Don Stewart :: Did Jesus Christ Miraculously Heal the Sick?

Did Jesus Christ Miraculously Heal the Sick?

Divine Healing – Question 5

While the Old Testament records that God healed the sick on a number of occasions these instances of supernatural healing cannot compare to the healing miracles we find recorded in the life of Jesus Christ. Indeed, in three short years of ministry, Jesus performed more miracles of healing than are recorded in the entire 1,500 year period of the Old Testament! Never have some many healing miracles taken place in such a short period of time.

It Is beyond All Doubt That Jesus Christ Miraculously Healed the Sick

Before one can examine the various accounts of Jesus performing miracles of healing, it is essential to establish that Jesus did actually heal the sick in a miraculous way. This is not difficult to do. Indeed, the eyewitness testimony, recorded in the four gospels, makes it clear that Jesus Christ was a miracle-worker. The Book of Acts, which records the deeds of the early church, gives further testimony to Jesus’ healing miracles.

In fact, the evidence demonstrates that never in human history have so many infirmed people been miraculously healed from their ailments. When all the data are examined it will be clear, beyond any doubt, that Jesus supernaturally cured those who were infirmed. The evidence is as follows.

Each Gospel Writer Testified That Jesus Healed Multitudes of People

To begin with, we find that each of the four gospel writers gives testimony to the fact that Jesus Christ supernaturally healed the sick and the infirmed. Indeed, we will discover that Jesus’ healed multitudes of ailing people.

The Testimony of Matthew concerning Jesus’ Healings

Matthew, the writer of the first gospel, records a number of occasions where Jesus healed vast numbers of people. From an examination of what he wrote, we can make the following observations.

Multitudes Were Healed from the Very Beginning

Matthew wrote about what took place at the very start of Jesus’ public ministry; the Lord healed multitudes of infirmed people. The Bible says.

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him (Matthew 4:23-25 TNIV).

Notice the various ailments that were brought to Jesus; those with severe pain, the paralyzed, those having seizures. Matthew records that Jesus healed all of those people who were suffering from each of these infirmities.

Furthermore, we have the record of large crowds following Him wherever He went. These crowds came from all parts of the nation of Israel. Thus, the word of His healing ability had spread throughout the entire country. The explanation as to why the crowds gathered is that they knew Jesus could heal the infirmed.

Jesus Healed All Who Were Sick in Capernaum

In the city of Capernaum, we read of Jesus healing all those who came out to see Him. Matthew records what took place as follows.

That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick (Matthew 8:16 ESV).

Everyone who was brought to Jesus was healed. There were no exceptions.

Jesus Healed Every Disease with Which He Was Confronted

Later in Jesus’ ministry we have further documentation that Jesus healed every disease with which He was confronted. Matthew writes.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness (Matthew 9:35 TNIV).

Note that Jesus healed every disease and sickness when He traveled through the various towns and villages. Again, nobody was turned away because of some lack of ability on Jesus’ part.

The Crowds Followed Him Wherever He Went

Matthew again records that multitudes followed Jesus wherever He went. He wrote.

But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them (Matthew 12:15 NLT).

Jesus went to unpopulated areas in an attempt to temporarily withdraw from the crowds. However, the multitudes sought Him out and found Him. Once more we are told that Jesus healed “all” the sick among the people.

People Continued to Seek Out Jesus for Healing

Matthew emphasizes that the crowds were constantly looking for Jesus. Indeed, when it became known that Christ was in the vicinity, people brought their sick and infirmed to Him. We read.

And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed (Matthew 14:35-36 TNIV).

The healing ability of Jesus was evident to all. Indeed, people were begging just to touch the edge of His garment to receive a healing.

Matthew provides yet another reference of Jesus healing the multitudes of infirmed people. He wrote.

A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who couldn’t speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all. The crowd was amazed! Those who hadn’t been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking, and the blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel (Matthew 15:30-31 NLT).

Again we emphasize that the reason as to why people sought out Jesus for divine healing is because they knew that He was able to heal!

We also find that Jesus healed the infirmed in the city of Jerusalem during His final trip to that city. This took place in the temple area. Matthew writes about Jesus’ healing miracles at that site.

And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them (Matthew 21:14 ESV).

Jesus was healing the infirmed until the very end of His public ministry.

Conclusions We Can Draw from Matthew’s Testimony

After looking at what Matthew has to say about Jesus’ healing ability there are a number of conclusions which we can draw. First, Jesus supernaturally healed the infirmed. There is no doubt about this. Furthermore, He did it often as well as everywhere He went. Add to this the fact that Jesus healed many different kinds of ailments. Indeed, nothing was too difficult for Him. The word spread of Jesus’ ability to heal. In fact, the entire nation knew of what He could do. Although Jesus retreated to unpopulated areas the crowds still continued to seek Him out. These facts clearly demonstrate that He possessed a miraculous ability to heal. Indeed, His ability to heal was never questioned or doubted.

