Miracles of healing – physical illness

Jesus heals many people (Simon’s mother-in-law) (Mark 1:29–34). Jesus very quietly heals Simon’s mother-in-law of a fever and then goes on to heal many who are brought to him when the Sabbath is ended.

Jesus heals a man with a dreaded skin disease (Mark 1:40–45)
A man approaches Jesus and says, ‘If you want to, you can make me clean.’ Jesus says he wants to, and cures the man, saying, ‘Be clean.’ He tells the man to keep the healing a secret but the man tells many people, thus increasing Jesus’ fame and notoriety. This miracle shows the faith of the man and Jesus emerging as a public figure.

Jesus heals a paralysed man (Mark 2:1–12)

• Jesus is surrounded in a house and some men bring their friend to be cured.
• When they cannot reach Jesus they lower the man through the roof on his mat.
• Jesus tells the man his sins are forgiven and some in the crowd are astonished, saying, ‘It is blasphemy as only God can forgive sins.’
• Jesus asks which is easier, to forgive sins or cure the man.
• Then he tells the man to pick up his mat and walk. The man does so.
• Jesus says, ‘I will prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ Jesus calls himself the Son of Man and shows He has God’s power not only to heal but to forgive as well.

The man with the paralysed hand (Mark 3:1–6)

• A man with a paralysed hand is in the synagogue on the Sabbath and Jesus calls him up and asks, ‘What does our law allow us to do on the Sabbath? To help or to harm? To save a man’s life or to destroy it?’
• Jesus heals the man and we are told that some Herodians met with some Pharisees to plot to kill Jesus.
• It is an important part of Jesus’ developing ministry that he challenges the Pharasaical application of the Sabbath laws. When he makes this challenge by performing spectacular miracles it is very threatening to the authorities.

Jesus heals the haemorrhagic (Mark 5:25–34)

• A woman touches Jesus’ cloak because she believes in doing so she can be cured of the bleeding which has afflicted her for years. She is healed and Jesus feels the power leave him.
• He asks who touched him, and when the woman comes forward he tells her that her faith has cured her.

Mark shows that people do not need to ask for healing – they only need faith.

Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:21–42)

• Jairus begs Jesus to heal his daughter by laying his hands on her but then a messenger comes to say the girl is dead.
• Jesus goes with Peter, James and John to Jairus’ house saying, ‘Don’t be afraid; only believe.’
• When he arrives he asks why everyone is weeping and wailing.
• He says the child is not dead, only sleeping.
• He takes the child’s parents and his own companions in with him.
• He goes to her and, taking her hand, tells her to ‘get up little girl’ (‘Talitha Koum’).
• She gets up and walks around.
• Everyone is beside themselves with amazement.
• He then says she should be given something to eat.
• He gives strict orders that no one should be told what has happened. Mark quotes the original Aramaic ‘Talitha Koum’, which Jesus might have used, to make the episode authentic to his readers.

Jesus heals a deaf mute (Mark 7:31–37)

• A deaf mute is brought to Jesus by his friends and Jesus heals him in a very physical way.
• Jesus puts his fingers in the man’s ears, spits and touches the man’s tongue, saying, ‘Ephphatha’ (open up).
• Jesus does this away from the crowd and the man is cured.
• When the crowd sees what Jesus has done they are filled with wonder. Candidates need to learn the sequence of events in this miracle as they occur exactly.

The blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:22–25)

• A blind man is also presented to Jesus by his friends.
• Jesus leads the man from the village, spits on his eyes and also touches his eyes until he can see clearly.
• The man is asked not to return to the village.

It is not clear why Jesus orders secrecy. It is possible he does not want to draw too much attention to himself yet or appear too threatening. Performing miracles is not his major task; it is part of his ministry to the sick.