THE MESSIAH HEALS

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Matthew 9:18-38
Lesson #25
THE MESSIAH HEALS

• Memory verse: Mark 16:15
• Read Mat 9:18-26
  • There are two healings that occurred at the same time, one interrupting the other.
  • For the purposes of our study, we will separate them.
• Read Mar 5:21-24,35-43 (Mat 9:18-19, 23-26) The healing of Jairus’ 12 yr. old daughter
  • Jairus was a ruler of the synagogue in Capernaum.
  • He was a very important person elected from among the elders.
    • His responsibility was to supervise and take care of the external order of the synagogue.
    • He appointed those who were to read the scriptures and pray in the synagogue service, and to invite those who were to preach.
    • The practical administration of the synagogue was in his hands.
    • Because the Jewish leaders opposed Jesus, Jairus must have tried everything else to cure his daughter before coming to Jesus as a last resort.
      • His motive was inadequate.
      • Often we come to Jesus as a last resort with that same motive.
  • Jairus’ faith and an act of worship (Mar 5:22)
    • Jairus humbles himself and worships Jesus.
    • Worship is an act of faith.
      • Matthew indicates that Jairus knew his daughter was already dead.
      • However Mark says that when he first came to Jesus she was at the point of death.
      • She evidently died before they reached Jairus’ house.
      • At any event, Jairus’ faith and desperation brought him to Jesus.
      • Jesus lifts Jairus’ faith to a higher level when Jairus discovers his daughter is dead. (Mar 5:35-36)
  • The mourning process
    • Mourning was extremely important to the Jews.
    • There were three mourning customs that must be observed.
      • =1= The tearing of garments: There were 39 different rules governing how one tore his garments to indicate mourning.
      • =2= The wailing for the dead
        • Professional mourners came to wail.
        • These women knew the personal history of each person in the community. When friends came to pay their respects at the funeral, the wailing women would know just what personal details to bring up so that friends would be induced to cry more easily.
        • The purpose of wailers was to help people accept the reality of death and move on in their lives.
      • =3= The flute players: The flute was associated with death. Even the poorest peasant was legally to supply at least one mourning woman and 2 flute players.
  • Jesus entered this chaotic mourning atmosphere.
    • The first thing He does is to clear the house of the negative elements of death that defeat faith. (Mar 5:37,40)
    • The second thing He does is include only those close disciples strong in faith whom He is training for service: Peter, James, and John. (Mar 5:37)
    • Surrounded by a strong atmosphere of faith, the child is healed.
      • Jesus’ use of the word “sleep”:
        • Several times in his ministry, Jesus used the word sleep for death.
        • There are 2 Greek words for sleep.

=1= (kiomasthai) = used for both sleep and death.

=2= (katheudein) = used primarily for natural sleep and seldom used for death.

• • • • Jesus used the second word to indicate that death is temporary from which one will awake.
  • What do we learn about faith from the healing of Jairus’ daughter?
    • When your faith is weak, surround yourself with those who are strong in faith.
    • Eliminate anything that defeats your faith.
• Read Mar 5:25-34 The healing of the woman with an issue of blood
  • The “unclean” sickness
    • An issue of blood meant that she was ceremonially unclean and could never enter the synagogue for worship.
    • She was supposed to cry “unclean” wherever she went, just as the lepers did.
    • She was resigned to a life of isolation and humiliation.
    • When she touched Jesus, technically she made him “unclean”. (Lev 15:25,27)
  • The 12 years
    • For 12 years she had sought a cure.
    • Jairus’ daughter was 12 years old. The 12 years of Jairus’ joy with his daughter is contrasted with the woman’s 12 years of pain unable to enter the synagogue for which Jairus was responsible.
  • The hem of His garment
    • The garment had a fringe or ribbon of blue on the four corners of the outer robe as required by the Mosaic Law.
    • Read Num 15:37-40 (Deu 22:12)
      • It consisted of 4 threads passing through the 4 corners of the garment and meeting in eight. One of the threads was longer than the others. It was twisted 7 times around the others, and a double knot formed, then 8 times, then 11 times, then 13 times. The thread and the knots stood for the first 5 books of the Law.
      • The purpose of the blue fringe was to remind the people to obey God’s laws.
        • The hem of the garment of the high priest had tiny bells alternated with pomegranates according to the Mosaic Law. (Exo 28:34)
        • Pomegranates were a symbol of healing.
    • A rabbi’s authority or rank was often marked in the hem of his garment.
      • To seal a contract, he would press the hem in soft clay.
      • The robe was often thrown over the shoulder when one walked making part of the hem drape down the back.
        • The Bible does not say which part of the hem she touched.

Perhaps she threw herself at his feet and touched the bottom near the ground.

Perhaps, because of the crowd, she touched the part that was up by his shoulder.

• • • • • The virtue went out of him at the healing.

What is the virtue?

Supernatural power.