Mark Testified to Jesus’ Supernatural Ability to Heal

Mark, the writer of the second gospel, also gives testimony to Jesus’ healing miracles. At the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, Mark records the account of Jesus healing the sick in the city of Capernaum.

That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was (Mark 1:32-34 TNIV).

Everyone who came to Jesus with an infirmity was healed. There were no exceptions.

In another instance, we find Jesus healing the crowds alongside the Sea of Galilee. Mark explains why the crowds came out to see Him.

Jesus led his disciples down to the shore of the lake. Large crowds followed him from Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. People came from Idumea, as well as other places east of the Jordan River. They also came from the region around the cities of Tyre and Sidon. All of these crowds came because they had heard what Jesus was doing. He even had to tell his disciples to get a boat ready to keep him from being crushed by the crowds. After Jesus had healed many people, the other sick people begged him to let them touch him. And whenever any evil spirits saw Jesus, they would fall to the ground and shout, “You are the Son of God!” (Mark 3:7-11 CEV).

The crowds continued to come to Jesus because they had heard what He was able to do with respect to curing the sick. In fact, they came from everywhere to be healed from their ailments.

Conclusions We Can Draw from Mark’s Testimony

From the testimony of Mark, with respect to Jesus’ healing ability, we can draw a number of conclusions. Like we find in Matthew, Mark records that Jesus healed countless numbers of people. In addition, the Lord was able to heal every disease and infirmity with which He was confronted. Nothing was too difficult for Him. Jesus’ healing ability became widely known to the place where the crowds would crush each other just to get close to Him. Again, nobody doubted His ability to miraculously heal the sick.

Luke Records Jesus’ Healing Miracles

As we look at what Luke, the writer of the third gospel has to say about Jesus’ miracles of healing we can note the following.

Like Matthew and Mark, Luke records that large crowds followed Jesus wherever he went. These people came to listen to Him as well as to have their infirmities cured. Luke records the following.

Jesus and his apostles went down from the mountain and came to some flat, level ground. Many other disciples were there to meet him. Large crowds of people from all over Judea, Jerusalem, and the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon were there too. These people had come to listen to Jesus and to be healed of their diseases. All who were troubled by evil spirits were also healed. Everyone was trying to touch Jesus, because power was going out from him and healing them all (Luke 6:17-19 CEV).

Luke also notes that Jesus exhibited the power to heal any disease or infirmity which was brought into His presence.

When John the Baptist sent messengers to Jesus to inquire of His identity, Luke records that Jesus miraculously healed the sick in their presence.

At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me” (Luke 7:21-23 TNIV).

Jesus’ miracles of healing made it plain to John the Baptist that he did not have to look for another person to come. The Messiah had indeed arrived!

Luke records that Jesus attempted to withdraw from the huge crowds. However, they found Him in city of Bethsaida.

The apostles came back and told Jesus everything they had done. He then took them with him to the village of Bethsaida, where they could be alone. But a lot of people found out about this and followed him. Jesus welcomed them. He spoke to them about God’s kingdom and healed everyone who was sick. (Luke 9:10-11 CEV)

The huge crowds followed Jesus wherever He went. This included areas which were unpopulated.

Conclusions We Can Draw from Luke’s Testimony

We learn a number of things about Jesus’ supernatural ability to heal the from Luke account of the life of Christ. His testimony is consistent with that of Matthew and Mark. Luke records that large crowds were constantly following Jesus. This is because they knew the Lord had the ability to heal. Indeed, from Luke we find that Jesus healed multitudes of infirmed people. In addition, no disease or infirmity was too difficult for Him. Thus, from Luke, we have the same basic testimony with respect to Jesus’ healing ability. In addition, this documentation of the various healing miracles of Jesus is of special interest because Luke himself was a doctor.

John Gives Further Evidence of Jesus’ Healings

From John, the writer of the fourth gospel, we learn a number of things about Jesus’ miracles. We can sum them up as follows.

The Healing Miracles of Jesus Could Not Be Denied

John tells us that the miracles of Jesus could not be denied by those who living in His day. The religious leader Nicodemus admitted this in a conversation with Jesus. We read.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him” (John 3:1-2 ESV).

Nicodemus admitted God had to be with Jesus to allow Him to do the various miraculous deeds which He performed.

This is further evidenced with the raising of Lazarus. Jesus Himself testified that the death of Lazarus was for the purpose of glorifying God. John writes.

But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4 ESV).

In fact this is exactly what took place. After Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead many people believed in Him. The religious leaders, who could not deny the miracle, plotted to murder both Jesus and Lazarus! In other words, they wanted to destroy the evidence.

Jesus Healed the Multitudes

John confirms the testimony of the first three gospel writers with respect to Jesus’ healing ability. He records that a large crowd came to Jesus to be healed.

