<< Luke IV, Matthew IV: Healing the Sick >>

 THE Lord went into the synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath day, and read from the Scriptures and taught the people. When He came  from  Nazareth to  Capernaum, He taught them also on the Sabbath days; and they were astonished at His doctrine, for He taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

The Lord showed His love and His great power in other ways, by healing many that were sick. There were also people who were possessed with devils or unclean spirits. In those days the evil spirits had gained such power that they actually took possession of men, and made them say and do as the evil spirits pleased, and made them do harm to themselves and others. Even children were possessed in this way. But when the Lord came near, the devils were afraid and cried out; and when He commanded them to depart, they obeyed. The evil spirits knew the Lord, for He resisted and overcame them first in His own heart. They knew that they must obey. And the same Lord who cast them out protects us from them, so that people are not possessed to-day as they were in the old time. The Lord is with us in every temptation, so that evil may not overcome us without our leave.

Now we are with the people in the synagogue at Capernaum, on a Sabbath day.

And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.

 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.

Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.

And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them. And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.---Luke IV. 33-44.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.---Matthew IV. 23-25.

Author: William L. Worcester 1904

Spiritual Correspondences

Peter >> Faith in the Lord

Simon [Peter]'s wife's mother was taken with a great fever >> Disturbance of mind that prevents faith's activity and enjoyment

She arose and ministered unto them >> Restoration of faith by the power of active service

Healing diseases >> Healing various disorders of the soul

Leprosy >> A state of mind in which forms of worship and of religious life are angrily rejected

Palsy >> Will and Understanding are disjoined

Fever >> Anger, evil passion

Pictures: James Tissot ----Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum