Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Mar/83

Contributor - Rev. John J. Opmeer

Title - Bible Study on Healing--- Based on Matthew 8 - 10

Topic - Healing

I would like to challenge you, particularly those of you who are elders, to study Matthew 8 - 10, using the following outline. But be careful, it may change your mind!

Matthew 4.-23 - First report of Jesus' ministry: it is a preaching, teaching, healing ministry.

Question: Is the preaching complete without the healing?

Matthew 5, 6, 7 - Summary of Jesus' preaching and teaching

Matthew 8, 9 - Summary of Jesus' healing ministry

Matthew 10 - Summary of disciples' ministry

Jesus' healing ministry (Matthew 8 and 9):

1. Leper healed (8:1 - 4)

Leper: "Lord, if you will"

Jesus: "I will"

- we should reconsider the tradition of saying "If it be Thy will" - better: "according to Your will" - God's will for the body affirmed by the marvelous, God given, natural healing powers of the human body. The leper knelt before Jesus. Knelt means worshipped (in Greek) - proper context for healing: worship, i.e. focus on Jesus Leper: "You can make me clean" - notice his faith. In this first actual case of healing, there is immediate mention of faith.

2. Servant healed (8:5 - 13)

Jesus: "I will come and heal him" - that makes two in a row for Jesus' willingness to heal. In fact, we find no incident in any of the four Gospels where someone comes to Jesus expecting healing and is turned down.

Centurion: "Only say the word"

- theme of faith developed further: there is absolute trust in authority of Jesus over sickness. - Jesus is pleased with this great faith. - What would be Jesus' reaction to our faith? (Suggested Scripture: Matthew 17:17 - 20, Mark 6:5, 6) Does the church sometimes live in Nazareth?

Jesus: "Go, be it done to you as you have believed" - further on the essential point of faith and healing: Here the healing is in proportion to faith exercised. Caution: this is not a final statement on 'why' of lack of healing. - who needs to have the faith for healing? Always the healer? Not necessarily the sick person, it may be a third person. Ideally, corporate faith is the context for a healing ministry (as implied in teachings of I Cor. 12).

3. Peter's mother-in-law healed (8:14, 15)

- no mention of faith this time.

-healing restores to full service. First motive for healing: God's willingness. Second motive for and fruit of healing: service.

4. Many healed (8:16. 1 7)

"That evening"

- reports on hearings raise peoples' expectations and gather a crowd. Third motive and fruit: increased faith, or opportunities for evangelism.

"He healed all who were sick" - in light of this, can it be maintained that Jesus healed only those whom He selected for healing? - if Jesus healed all who were brought to Him, what does it mean that God gives sickness as a blessing? "This was to fulfill . . ."

- a crucial quote from Isaiah 53:4 - to whom does the word "we" in Isaiah 53 apply? May we say, with Isaiah and Matthew, "He took OUR infirmities and bore OUR diseases"?

5. Paralytic healed (9.1 - 8)

"When Jesus saw their faith"

- constant emphasis on the need for faith

"Your sins are forgiven" - a new element in Jesus' ministry: sin and sickness are connected. How? Here: sick person's sin; sometimes someone else's sin (II Sam. 12:14); always because of the fall of man

- same connection in James 5:14 - 16. The healing of the spirit is included in all true healing ministry.

"Which is easier?"

- the church does the easier of the two, because it believes it has authority to declare forgiveness but not to declare healing. Yet, Jesus gave both authorities equally to the church (see Chapter 10).

"They glorified God"

- another motive for and fruit of healing.

6. Woman with hemorrhage healed (9.-20 - 22)

"Your faith has made you well"

- the strongest statement on faith yet. What are we to do with these words? God makes us well: He has the power, He has the will. Why then does He not heal more often? Could it be that the problem is man's lack of faith in God's will to heal? (see also Mark 6:5, 6).

7. A girl brought back to life (9:18 - 26)

"My daughter has just died, but come . .

- unbelievable faith, considering the circumstances.

- where does faith end, and presumption begin?

8. Blind men healed (9.-2 7 - 31)

"Do you believe that I am able to do this?"

Jesus tests their faith for healing first. Possibly there was no expectation at first, but Jesus' question arouses faith.

"According to your faith be it done to you"

- the now familiar requirement of faith. For too long, we have tried to escape the force of these words of Jesus by saying, "If it be Thy will". When will the church begin to listen to these words of Jesus?

9. Dumb demoniac healed (9.-32 - 34)

- note that there is no reference to faith. In the case of demon possession, the "healer" must take the initiative and exercise authority in the name of Jesus. The probable order: exorcism first, then healing (if needed).

This account of Jesus' healing ministry is concluded with the same summary statement as in 4:23. This summary provides the transition to the next section:

The church's teaching and healing ministry (Matt. 10):

The transition is enriched by two references (9:36 - 38)

"When Jesus saw the crowds, He had compassion for them" - Jesus' healing ministry was motivated by compassion, and not merely by desire to prove that He was the Messiah. This motivation is as valid today as it was then.

"The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few" - from motivation to need. The need is overwhelming- usually, this passage is quoted to emphasize the need for preaching and teaching. The reference is just as much to the healing ministry! Indeed, when it comes to the healing ministry of the church, "the labourers are few". (See also Luke 9:1 - 6 and 10:1 - 12.)

The church's teaching and healing ministry is thus presented as an extension of Jesus' ministry.

"And He called to Him His twelve disciples" (10:1)

- the reference here is only to the disciples. In Luke 10, the number is increased to seventy. From Pentecost on, the whole church is called: (Rom. 12) the church is the body of Christ.

- if Christ is presented as Healer, then the church as a whole functions as a healing community. - James 5:13 - 18 - the elders are to pray for the healing of the sick

- John 14:12 - "He who believes in Me will also do the works that I do". The "greater works" refer first of all to Jesus' miracles. This is for every believer. - Matthew 28:18 - 20 - "Teach them to observe ALL that I have commanded you". Jesus' command was to preach, teach and heal the sick.

"And He called " (10:1)

- all disciples are called to a teaching and healing ministry. That means: the church as a whole. We do not have to wonder whether Jesus calls us today to a healing ministry!

"and gave them authority" (10-I)

- the church heals by the authority of Jesus

- we are given authority (power) to deal with demons and diseases. By what right do we doubt whether we indeed have the authority?

- the church's hesitation in the area of healing derives from lack of faith, from lack of obedience, from lack of results, from lack of experience, NOT from lack of being told or authorized! We do many things we were never told to do - for example, we build church buildings. Jesus is the Head of the Church - we have no choice but to do what He told us to do. Once we realize our gross neglect, we can begin to reach out to God in earnest prayer: "Lord, stretch out Your hand to heal" (Act 4:30).

"and He sent them ... two by two" (Luke 10:1)

- this is found in the parallel passage in Luke 10. Since faith for healing is so essential, there seems special wisdom in a team ministry of healing.

"The Kingdom of heaven is at hand" (10:7)

- Jesus offers hearings as signs of the presence of the Kingdom.

- wherever the King is received in faith and obedience, there the Kingdom will be manifested. - wherever the King is, the kingdom of Satan is pushed back. - sickness is part of the kingdom of Satan. Without this understanding, there will be no healing ministry! Please read carefully: Luke 13:16, 1 John 3:8, 11 Cor. 12:7.

In Acts 10:38, which is Peter's summary of Jesus' ministry, note the expression, "healing all that were oppressed by the devil". The Spirit of the Lord is upon Jesus, and His followers to deliver from all oppression (Luke 4). - disease and disorder. It is diseases Wherever the Lord Jesus is present He begins to restore order. The full restoration has to wait until the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:4). but in the meantime, we may have the signs of the Kingdom, a provisional restoration of order and wholeness.

"I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves" (10"16)

- the preaching, teaching, healing ministry of the church will arouse opposition.

- the opposition will come from the world, as expected.

- the opposition will come primarily from believers: "the house of Israel" (10:6), "councils", "synagogues" (10:1 7), "father", "mother" - even from the family circle! - today, the church's healing ministry is opposed most strongly from within the church. It is often ascribed to the devil, just as Jesus prophesied! (I 0:24)

"have no fear of them" (IO.-26)

- in the face of this opposition, Jesus greatly encourages believers not to be afraid of what man will do or say. It is Jesus Himself who is at work through the believers' ministry (10:40 - 42)

Conclusion:

The proclamation of the Gospel is not complete without the signs of the Kingdom, such as healing. We may not isolate healing from preaching and teaching. Neither are we allowed to isolate preaching and teaching from healing.

Note: Local elders who desire to obey the Lord in this matter, will find much help from the International Order of St. Luke, a healing order that was started within the Anglican Church and is now an ecumenical order. Local chapters are found in most areas in Canada.

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