Jesus Ministers to the People

Jesus ministered to the people as part of His mission on earth. His purpose was to teach and portray the God who loved them and was not far away from them. He came to re-unite man with God. His ministry was to heal man’s brokenness, not so much in body but more so spiritually. He came to bring wholeness by providing himself as the way for mankind to be reunited with God. This wholeness is a new beginning through His grace. Jesus’ sacrifice through His life and crucifixion provided the only way for mankind to be joined back to God.

23  He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.

24  His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them.

25  And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him                       (Matthew 4: 23-25)

 Jesus Taught the People

Jesus was often addressed as “Rabbi” which in Hebrew meant ‘teacher.’ On such occasions, it is proper to connote that Jesus taught as part of His ministry which is true. However his, teaching was done without teaching cleverness, as a self-help course, or postulating clichés, instead, Jesus teaches how to be Holy. With the glory of God’s love and mercy, Jesus taught with authority, intending to pierce the wounded stony hearts of people, stirring the depths within which essentially yearn for holiness.

Teaching About Prayer.

5 “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.

6 But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 7 In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

The Lord’s Prayer.

9   “This is how you are to pray:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

10  your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.

11  Give us today our daily bread;

12  and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors;

13  and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one.

14  If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 

15  But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.

Teaching About Fasting.

16 “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.

17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,

18 so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.

                         (Matthew 6: 5-18)

 Jesus Worked Miracles

Miracles are supernatural acts of God. The word supernatural ideally is reserved for the actions coming from God alone. God can act above the nature of any part of creation to alter the outcome and/or change the effect or circumstances. 

In the Gospels of the New Testament, Jesus provides a reason why he worked miracles. He reasoned with them as if to say,  “If I act like the Son of my Father, then let my actions convince you where I cannot. So, you will recognize and learn to believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.”[1] On another occasion He would continue to explain; ”The actions which my father enabled me to achieve, bare me, witness, that it is the Father who has sent me.” [2]

When God chooses to provide a revelation, miracles are very well suited to certify and guarantee that a given message is true. Miracles act as a sort of ‘heavenly credential of authenticity’ because miracles only come from God. When a miracle occurs in connection with a spoken word or act of a person, who professes to deliver a revelation from God, the miracle serves to authenticate the person’s claim. Miracles can provide a profound awakening to the soul as a form of assurance that God is present and/or working somehow in relation to a given circumstance.

Miracles are seals

Miracles become a seal of authenticity to the person’s claim to be sent from God. The prophets of Old performed miracles under the power of God to authenticate their message as coming from God. In said case, God would supernaturally respond to their prayer. In this case of Jesus Christ’s revelation as the divine Son of God, miracles become credentials or seals of authentication for His testimony. Jesus himself showed that miracles were done by his own power which authenticated His divinity. He works a miracle, proving beyond any doubt to be God himself.

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[1] John 14:10-11 – “……..believe me for the sake of the works themselves.”

[2] John 5:36 – “The testimony which I have  …… The Father has sent me.”

Bishop Sheen[1] Provides more details about miracles:

Miracles are not silly

Another characteristic with a miracle and miracles of our Blessed Lord, is that there is nothing silly or unreasonable in any of them that were recorded. They were subject to the tests of everyone. The vast majority of the miracles; were never miracles which took place in the inner-secret places of people’s lives, but what might be called the physical world. Or they could be verified scientifically.

Miracles have witnesses

Our Lord never performed miracles unless there were witnesses present. When he healed the leper, there was a great multitude following him. In the healing of the centurion’s servant he did not even go where the servant was dying. When he raised Peter’s mother-in-law from her sick bed, the apostles and others were present.

Our Lord never went up to a mountain to perform some miracle alone with no person being present. Then come out and say he had done it! His works were accomplished before the eyes of multitudes of people. And that is why none of the miracles of our Blessed Lord were ever actually denied. Not even his resurrection. The apostles were forbidden to teach it and to preach it, but the miracle itself was never denied.

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[1] Bishop John Sheen (Peter John Sheen, May 8, 1895 – December 9, 1979) an American bishop (later archbishop) of the Catholic Church, He was known for his preaching and especially his work on television and radio.

  Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Peoria in 1919. Bishop Sheen quickly became a renowned theologian, earning the Cardinal Mercier Prize for International Philosophy in 1923. He went on to teach theology and philosophy at The Catholic University of America as well as acting as a parish priest before being appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of New York in 1951. He held this position until 1966 when he was made the Bishop of Rochester from October 21, 1966, to October 6, 1969, when he resigned and was made the Archbishop of the Titular See of Newport, Wales.

Upon examination of Jesus’ miracles, you find they are inseparable from who He is and are evidence of His divinity and divine revelation. These miracles differed from the Old Testament prophets, in that theirs was an answer to a prayer that was then granted by God. Jesus’ miracles flowed from the power and majesty that was resident in him. It was a sort of “BAM!” and it happened. He spoke and BAM! The lame man walked, the blind man could see and the leper was healed. He gave a command to His Apostles and BAM! The loaves and fishes were multiplied. In other occasions it was just the touch of his robe or laying of His hands and the miracles were produced. All of His Miracles validate and authenticate His message as found in the Gospels.

The Gospel of John refers to the miracles of Jesus as “signs or works.” By this, it meant they were the sort of thing that might be expected from God. In his Gospel, John indicates, that Jesus, while on Earth did much more than what was recorded! If all Jesus said and did were written down, there would not be enough space for all of the books.  Amazing! It seems, that enough was written so that you could get the point for you to choose whether or not to believe and follow His way! 

Here is what Bishop Sheen says:

  Being what he was, they(the miracles) were evidences of his divine revelation. But they were even more; for they testified to his redemptive action as the Savior of the World. By healing the palsy, the lame and the blind; Christ clothed with visible, form his power to cure spiritual diseases. These physical diseases were to him symbols of that which was spiritual. He often passed from the physical fact of a miracle, to its symbolic and spiritual meaning. For example; Blindness was a symbol of blindness to the light of faith. By casting out devils from those who were possessed, he pointed out his victory over the powers of evil. Where by men would be freed from the slavery to evil and restored to moral liberty.

If you expel the miracles from the life of Christ, you destroy the identity of Christ and the Gospels. Even a neutral attitude toward the miraculous elements in the Gospels is impossible. The claim to work miracles is not the least important element of our Lord’s teaching. Nor are the miracles which were wrought by him, merely an ornament to his life. The miraculous is interwoven with his entire life. The moral integrity of Our Lord’s character is dependent on the reality of his miracles. For; if he was a deceiver, he was not what he claimed to be! Therefore, we cannot put asunder two things which God has joined together. Namely the beauty of Christ’s Character and the reality of the miracles which he worked.

How many miracles did he work? Well, the specific number of miracles that are mentioned in the Gospels are thirty-five (35). Three of these miracles tell of the raising of the dead; one a child, the other a young man, and the other an adult. Nine (9) relate to nature; and twenty-three (23) to healing. In addition to these, there are miracles related to the life of Christ himself; like the virgin birth, resurrection, ascension and so-forth. But though, there are only thirty-five (35) specific miracles that are mentioned, it must not be thought these are the only miracles that our Blessed Lord ever worked. Listen to the way Saint John concludes his gospel. “There is much else besides that Jesus did. If all of it were put in writing, I do not think the world itself, would contain the books which would have to be written.” 

In other words, there must have been miracles beyond counting. And that is why when the multitude had witnessed one miracle they said; ‘Can the Christ be expected to do more miracles at his coming than this man has done?’ In other words, it was pre-announced that when the messiah or Christ came, he would work miracles! But this one has worked miracles in abundance therefore he must be the Christ.

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[1] John 21:27

 Miracle of Miracles

 The Resurrection is the most important miracle.

and he rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures;

Among the miracles attributed to our Lord Jesus Christ, there is one which is the most important one of all, namely, His Resurrection.  In the New Testament, there are five distinct records of the Resurrection. All of them are independent; four from the Gospels, one from Saint Paul. In these five distinct records, there are at least eleven accounts of the Resurrection of Our Blessed Lord and his various appearances. In one instance, the resurrected Jesus appears to five hundred people. 

Our Lord had been crucified and died on the cross[1]. He was then buried in a tomb carved out of rock. A large stone was rolled in front to close the tomb and sealed. 