Jesus crossed Lake Galilee, which was also known as Lake Tiberias. A large crowd had seen him work miracles to heal the sick, and those people went with him (John 6:1-2 CEV).

Again we find a reference to large crowds which had gathered to receive healing from Jesus.

John Selectively Recorded Jesus Miracles

John stated that he recorded only some of the healing miracles of Jesus. He explained the purpose of his writing his gospel in this manner.

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:30-31 ESV).

Thus, John himself tells us that he was selective in the miracles which he recorded about Jesus. According to his testimony, Jesus performed many other signs.

At the end of his gospel, John makes another statement about the signs which Jesus performed. He put it this way.

Jesus did many other things. If they were all written in books, I don’t suppose there would be room enough in the whole world for all the books (John 21:25 CEV).

Again we have the emphasis that John has selectively recorded the words and deeds of Jesus. Indeed, Jesus did many more things than John wrote about.

Conclusions We Can Draw from John’s Testimony

John provides further information about Jesus’ healing ability. As the first three gospel writers testified, we find that Jesus healed multitudes of infirmed people. Furthermore, these healing miracles were not denied by anyone. Indeed, neither friend nor foe of Jesus denied His miraculous deeds. In addition, we have John emphasizing that the various deeds of Jesus which he recorded was only a small portion of what Jesus actually did.

The Book of Acts Gives Further Testimony to Jesus’ Healing Ability

The Book of Acts, which records some of the deeds of the early church, provides further evidence that Jesus Christ miraculously cured the infirmed. Fifty days after Jesus was raised from the dead, Simon Peter, describing the ministry of Jesus Christ, said.

“People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know (Acts 2:22 NLT).

Peter reminded the people that were present that they too were aware of the miracles which Jesus performed. The miracles of Jesus, including His many healings, were undeniable.

Later, when speaking to a group of Gentiles, Peter specifically spoke of Jesus’ healing miracles. He explained it in this manner.

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem (Acts 10:38-39 ESV).

Peter emphasized that Jesus’ ability to heal went with Him wherever He went. In other words, geography was not a problem for Jesus’ miracle-working ability.

Conclusions We Can Draw from the Testimony of the Book of Acts

As was true in the case of the four gospels, the Book of Acts provides us with further conclusions which we can draw from Jesus’ healings. Jesus healed the sick and His disciples witnessed these miracles firsthand. Furthermore, the people of Jesus’ day, including the unbelievers, also witnessed these miraculous healings. Nobody was in a position to deny that they took place. Indeed, even the unbelievers had to acknowledge His ability to miraculously heal.

The New Testament Records Firsthand Testimony to Jesus’ Miracles

It must be emphasized that these accounts of Jesus’ miraculous healings are recorded in reliable historical documents; the New Testament. Indeed, the four gospels were written by either eyewitnesses of the life of Jesus Christ or by people who recorded eyewitness testimony. Thus, there is every reason to believe that we have trustworthy accounts of what actually transpired.

In sum, we can conclude from the testimony of the four gospels that the healings of Jesus Christ did in fact take place. Indeed, the evidence that Jesus was a miracle-worker is overwhelming.

Summary – Question 5
Did Jesus Christ Miraculously Heal the Sick?

The Old Testament records the God of the Bible doing a number of healing miracles. While they did not occur that often, they did take place from time to time. However, when we look at the life and ministry of Jesus Christ we will find a tremendous difference with respect to the number of healing miracles. Indeed, in three short years of Jesus’ public ministry there are many more recorded miracles of healing than we find in the entire Old Testament. The fact that Jesus Christ did miraculously heal the sick can be documented as follows.

First, as we look at the testimony of the four gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we discover that each of them records the healing miracles of Jesus. From their combined testimony we can reach a number of conclusions.

One thing which we find from a look at the four gospels is that Jesus healed multitudes of people. Indeed, time after time we are told that wherever He went multitudes followed. They always brought their infirmed and Jesus always healed those who were brought into His presence. There were no exceptions.

The fact that great crowds came out to see Jesus wherever He went is highly instructive. It gives undeniable testimony as to Jesus’ ability to heal. Indeed, the fact that these crowds constantly followed Him indicates that He was doing something very special.

The gospel writers also inform us that Jesus healed every infirmity which was brought to Him. No disease, no infirmity was too difficult for the Lord. He cured them all. In fact, we never find Jesus turning someone away because of lack of ability on His part.

This is why we do not find anyone denying the healing miracles of Jesus. Indeed, even the unbelievers acknowledged that Jesus had the power to heal the sick.

We also must remember that this proof comes from the four gospels. They writings contained the testimony of those who were eyewitnesses of these miracles of healing as well as those who recorded eyewitness testimony. The Book of Acts also records the sermons of Jesus’ apostles. In these messages we find additional references to the healing miracles of Jesus.

Consequently we have every reason to trust these documents as being reliable. Therefore, we can confidently conclude that Jesus Christ miraculously cured the sick and infirmed.