The healings (Lk 4:40-4:40)

“As the sun

Was setting,

All those who had

Any person

Who was sick

With various kinds

Of diseases,

Brought them

To Jesus.

He laid his hands

On each of them.

He cured them.”

 

Δύνοντος δὲ τοῦ ἡλίου ἅπαντες ὅσοι εἶχον ἀσθενοῦντας νόσοις ποικίλαις ἤγαγον αὐτοὺς πρὸς αὐτόν· ὁ δὲ ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ αὐτῶν τὰς χεῖρας ἐπιτιθεὶς ἐθεράπευεν αὐτούς.

 

Luke said that as the sun was setting (Δύνοντος δὲ τοῦ ἡλίου), all those who had any person who was sick with various kinds of diseases (ἅπαντες ὅσοι εἶχον ἀσθενοῦντας νόσοις ποικίλαις) brought them to Jesus. (ἤγαγον αὐτοὺς πρὸς αὐτόν).  This would not have been the Sabbath, because the sun had set on the Sabbath.  Jesus laid his hands on each of them (ὁ δὲ ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ αὐτῶν τὰς χεῖρας ἐπιτιθεὶς) and so he cured them (ἐθεράπευεν αὐτούς).  Luke concentrated on the sick people, emphasized healing.  There are similar generic statements about healing sick and chasing out demons in Mark, chapter 1:32-33, and Matthew, chapter 8:16.  Matthew emphasized the casting out of demons.  Jesus cast out these demons with merely a word.  At the same time, he also healed all the sick people around there, without indicating how this was done.  Apparently, during biblical times, there were a lot of people who were possessed by the devil.  Mark was the only one to mention that the whole city gathered at his door.  Mark said that they brought to him all who had a sickness or were possessed with demons.  Jesus was also a daring faith healer, since many saw the connection between both sickness and demonic evil spirit possession.

The man could see clearly (Mk 8:25-8:25)

“Then Jesus

Laid his hands

On his eyes again.

He looked intently.

His sight was restored.

He saw everything clearly.”

 

εἶτα πάλιν ἐπέθηκεν τὰς χεῖρας ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ διέβλεψεν καὶ ἀπεκατέστη, καὶ ἐνέβλεπεν τηλαυγῶς ἅπαντα.

 

This story of the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida was unique to Mark. Then Jesus laid his hands on the blind man’s eyes again (εἶτα πάλιν ἐπέθηκεν τὰς χεῖρας ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ).  This time the blind man opened his eyes intently (καὶ διέβλεψεν).  His sight was fully restored (καὶ ἀπεκατέστη).  Now he began to see everything clearly (καὶ ἐνέβλεπεν τηλαυγῶς ἅπαντα).  Thus, this second stage of clear vision needed another physical act to complete the healing of this blind man.  Perhaps, that is why Matthew and Luke did not include this story in their gospels.

Jesus was disappointed (Mk 6:5-6:6)

“Jesus could do

No deed of power there,

Except that he laid his hands

On a few sick people.

He cured them.

He was amazed

At their unbelief.

Then he went

Among the villages

Teaching.”

 

καὶ οὐκ ἐδύνατο ἐκεῖ ποιῆσαι οὐδεμίαν δύναμιν, εἰ μὴ ὀλίγοις ἀρρώστοις ἐπιθεὶς τὰς χεῖρας ἐθεράπευσεν.

καὶ ἐθαύμασεν διὰ τὴν ἀπιστίαν αὐτῶν. Καὶ περιῆγεν τὰς κώμας κύκλῳ διδάσκων.

 

This is like Matthew, chapter 13:58, but there is nothing like this in the elaborate story of Luke, chapter 4:23-30.  Mark said that Jesus was not able to do any powerful deeds there (καὶ οὐκ ἐδύνατο ἐκεῖ ποιῆσαι οὐδεμίαν δύναμιν).  Nevertheless, he laid his hands on a few sick people (εἰ μὴ ὀλίγοις ἀρρώστοις ἐπιθεὶς τὰς χεῖρας), who were cured (ἐθεράπευσεν).  He was amazed at their unbelief (καὶ ἐθαύμασεν διὰ τὴν ἀπιστίαν αὐτῶν).  However, then he went among the villages (Καὶ περιῆγεν τὰς κώμας κύκλῳ) teaching (διδάσκων).  Jesus did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief, yet he kept on teaching.

 

Jesus blessed the children (Mt 19:14-19:15)

“But Jesus said.

‘Let the little children

Come to me!

Do not stop them!

It is to such as these

That the kingdom of heaven

Belongs.’

He laid his hands

On them.

Then he went on his way.”

 

ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν Ἄφετε τὰ παιδία καὶ μὴ κωλύετε αὐτὰ ἐλθεῖν πρός με· τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.

καὶ ἐπιθεὶς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῖς ἐπορεύθη ἐκεῖθεν.

 

This story about Jesus laying his hand on the little children can be found in Mark, chapter 10:14-16, and Luke, chapter 18:16, but slightly different.  Jesus said (ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν) to his disciples that the little children should not be forbidden to come to him (Ἄφετε τὰ παιδία καὶ μὴ κωλύετε αὐτὰ ἐλθεῖν πρός με).  They belonged to the kingdom of heaven (τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν).  Then he laid his hands on them (καὶ ἐπιθεὶς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῖς) before he traveled from there on his way (ἐπορεύθη ἐκεῖθεν).  This emphasis on little children in the kingdom of heaven could be found earlier in chapter 18:1-5.