The story of Jesus’ crucifixion is filled with betrayal, indignation, heartlessness, intrigue, guile, politics, injustice, brutality, and yet at the same time redemption and love. At first, for the witnessing Christians, the crucifixion was considered a horrible end which filled them with disillusionment.  For the Jews in charge (The Pharisees) it was a solution to their problems. The Romans on the other hand saw this as just another day of dealing with misfits in a conquered land. 

The Pharisees wanted to make sure the whole ordeal of this “Jesus” was over. They were not satisfied with His death. In fact, you might say they were more worried after his death than they were when he was alive. The reason was, Jesus said he would rise from the dead. They remembered that He called his body the temple and that in three days after they destroyed it, He would rebuild it.[2] So, they set a guard to watch the tomb of Jesus. They even set a seal on the tomb to check if it ever gets opened.

They said he was dead, they knew he was dead, and they said he would never rise again. And yet they watched! What spectacle could be more ridiculous than armed soldiers keeping their eyes on a corpse?

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[1] CCC624

[2] John 2:19

Here is what Bishop Sheen says:

The watch was to prevent violence, the seal was to prevent fraud. There must be a seal, and enemies would seal it. There must be a watch and the enemies must keep it. The certificate of the death and resurrection must be signed by the enemies themselves. The gentiles were satisfied through nature that Christ was dead. And the Jews were satisfied through the law that he was dead. And then as the Gospel of Matthew puts it; “..and they went and made the tomb secure. Putting a seal on the stone and setting a guard over it.”

The king lay in state with his guard about him. And the most astounding fact about this spectacle of vigilance over the dead was that the enemies of Christ expected the resurrection, but his friends did not. It was the believers who were the skeptics. It was the unbelievers who were credulous. His followers needed and demanded proofs before they would be convinced.

As promised, Jesus did rise from the dead on the third day. Jesus had overcome the power of darkness; He had overcome death itself. His victory over sin included victory over death which would have been an eternal death for mankind without any hope. The Resurrection is a fulfillment of the Old Testament scriptures and what Jesus had said himself.[1] It was the pinnacle of God’s glorious response of love and mercy.

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[1] CCC652

 Argument for Skeptics of the Resurrection

Below is an extract from Bishop Sheen which addresses some of the skeptic arguments against the Resurrection.

Now suppose we do not accept the witnesses of the Resurrection and other proofs of miracles, attesting to the trust-worthiness of Christ. How do you explain then the empty tomb? How (do you) account for the fact that the apostles went about preaching the Resurrection and no one denied it? Well, the two popular explanations given by those who deny the Resurrection are the following:

First the lie theory:

This theory says that the apostles lied about the resurrection; as well as every other witness who claimed that he seen the risen Christ. 

Now this theory is manifestly very false. For what chance was there of persuading the world that he had risen from the dead if he had not done so? There was nothing yet in the conviction of the Lord’s Resurrection, could have induced men to have venture their lives on it. And, furthermore their conduct proved that they believed in it overwhelmingly. They preached the crucifixion in the very place where He was crucified, and in the very place where they suffered for preaching it. Persons do not suffer for what they believe to be false. The Resurrection was not a lie.

There is another (false)theory to explain away the Resurrection; and it could be put into popular psychological language of the day as follows:

This (false)theory holds that the apostles were very anxious to see the risen savior. And they had heard he said he would rise from the dead. And all of these words about the resurrection seeped down into their sub-consciousness. The idea rested there as a kind of desire. Then Good Friday there came the terrible defeat and crucifixion. They knew their cause was lost. And it was that their very desire to see the resurrection became the father to the thought that there was a resurrection.

Having been defeated in their messianic hoax, by seeing the savior killed and crucified; they now began according to this theory, to allege his resurrection. They believed that they had seen him. So thoroughly were they convinced that he said he would rise.

Now this theory is false for many reasons:

First it does not correspond at all with the facts. The apostles themselves knew the difference themselves between a trance and a reality.  In fact, there are many passages in the scriptures concerning this difference.

Then too, the appearances did not take place when the disciples were at prayer or worship or when they might have been subject religious fancies. But, the appearances of the risen Christ took place in the ordinary and everyday occupations. When they were going for a walk, or seated at supper or out fishing. It took place in the most trivial of circumstances; quite different from that which enthusiasts would have imagined, or where visions were likely to occur namely in sleep.

Then to, the most astounding thing about the Resurrection is that no one expected it. The Lord indeed said he would rise from the dead; none of his followers believed it. That is why the women brought spice on Easter Sunday Morn. And they brought spices; why? To anoint and embalm a dead body, not to greet a risen one.

(and) Furthermore the appearances of Christ were not while people were looking for it! Nor anticipating him! Even their hoping for a resurrection! When Mary Magdalene for example found the tomb empty, it never occurred to her that he had come to life! She said somebody had moved him from one burial place to another.

(and) Furthermore when the news of the empty tomb was brought to Peter and John before they had seen the risen Lord, their exclamation was; ‘Oh it’s a women’s story! You know how women are, always imagining things!’

There was one apostle who remained doubtful for a whole week; and that was Thomas.

Then another argument against this vision or subjected or psychological theory is:

That visions do not occur to different persons simultaneously. A man’s private illusions like his dreams are his own. Men do not dream at once or all at the same time exactly the same dream.

Nor is there any evidence that when Christ appeared to the five hundred that any one of them doubted the reality of it.

Then to, in regards this subjected theory, a vision for example could not roll away a stone from the door of the tomb. And there was the Jewish guard, there were soldiers there.

Furthermore; persons could not have honestly visited the tomb and found it empty if the body were there all the time. They would never have had that kind of a vision. If the resurrection were merely an illusion, the touching of the Body of Christ, putting of the finger into the hand, and the hand into the side as Thomas did; would have certainly cured any illusions.

Furthermore, our Lord appeared he ate food! They saw the food vanish. He took bread, they saw the bread break. On another occasion he gave them bread and fish and they were satisfied of their hunger. And this certainly does not happen when there is only a dream, or an illusion.

And so, the fact is; that none of the Apostles expected a resurrection. They had to be convinced. They had to be convinced the hard way. As Thomas had to be convinced. Believe me the skeptics of today cannot compare with the skeptics of those days. Namely the Apostles. They were the doubters, and when they were convinced, they proved that they believed in it, by having their throats cut for that cause.

 A Jesus Moment: Jesus Heals the Man who was born Blind.

1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”3 Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. 4 We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, 7  and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So, he went and washed, and came back able to see.

8 His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?” 9  Some said, “It is,” but others said, “No, he just looks like him.” He said, “I am.” 10  So they said to him, “[So] how were your eyes opened?”11 He replied, “The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So, I went there and washed and was able to see.” 12  And they said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I don’t know.”

13 They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees.  14  Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath.  15  So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.” 16  So some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he does not keep the sabbath.” [But] others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17  So they said to the blind man again, “What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

18  Now the Jews did not believe that he had been blind and gained his sight until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight. 19  They asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How does he now see?” 20  His parents answered and said, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.21We do not know how he sees now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is of age; he can speak for himself.”

22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone acknowledged him as the Messiah, he would be expelled from the synagogue.  23  For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; question him.”

24  So a second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give God the praise! We know that this man is a sinner.”25He replied, “If he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.” 26  So they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27  He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?”

28 They ridiculed him and said, “You are that man’s disciple; we are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this one is from.” 30 The man answered and said to them, “This is what is so amazing, that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him. 32 It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he would not be able to do anything.” 34 They answered and said to him, “You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out.

35 When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered and said, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him and the one speaking with you is he.” 38 He said, “I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him. 39 Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.”

40 Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not also blind, are we?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.”      

   (The Gospel of John 9:1-40)

Within the story of this miracle, as retold by the Apostle John in his Gospel, you find there are many characters involved. The principal characters of course are Jesus and the man born blind. The theme is, Christ’s ability to heal and perform miracles as a sign of His desire to make you whole again; redeemed as it would be from your sinful nature. In His miraculous healing, there is always truth and teaching. He does not just do it for the sake of some spectacular show.

The story begins with the disciples of Jesus, making an observation (about the man born blind) and then asking a question of Jesus (John 9:1). Notice the question asked by the disciples is rather subjective. Regardless, Jesus does answer the question. 

What does this first part tell us about ourselves approaching Jesus with questions?

What does it tell us about Jesus’ response?

In the gospel, indicating that man was ‘born blind’, provides a backdrop to the question asked by Jesus’ disciples. For the Jews in those days and sometimes even for people today, such things are viewed as a curse from God. To say it was a curse from God would beg the question as to whether or not God is evil. But this question does not apply here at all. And besides, God is not evil. 

Undoubtedly there is the feeling in this case the man born blind has met with misfortune. It can be viewed as ‘bad luck’ or thought of as the result of some evil. However, God sees it differently. In Jesus’ response, you can see where God’s plan for any individual is fulfilled regardless of infringements or disabilities. God can begin with you as you are and lead you to transformation to fulfill His plan.

Does that mean you do not turn to God when you have infringements or disabilities and trudge on doing the best you can? That is not the point. The point is you still unite your plight to God’s will. God can use any device (except sin)[1], even a disability or ailment to make you Holy. This is what Christ is indicating when he says;“.. it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.” (John 9:3b). God making you Holy is the objective purpose of life here on earth. Jesus did not come to simply make you a good person, pleasurable, feeling good about yourself, a better version of yourself, “being all you can be” or living in comfort! His purpose for coming is to make you Holy through His sanctification and reunite you with God.

You and others may have had a bad hand or more with things in life.

Does any part of this passage mentioned in the above paragraph apply to us? If so how?

You find in the verse John 9:7; ‘ and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So, he went and washed, and came back able to see.’ The passage includes an explanation for the name of the pool called Siloam and it means “sent.” Note that you can reason that at that point, the blind man is healed but, Jesus “sends” him to do something as an act which is in keeping with the saving grace Jesus has bestowed on him.

Why do you suppose the Apostle John includes this detail in this story? Is it significant?

Re-read verses John 9:35-38. Verse 38 says; 38 He said, “I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him.

What do these words spoken by the man who was formerly born blind indicate to you?

Re-read (John 9:39-41). Jesus provides a revelation about his mission. He also provides some very stark words for the Pharisees! These words are quite sobering.

What do Jesus’ words tell us? Are we sometimes blind? Do we admit it and confess this to God to remove this blindness? What sort of Blindness could Jesus Christ be referring to?

With His stark words for the Pharisees, do you suppose Jesus is warning us about some of our unrealistic fixed mindsets and attitudes? Do you suppose these words are both a reprimand as well as a warning?

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[1] Sin is actually an Anti-device. It is like a weight which holds us down and keeps us from seeing things clearly and moving forward. Whereas a device can be considered neutral in so much as once placed in the hands of God it can move us in a direction towards holiness. This can be akin to a lever or a fulcrum and how they can act to move what may seem like an un-movable object.

Self-reflection:

Consider these thoughts and ask yourself these personal questions:

• This lesson points to some early references to the life of Jesus. I must be willing to use my own time regularly to become familiar not only with the Life of Jesus Christ but what he teaches. 

• Many people invent theories to deny the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus. The miracle is truth. Do I skirt around this truth or other truths? Do I invent theories to skirt around these truths? 

• I must use my prayer life to ask God to help me accept His authentic and absolute truth. 

• I am blind in many areas; albeit; wounds from the past, unrealistic fixed mindset, prejudices, hatred, or my attitudes. I must go to God in prayer and ask him to lift my blindness, get myself ‘washed,’ and see where Jesus sends me. Do I acknowledge those areas in my life that are in need of the light of Christ to fix and heal? Am I willing to let Jesus Change me?

Answer the Questions: 

1.) What is the Second motive of credibility Jesus Christ offers as proof of His claims?

2.) When God chooses to provide a revelation, _____________ were very well suited to certify and guarantee that the message is true.

a. discount coupons for boat rides

b. scriptures

c. the burning bush

d. prophets

e. miracles

f. free fish and bread dinners

3.) What is the most important miracle concerning Jesus Christ?

4.) Who were the likely witnesses to the Resurrection?

5.) Jesus, being who he was, miracles were evidence of his divine revelation. But they were even more; for they testified to his redemptive action as the :

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a. Conqueror of Roman Oppression

b. Being Heaven’s helper for the Jews

c. Fiddler on the Roof

d. Savior of the World.

e. The great miracle worker

f. Greatest show on earth

6.) The Miracles of Jesus are ‘seals’ for what purpose?