healed

June 15, 2019

Endurance (Lk 21:19-21:19)

“By your patient endurance,

You will gain

Your lives.”

 

ἐν τῇ ὑπομονῇ ὑμῶν κτήσεσθε τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said that by their patient endurance (ἐν τῇ ὑπομονῇ ὑμῶν), they would gain or acquire (κτήσεσθε) their lives (τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν).  There is something similar in Mark, chapter 13:13, and Matthew, chapter 10:22, and chapter 24:13.  Mark indicated that endurance was important.  Jesus said that the one who endured or stayed firm to the end would be saved (ὁ δὲ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος, οὗτος σωθήσεται).  Matthew had the same idea in chapter 10:22.  If they were able to be endure to the end (ὁ δὲ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος), they would be saved, rescued, or healed (οὗτος σωθήσεται).  Jesus said that the one who endured or stayed firm to the end would be saved (ὁ δὲ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος, οὗτος σωθήσεται).  Luke did not use the word saved (σωθήσεται) but gained or acquired (κτήσεσθε) their lives.  Are you good at endurance?

May 23, 2019

Faith and sight (Lk 18:42-18:42)

“Jesus said to him.

‘Receive your sight!

Your faith

Has saved you.’”

 

καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἀνάβλεψον· ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said to this blind beggar (καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ) that he should receive his sight (Ἀνάβλεψον), because his faith (ἡ πίστις σου) had saved him (ἡ πίστις σου).  Both Matthew, chapter 20:34, and Mark, chapter 10:52, are similar.  Matthew said that Jesus was moved with compassion and pity on both blind men (σπλαγχνισθεὶς δὲ), so that he touched their eyes (ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἥψατο τῶν ὀμμάτων αὐτῶν).  Immediately (καὶ εὐθέως), they regained their sight (ἀνέβλεψαν) and followed him (καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ).  Mark, like Luke, did not mention compassion or pity.  Neither did Jesus touch his eyes.  Instead, Mark indicated that Jesus told Bartimaeus to go (καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ὕπαγε), because his faith had healed him (ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε).  Does faith play an important role in your life?

May 11, 2019

One leper praised God (Lk 17:15-17:15)

“Then one of them,

When he saw

That he was healed,

He turned back.

He praised God

With a loud voice.”

 

εἷς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν, ἰδὼν ὅτι ἰάθη, ὑπέστρεψεν μετὰ φωνῆς μεγάλης δοξάζων τὸν Θεόν,

 

Only Luke has this story about the curing of the ten lepers.  Luke indicated that one of these 10 lepers (εἷς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν) saw that he was healed (ἰδὼν ὅτι ἰάθη).  He turned back (ὑπέστρεψεν).  He praised or glorified God (δοξάζων τὸν Θεόν) with a loud voice (μετὰ φωνῆς μεγάλης).  Only one of these 10 lepers praised God.  The other 9 just went on their way to see the Jerusalem priests for the ritual cleansing.  Would you be the one or the nine?

May 9, 2019

Increase our faith (Lk 17:5-17:5)

“The apostles said

To the Lord.

‘Increase our faith!’”

 

Καὶ εἶπαν οἱ ἀπόστολοι τῷ Κυρίῳ Πρόσθες ἡμῖν πίστιν.

 

Luke uniquely indicated that the apostles asked the Lord (Καὶ εἶπαν οἱ ἀπόστολοι τῷ Κυρίῳ) to add or increase their faith (Πρόσθες ἡμῖν πίστιν).  Notice that Jesus was called the Lord (Κυρίῳ) here.  Although there are other instances of people having a lack of faith or a strong faith, quite often they were around being healed by Jesus.  This saying was the only instance of the apostles, not merely the disciples, or other followers of Jesus, where they specifically wished to increase or add to their belief.  Do you want to increase your faith?

April 19, 2019

They were silent (Lk 14:4-14:4)

“But they were silent.

Then Jesus

Took hold of him.

He healed him.

He sent him away.”

 

οἱ δὲ ἡσύχασαν. καὶ ἐπιλαβόμενος ἰάσατο αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπέλυσεν.

 

Luke uniquely stated that the lawyers and Pharisees were silent (οἱ δὲ ἡσύχασαν).  Then Jesus took hold of the man with dropsy (καὶ ἐπιλαβόμενος) and healed him (ἰάσατο αὐτὸν).  Then Jesus sent him away (καὶ ἀπέλυσεν).  Apparently, this was a perplexing problem for the Pharisees since helping people on the Sabbath was not unlawful as indicated in chapter 13:14-16 with the crippled woman.  Besides, it would be hard to tell if the fluid retention in the body of this person with dropsy had stopped.  Are you perplexed about anything?

