cast out of the synagogue. Christ hearing that they had cast out the man goes and finds him and asks him if he believes in the Son of God. The man asks who he is that he might believe. Christ tells him it is he. The man believes and worships Christ.

Woman healed on Sabbath (Luke 13:11-17)
-Woman has an infirmity 18 years. Christ sees her and tells her she is free from her infirmity and then lays his hands on her and heals her. She glorifies God. The ruler of the synagogue is upset and tells Christ about the creation and the 10 commandments (of which Christ implemented both). Christ calls them hypocrites for taking their animals to water on the Sabbath. He then says shouldn't this woman, who is a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hast bound, be loosed from her infirmity on the Sabbath? After saying this, his adversaries were ashamed and the people rejoiced that she was healed.

*Raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-46)
-Christ is informed that Lazarus is dieing. He determines to wait a couple of days where he is at before going to see Lazarus. Lazarus dies and then he goes to go bring him back to life. When he tells his disciples that Lazarus is not dead, but sleepeth, they say it is well. Christ then plainly tells them that Lazarus is dead, and he is going to go raise him from the dead. He does so and the people marvel.

Malchus ear is healed (Luke 22:50-51)
-As the men come to take Christ, Peter steps forward and cuts of a servant of the High Priest's ear. Christ rebukes Peter and then immediately heals the man of his cut off ear.


3. Healing because he is asked to do so (faith of others)

Healing the noble man's son (John 4:46-54)
-Noble man beseeches Christ to come and heal his son. Christ tells him he won't believe unless he sees signs and miracles. The man persists that Christ come. Christ tells him his son is healed, and so the man goes on his way. The man finds out the next day when he gets back to his house that his son was healed from the moment Christ said he was, and his whole household believe on Jesus.

Multitude Healed (Matt 8:16-17; Mark 1:32-34; Luke 4:40-41)
-Many possessed with devils are brought unto Christ. He casts out the devil with his word, and heals all them that are sick. "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

Leper Healed (Matt 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:17-26)
-Leper comes and worships the Lord and asks if the Lord is willing to cleanse him. Christ puts forth his hand and touches the man and heals him. Tells him to tell no man but to go his way and show himself unto the priest and offer a sacrifice at the temple.

Centurion's servant healed (Matt 8:5-13; Luke 7:2-10)
-A Centurion comes unto him and tells him that his servant is sick of palsy. Christ says he will come unto him to heal him. The centurion says he is not worthy to have the Lord in his home, but instead asks the Lord to speak the word only and his servant will be healed. All marveled who heard this, including Christ. He tells the multitude that the faith of a gentile will be greater than the faith of the house of Israel. Christ says the word and the servant is healed immediately.

Man with Devil, Blind and Dumb is healed (Matt 12:22-30)
-Man is brought unto him possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb. He heals the man of all three symptoms. The people's response is to say "Is this not Joseph's Son?" "This fellow doth cast out devils by Beelzebub." Christ then has to tell that their logic makes no sense, and that if they are not with him they are against him. The people ask for other signs.

Daughter of Jarius raised from the dead (Matt 9:18-26; Mark 5:22-43; Luke 8: 41-56)
-A ruler of the synagogue, Jarius, falls at the feet of Christ and asks him if he will come and lay his hand upon his sick daughter and heal her. Him and his disciples go. She dies while they are enroute. Christ tells the man to not be afraid but to believe. He kicks out the minstrels and people making noise and has Peter, James and John come inside. He takes her by the hand and says: "Damsel, I say unto thee, arise."  He tells the parents to tell no body and charges them to give her something to eat.

2 Blind men healed (Matt 9:27-31)
-As Jesus is leaving an area, 2 blind men follow him and cry out "Thou Son of David, have mercy on us!" As he enters a house the blind men come to him. He asks them if they believe he can heal them. They say yes, he touches their eyes, and says "According to your faith, be it unto you." He tells them to tell no man. They instead spread his fame abroad in the whole country.

People healed by touching the hem of his garment (Matt 14:34-36; Mark 6:53-56)
-Christ comes into the land of Gennesaret. The men of the place call all the diseased to come from throughout the whole country. They ask that if they only touch the hem of his garment. As many as touch are healed completely.

A Dumb demonized man is healed (Matt 9:32-34; Luke 11:14-26)
-People bring a man who is dumb and possessed with a devil. Christ casts out the devil, and the man receives his voice. The pharisees determine that he casts out devils through the prince of devils. Christ then does a teaching lesson on how the Kingdom of God is set up.

