It seems the Jesus listened to the human condition, and then responded to real needs with love and care before initiating a spiritual teaching.
| Story and reference | What happened first | Spiritual Integration |
| Simon’s mother with fever and other sick people arriving at sunset. (4:38ff) | Jesus healed her and she got up; healed many after that. | He preached the Good News of the Kingdom of God. |
| Fishermen at the lake. (5:1-11) | Jesus taught first, then sent them fishing, after which their boats were full. | Jesus used this occasion to call the first disciples.
|
| A leper begged Jesus to heal him. (5:12-15)
|
Jesus reached out his hand and touched him and he was healed. | Jesus gave instructions of how to use this as a testimony. |
| A paralytic man was lowered down from the roof to be healed. (5: 17-26) | The paralytic was healed in the midst of the Pharisees questions. | Jesus integrated faith talk, with Jesus telling the man to get up. |
| The man with the shriveled hand. (6:6-11)
|
Jesus asked him to stretch out his hand, and he was healed. | Jesus integrated the healing with a question. |
| Jesus was in a large crowd. (6:17-36) | Many were cured of evil spirits. | Jesus used this opportunity to teach the Beatitudes and other teaching.
|
| In Capernaum, a centurion’s servant was deathly sick. (7:1-10) | The servant was healed from afar. | Jesus spoke briefly about the centurion’s faith. |
| A widow’s son was dead and brought to Jesus. (7:11-17) | Jesus touched the coffin, and the son got up.
|
Everyone praised God. |
| John the Baptist had questions when Jesus was healing many different diseases. (7:18ff) | Jesus was curing many of diseases, blindness, evil spirits, and other sicknesses. | He used this occasion to teach several things, and people acknowledged God’s way as right. |
| Jesus and the disciples were in a boat crossing the lake. (8:22-25) | They were being swamped, and they were afraid. | Jesus calmed the storm, and used the opportunity to talk about their faith.
|
| Jesus and the disciples met a demon-possessed man who lived naked in the tombs. (8:26-39) | Jesus commanded the evil spirit to come out of him. | Jesus told the cured man to return home and tell how much God had done for him. |
| Jairus’ daughter was dying, and he pled for Jesus to come. While He was coming, the daughter died. (8:40-56) | Jesus went to her and said “My child get up” and she did. | Jesus used the occasion to relieve their fear, and to validate their faith. |
| A woman suffering from bleeding for 12 years came to Jesus and touched his garments. (8:43-48) | The woman was immediately healed. | After the healing, Jesus taught “…your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” |
| Jesus was teaching about the Kingdom of God, and He was healing at the same time. (9:10-17) | The crowd got hungry, and Jesus just fed them out of five loaves and two fish. | Here was a case where Jesus was teaching and healing simultaneously – and miraculously fed the 5,000 afterward. |
| A man begged Jesus to drive out a spirit from his son. The spirit was destroying him. (9:37-45) | Jesus rebuked the evil spirit and healed the boy. | Jesus asked the disciples to listen carefully as he taught them. |
| A man had a mute demon. (11:14-28) | Jesus drove out the demon and the crowds were amazed | Jesus used this event to teach extensively. |
| While Jesus taught in the synagogue, a crippled woman showed up. (13:10-17) | Jesus set her free from her infirmity on the sabbath. | Jesus used the healing on the sabbath to teach spiritual truth. |
| Jesus came upon ten lepers who called out asking for help from Jesus. (17:11-19) | Jesus said they should go and show themselves to the priest, and while going they were healed. | Only one returned to thank Jesus, and Jesus then began to explain that his faith made him well. |
| A blind man was begging on the Jericho road, and seeing Jesus, he cried out to Jesus for mercy. (18:35-42) | Jesus asked rhetorically what he wanted, and he said he wanted to see. Jesus healed him right then. | Jesus tied the event into some comments about faith. |
Larry W. Sharp, BAM Support Specialist, IBEC Ventures
Larry.Sharp@ibecventures.com