• • Jesus asks, “who touched me?” Why?
    • With Jesus, no one is ever lost in the crowd.
    • Jesus was surrounded and touched by many people.
    • However, Jesus wanted to bring her faith into sharp focus for her benefit.
      • She was not healed by superstition in the touch of his robe.
      • She was healed by faith in the Son of God.
    • Her response is one of fear because she has broken the Mosaic Law by touching people, and she has made him ceremonially unclean.
    • Her confession solidified her faith.
      • What do we learn about faith from the healing of the woman with an issue of blood?
      • A confession of faith in the Son of God, not superstition, brings healing.
  • What do we learn about Jesus from these two miracles?
    • The King has power to raise the dead!
    • The King has power to bring a new life!
    • The King has power to lift faith over superstition.
• Read Mat 9:27-35 Healing two blind men and the dumb demoniac
  • Healing the blind was a specific ministry assigned to the coming Messiah in Isa 29:18; 35:5.
  • Blindness was and still is more common in the Middle East than here because of soil, weather conditions, sanitation, customs, and a mother who had venereal disease.
  • The two blind men followed Jesus from Jairus’ house. They loudly call to Him, but He ignored them.
    • He did not heal them until He brought them into the house.
    • He did not want the publicity.
  • Their confession of faith:
    • “Jesus, thou son of David”
      • This title was reserved for the Messiah.
      • Therefore, they acknowledge him as the expected Messiah.
    • Jesus tries their faith by asking if they really believe He can do this.
    • What do we learn about faith from this healing? Faith is persistent, patient, and focused on Jesus as the Son of God.
  • The healing of the dumb demoniac occurred when others brought him to Jesus. (32)
    • Jesus deals with the source of the dumbness, not the superficial illness. He casts out the demon that caused it.
    • Jesus knew perfectly the people that came to Him. He knew their levels of faith, and the causes of their illnesses.
  • What do we learn about Jesus from these healings? The King has power to prove He is the promised Messiah!
  • Two reactions:
    • =1= People who believed in him.
    • =2= Pharisees who attributed his powers to Satan.
• Read Mat 9:36-38 The Parable of the Sheep and the Harvest
  • What is the central truth of the parable?
    • All people are like sheep, aimless in their direction of life but many seeking truth.
    • God wants his disciples to pray, have compassion, and minister salvation to those who are lost and need a savior.
  • Who are the multitudes? The passage in Matthew tells us the sheep are the multitudes.
  • What does it mean they were scattered?
    • This is how Jesus views the multitude of people:
    • With compassion, He sees them as weary and frustrated with life’s trials, abandoned and neglected by their leaders to the point of confusion.
    • They don’t know which way to go so seeking truth, they follow anyone.
    • Who is the shepherd? How do you know? Jesus says He is the shepherd in John 10:11
  • What is the harvest?
    • The scattered multitudes who need guidance and care to bring them to the Savior
    • Note the priorities of Jesus’ ministry in their proper order. (35)
      • Teaching
      • Preaching
      • Healing
    • The result of this balance is the making of disciples who in turn will minister to other people
  • Who are the few laborers? Disciples of Jesus, then and now, who are willing to work for the Lord.
    • What does the laborer do?
    • =1= Some prepare the ground.
      • How do you do that?
      • You do it by creating the opportunity to be heard by meeting physical needs of non-believers.
      • Sometimes it’s just hospitality and being a friend. (Luc 10:5,7)
    • =2= Some plant the seed.
      • How do you do that?
      • Speaking the word of God.
    • =3= Some water and weed.
      • How do you do that?
      • Patiently praying for, discipling, and leading a person to commitment of his whole life to Christ.
        • This occurs just before and after salvation.
        • This is often the hardest, most frustrating, most time consuming process.
    • =4=Some reap the ripe grain. How do you do that?
      • You do that by confronting a person to accept Jesus.
      • This is often the most glamorized laborer because we view it as the most personally threatening.
        • However, one laborer is no more important than the other.
        • It takes all to bring in the harvest.
    • What is the motive of the laborers? It is not converting a person to a religion, but leading a person to a personal relationship to the God of creation.
    • How is the number of laborers increased?
      • By prayer (38)
        • It’s not a prayer that God send somebody else.
        • Only God convicts hearts, makes laborers, and opens the doors of opportunity as we are willing to cooperate with Him.
        • As we have a close relationship to God in prayer, He convicts our hearts and shows us the open doors of opportunity.
        • As we pray, we are the laborers He sends.
      • When Jesus spoke this parable to his disciples, He wanted them to pray so that they would be the laborers.

Homework

Matthew 10:1-23

• Application of Mat 9:18-38
  • What have you learned about Jesus that helps to increase your faith in him?
• Preparation for Mat 10:1-23
  • Read Mat 10:1-15
    • What were the disciples to take with them?
    • What was to be their attitude?
  • Read Mat 10:16-23 Parable of the sheep in the midst of wolves
    • What is the central truth of the parable?
    • Who are the wolves and what do they do?
    • What characteristics of serpents should we copy?
    • What does Jesus mean, “harmless as doves“?
• Memory verse: Act 1:8