Greek woman's daughter healed (Matt 15:22-28; Mark 7:25-30)
-A woman approaches the crowd and cries out to Christ telling him that her daughter has a devil. He ignores her and doesn't say anything unto her. Then his disciples tell him to send her away for she cried after them as well and wouldn't leave them alone. Christ then tells his disciples he is not sent to the gentiles, but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. The woman then comes to Christ and begs him to help her. Christ tells her it is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs. She then says but still the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the master's table. Christ seeing her faith says "be it unto thee even as thou wilt," and her daughter was made whole from that hour.

Deaf with speech impediment healed (Mark 7:32-37)
-People bring a deaf man with a speech impediment and asked Christ to lay his hands on the man. Christ takes the man away from the multitude and puts his fingers in the man's ears, then spits and touches the man's tongue. Looking up to heaven Christ says "Be opened" and immediately the man can hear and speak. Christ tells them to tell no one. Again they published it even more.

Blind man healed (Mark 8:22-26)
-Christ comes to Bethsaida, and the people bring unto him a blind men and ask him to touch him. Christ takes the blind man by the hand and leads him out of the town. Christ puts spittle on the mans eyes and then puts his hands on them and asks the man what he can see. The man says "men as trees, walking." Christ then puts his hands on the man again and the man's sight is restored completely. Christ tells him to neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.

Demoniac boy healed after failed attempts by disciples (Matt 17:14-21; Mark 9:14-29; Luke 9: 37-43)
-Christ comes to his disciples and finds the scribes questioning them. He asks what are they questioning his disciples. A man says that he brought his son, which had a dumb spirit, to the disciples of Christ to have him be healed, and they could not do it. Christ calls his disciples faithless and asks how long he needs to be with them. He tells them to bring the boy forth. The boy falls to ground foaming at the mouth. Christ asks the father how long the boy has been like this. The man says since a child. The man then says the demon has tried to kill the son on many failed attempts. He then asks Christ if he can do anything for his child. Christ tells him he believes all things are possible. The man says he believes and asks Christ to help his unbelief. Christ then tells the deaf and dumb spirit to come out of the boy and enter into him no more. The demon causes a scene and nearly kills the kid when he is cast out. Christ raises the boy by the hand after man thought he had died. He later tells his disciples that this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting.

10 Lepers healed (Luke 17:11-19)
-As Christ enters a village, 10 lepers meet him from afar off and asked Christ to have mercy on them. Christ tells them to go and show themselves unto the Priests. As they went they were cleansed. One turns back and glories God, and falls at Christ's feet giving him thanks. Christ asks about the other 9, then tells the one that his faith hath made him whole and to go on his way.

Sight restored to Bartimaeus and another beggar (Matt 20:29-34; Mark 10: 46-52; Luke 18:35-43)
-In Jericho a blind man sitting by the wayside begging hears the multitude and asks what is going on. They tell him Jesus is coming. He cries out to Jesus to have mercy on him. Jesus commands the man to be brought to him. Christ asks what the man wants to be done unto him. The man asks to receive his sight. Christ tells him to receive his sight, his faith hath saved him. The man receives his sight and begins to follow Christ as one of his disciples, glorifying God.


4. Healing to silence a Devil

Unclean spirit cast out on Sabbath (Mark 1:23-28; Luke 4:31-37)
-Man with unclean spirit was in the synagogue on the Sabbath and began making a scene while Christ was teaching. Christ commanded the unclean spirit to be quiet and to come out of the man. Whole multitude is amazed and his fame is spread abroad. (Christ shows that he is one with authority).

2 demonized men healed (Matt 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39)
-2 men filled with devils come out of the tombs and cause issues making sure no one can pass by. The devils ask if Christ is there to torment them before the judgement day. They then ask if they can go into the heard of swine. Christ says one word: "Go" and they go into the heard of 2000 swine and run off the cliff and drown. The whole city kicks Christ out of their midst after he destroys their livelihood and disobedience to the Law of Moses.


5. Healing because the faith of the individual is too great to ignore

Woman with issue of blood (Matt 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48)
-A woman with an issue of blood 12 years hears of the fame of Christ and approaches from behind and touches the hem of his garment while he passes by. Christ knowing that she has just been healed, stops the multitude and has her come forth and explain what she did. He tells her her faith made her whole, to go in peace and be whole of her plague.

Thus it seems miracles were performed anciently for diverse reasons. The same is true today. And in the case where a miracle is not performed, do we have the faith not to be healed?