March 23, 2019

The mute demon (Lk 11:14-11:14)

“Jesus was casting out

A demon

Who was mute.

When the demon

Had left him.

The mute person

Spoke.

The crowds

Were amazed.”

 

Καὶ ἦν ἐκβάλλων δαιμόνιον, καὶ αὐτὸ ἦν κωφόν· ἐγένετο δὲ τοῦ δαιμονίου ἐξελθόντος ἐλάλησεν ὁ κωφός. καὶ ἐθαύμασαν οἱ ὄχλοι·

 

Luke said that Jesus was casting out a demon (Καὶ ἦν ἐκβάλλων δαιμόνιον) who was in a mute person (καὶ αὐτὸ ἦν κωφόν).  When the demon had left (ἐγένετο δὲ τοῦ δαιμονίου ἐξελθόντος), the mute person spoke (ἐλάλησεν ὁ κωφός).  The crowds were amazed (καὶ ἐθαύμασαν οἱ ὄχλοι).  There was something similar to this in Matthew, chapter 9:32-33, and Matthew, chapter 12:22-23.  In chapter 9, Matthew said that Jesus was going on his way, when someone brought a mute or non-speaking demoniac person to him.  Jesus then cast out the demon from this man, so that this mute person began to speak.  The crowds marveled in awe at this happening.  They said that nothing like this had ever happened in Israel.  However, in chapter 8:28-33, Matthew had Jesus cast out demons from the demoniacs and send them into the pigs, but that was on the east side of the Jordan River.  In chapter 12 of Matthew, a man, possessed by the devil was both mute and blind.  Jesus then healed him, but there was no mention of casting out a demon from this man, although that could be assumed.  Then this mute and blind person began to speak and see, with the emphasis on healing, not on exorcising.  This crowd was also amazed or astonished about what they saw.  They wondered whether Jesus was the Son of David.  The historical son of David was Solomon, who also had healing powers.  “Son of David (υἱὸς Δαυείδ)” was also a royal or messianic name.  However, here in Luke, exorcising the demon was important, rather than healing or any messianic expectation.  Have you ever seen a mute person speak?

March 7, 2019

Jesus cures the son (Lk 9:42-9:42)

“While the boy

Was coming to Jesus,

The demon threw him down

With convulsions.

But Jesus rebuked

The unclean spirit.

He healed the boy.

He gave him back

To his father.”

 

ἔτι δὲ προσερχομένου αὐτοῦ ἔρρηξεν αὐτὸν τὸ δαιμόνιον καὶ συνεσπάραξεν· ἐπετίμησεν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἀκαθάρτῳ, καὶ ἰάσατο τὸν παῖδα καὶ ἀπέδωκεν αὐτὸν τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ.

 

Luke said that while the young man was coming to Jesus (ἔτι δὲ προσερχομένου αὐτοῦ), the demon threw him down to the ground (ἔρρηξεν αὐτὸν τὸ δαιμόνιον) with convulsions (καὶ συνεσπάραξεν).  But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit (πετίμησεν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἀκαθάρτῳ).  He healed the boy (καὶ ἰάσατο τὸν παῖδα).  He gave him back to his father (καὶ ἀπέδωκεν αὐτὸν τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ).  Both Matthew, chapter 17:18 and Luke here have a summary of a more detailed longer statement from Mark, chapter 9:20-27, about this mute epileptic boy.  Mark said that they brought the boy to Jesus.  However, when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it immediately convulsed the boy.  The boy fell on the ground and began to roll around, foaming at the mouth.  In fact, Jesus got to see what the father had described to him earlier.  Jesus asked the father of this boy how long had these convulsions been happening to him.  The father said that it had been happening since his childhood.  This evil spirit would often cast him into both fire and water, as Matthew had mentioned, in order to destroy him.  Then the father asked Jesus, if he was able to do anything to help his son.  He wanted Jesus to have pity and compassion on him and his son.  Jesus said to him that all things could be done for the one who believed.  Belief was the key ingredient for any success in this area.  The father of the child cried out that he believed, but he wanted help with his unbelief.  This was a strong statement of belief that also recognized unbelief at the same time.  Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit.  He directly commanded this unclean evil spirit that had kept this boy from speaking and hearing to come out of him, never again to enter him.  Jesus then got rid of the unclean spirit that was in this boy in a public act in front of a crowd.  After crying out and terribly convulsing the boy with spasms, the evil spirit came out of the boy, who became a corpse.  Most of the people said that the boy was dead.  Could this boy live without the evil spirit in him?  Jesus took the boy by the hand.  He lifted him up, so that he rose up, and was able to stand up on his feet by himself.  The boy was not dead.  There was a clear equivalence between the illness of epilepsy and demonic possession.  Once the devil or evil spirits had left the boy, he was cured of his various ailments.  Have you ever dealt with an epileptic?

