Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-07
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.
JESUS AND THE SICK.
Mark, i.21.45.
Golden Textile hath done
all things well: he maketh even
to speak Mark, vii.37.

Medical science was considerably
different from that Of our day in the
time when the Great Physician dem.
onstrated His power as a healer. The
specialist was unknown. The medi-
cine man was usually q religious
teacher who followed the talmudic
teachings In his practice. Edersheim
points out that the method used to
cure O burning fever" called for the
tying of "a knife wholly Of iron by a
braid OF hair TO a thorn bush and to
repeat on successive days.-Exodus,
ill.,, 3. then verse 4, and finally verse
S, after which the bush Is to be cut
down. while a certain magical formula
Is pronounced" In the lesson assigned
for our consideration we see Jesus
curing men OF all kinds OF diseases.
including demoniacal possessions, ma.
larial fever and leprosy.
Miracles had an important place in
the ministry OF Jesus. He spoke Of
them as testifying to Him. They
were signs and tokens OF His power
TO forgive sins. He rebuked the PEG.
pie who followed Him for what they
could get, and not because OF the mir.
acles, which had shown Him to be
what He was. Peter said that Jesus
Of Nazareth had been approved OF
God unto you by mighty works and
wonders and signs" We look beyond
the sign to the thing signified. II all
tho Masters cures could be explained
to be In accordance with natural laws
II would not destroy the fact that
they filled men with wonder In His
day. 1t Is not surprising that He
possessed such power. for He was the
author OF nature and source OF Its
teeming life and the laws that gov.
crned all life.
A study of the ministry of Jesus
shows that In the use OF supernatural
powers he imposed restraint upon
His use Of His power. which the an.
clients supposed to be the gift OF evil
spirits as well as good. 1t filled men
at times with horror and irreverence.
While He healed men of their dis.
eases, not once did Jesus teach men
that their sickness. suffering and sor.
rows were from God. In exercising
both the functions Of healer and
teacher. especially tho latter the Mas.
ter went contrary tn the popular ex.
pectations of a Messiah, for the people
looked for Him ITO uphold the Torah."
Fully year and over had trans.
pired between last weeks lesson and
the opening OF Chrlst's ministry with
Capernaum as His headquarters for
His work in Gaiiiee. Az soon as pos.
sible after His rejection at Nazareth.
because lie declined to perform any
miracles there, Jesus moved to Ca.
pernaum. He attended the syna-
gogue service the first Sunday lie
was there and was invited to address
tho congregation. Ills personality.
authoritative method and persuasive
ness filled them with anna cement. His
sympathetic attitude toward the man
with the 'unclean spirit" and His
conqucring OF the spirit demon.
strated conclusively the authority OF
Jesus an a preacher and healer. II
served to establish In tho minds Of
the people the divine power Of the
Preacher and were accepted AS ere.
dentials OF His divine mission. for
tho Masters refusal to permit the
"unclean spirit" to confess Him
proved that Jesus did not desire tho
help OF Satan In building up Hia
kingdom.
Reaching the home OF Simon Peter.
where lie probably had His head.
quarters. the Master learned that the
mother'lnl law OF His host was Ill. II
would not have been necessary for
mem 10 importune the Lord To heal
IA" mother'inlaw. for His sympa.
thetie Feeling for them would have
inoVed Him In have offered 10 help,
Tor Immediately upon hearing Of her
Illness he went To her. lie took
her by tho hand and raised her up"
inc woman was cured OF her serious
Inhiafinl fever tnstantaneously, Our
master never hesitatea TO helm the