February 25, 2019

She was immediately cured (Lk 8:47-8:47)

“When the woman saw

That she could not

Remain hidden,

She came forward

Trembling.

She fell down

Before Jesus.

She declared

In the presence

Of all the people

Why she had touched him.

She explained

How she had been

Immediately healed.”

 

ἰδοῦσα δὲ ἡ γυνὴ ὅτι οὐκ ἔλαθεν, τρέμουσα ἦλθεν καὶ προσπεσοῦσα αὐτῷ δι’ ἣν αἰτίαν ἥψατο αὐτοῦ ἀπήγγειλεν ἐνώπιον παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ ὡς ἰάθη παραχρῆμα.

 

Luke said that this woman saw that she could not remain hidden (ἰδοῦσα δὲ ἡ γυνὴ ὅτι οὐκ ἔλαθεν).  Thus, she came forward trembling (τρέμουσα ἦλθεν), as she fell down before Jesus (καὶ προσπεσοῦσα αὐτῷ).  She declared in the presence of all the people (ἀπήγγειλεν ἐνώπιον παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ) why she had touched him (δι’ ἣν αἰτίαν ἥψατο αὐτοῦ).  She explained how she had been immediately healed (καὶ ὡς ἰάθη παραχρῆμα).  This woman coming forward can be found in Mark, chapter 5:33, but not in Matthew.  Mark said that this woman knew what had been done and what happened to her.  She came forward in fear and trembling.  She fell down or worshipped before Jesus.  She told him the whole truth.  This woman, despite her fears, came forward to explain what she had done and what happened to her.  Can you overcome your fears?

February 24, 2019

Jesus realized that someone touched him (Lk 8:45-8:45)

“Then Jesus asked.

‘Who touched me?’

When all denied it,

Peter said.

‘Master!

The crowds surround you!

They press in

On you!’”

 

καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς Τίς ὁ ἁψάμενός μου; ἀρνουμένων δὲ πάντων εἶπεν ὁ Πέτρος Ἐπιστάτα, οἱ ὄχλοι συνέχουσίν σε καὶ ἀποθλίβουσιν.

 

Luke said that Jesus asked (καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς) who had touched him (Τίς ὁ ἁψάμενός μου)?  Everyone denied touching Jesus (ἀρνουμένων δὲ πάντων).  Peter (ὁ Πέτρος) calling Jesus Master (Ἐπιστάτα) said (εἶπεν) that the crowds surrounded him and pressed in on him (οἱ ὄχλοι συνέχουσίν σε καὶ ἀποθλίβουσιν).  This same question can be found in Mark, chapter 5:30, but not in Matthew.  Mark said that Jesus immediately realized that power had gone forth from him.  He then turned around to the crowd.  He wanted to know who had touched his clothes.  Both Jesus and the woman knew that something had happened.  Jesus, however, was unaware of whom he had healed.  Have you sometimes helped people without realizing it?

February 24, 2019

The woman touched the garment of Jesus (Lk 8:44-8:44)

“She came up

Behind Jesus.

She touched

The fringe

Of his clothes.

Instantly,

Her bleeding stopped.”

 

προσελθοῦσα ὄπισθεν ἥψατο τοῦ κρασπέδου τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ, καὶ παραχρῆμα ἔστη ἡ ῥύσις τοῦ αἵματος αὐτῆς.

 

Luke said that this woman came up behind Jesus (ροσελθοῦσα ὄπισθεν).  She touched the fringe of his cloak (ἥψατο τοῦ κρασπέδου τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ).  Instantly, her bleeding stopped (καὶ παραχρῆμα ἔστη ἡ ῥύσις τοῦ αἵματος αὐτῆς).  This woman touching Jesus can also be found in Matthew, chapter 9:21, and Mark, chapter 5:27-29, so that Mark might be the source.  Mark said that this woman had heard about Jesus, so that she came up behind him with the crowd all around Jesus.  She wanted to touch his cloak, with no mention of the fringes or edges of Jesus’ clothes.  She was saying to herself, that if she only touched his cloak or garment, she would be healed or cured.  Immediately, her flowing blood dried up or stopped when she touched it.  She realized in her body that she was healed from her disease.  This woman was aware of what was happening to her own body as she was healed.  Matthew said that she came up behind Jesus, because she wanted to touch the fringe or the tassel edge of his cloak.  These fringes (κρασπέδου) or bottom tassels often reminded people about the 10 commandments.  She was thinking to herself, that if she only touched his cloak or garment, she would be healed or cured.  She had a plan to help herself by touching the garment of Jesus.  Have you ever tried to touch someone in a crowd?