The relationship of divine healing and the atonement
Part 4 of 1
Luke 4:18 continues “and recovering of sight to the blind”
Jesus came for the recovering of sight to the blind, to restore the mental and physical sight to those who cannot see clearly or not at all. Again we know Jesus healed the physically blind, you can find examples in Mark 8:22-26 and in Mark 10:46-52.
He convinced Nicodemus of his need to be born again spiritually which in turns saves his eternal soul. Let’s take a look at John Chapter 9. The man who was blind from birth.
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him, [this is for God’s glory]. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. (John 9:1-7 KJV) {brackets are mine}
Later the Pharisees confronted him and the one who was blind told them in verse 25 “Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” (John 9:25 KJV)
He received his physical sight. Later in verses 35-38 we find out he receives sight for his soul and spirit.
“Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. (John 9:35-38 KJV)
Now he believed in the Christ. His mind, soul and heart were opened. He received spiritual sight and worshipped the living God. He was blind but now he sees, in body, soul and spirit. Yes, Jesus came to preach the gospel to the physically blind, so they can see. To those whose souls are seared so they can perceive the truth and to the spiritually blind so they can receive salvation. Yet so many are still blind and turn away only to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah quoted in John 12:40,
“He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.” (John 12:40 KJV)
Many turn away and refuse to hear with their ears, the mind or their heart. But to those who hear the gospel of Christ “it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Romans 1:16 KJV).
And God will heal those who hear and believe in their hearts and are converted.
Luke 4:18 continues to say, “to set at liberty them that are bruised” Jesus came to set at liberty them that are bruised. To dismiss, pardon and set free them that are crushed.
For an example let’s turn to Matthew 15:21-23.
Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. “But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. (Matthew 15:21-23 KJV)
The Canaanite women, she was a gentile or non-Jew, and back in that day something possibly even worse a Samaritan, a half breed… whose daughter was grievously vexed by a devil, she cried out to Jesus !!“Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David”! “But he [Jesus] answered her not a word.”
She must have felt like a dog. That is the way Jews treated half breeds, the Samaritans, that is, as dogs. She must have been at her wits end, knowing with her daughter’s condition and torment, to even cry out to a Jew. Physically and emotionally distraught and now she is crying out to Jesus to seek help from God and it looks as if God doesn’t even hear her and on top of that, the disciples want to send her away. BUT GOD! In Matthew 15 and verses 24-28 say:
But he [Jesus] answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet [that is suitable] to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. (Matthew 15:24-28 KJV) [brackets and emphasis mine].
Jesus talked to her but at first it was not what she wanted to hear. “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” Which she was not a part of, but she worshipped Him. And pleaded her cause saying, help me… Once again she is reminded, she is not an equal, and trapped in this world with the only chance for her daughter before her. So she humbled herself once again and said that even the dog or the canine house pet eats the food that falls from their masters’ table. She was acknowledging Jesus as her Master and wants for His reply… Jesus acknowledges her faith. ! “great is your faith” and grants her petition. Now Jesus only said great is your faith to two people and neither of them were Jews. The other was a Roman Centurion in Matthew 8:5-10.
Jesus set her daughter free from her possession in turn setting the Canaanite woman and the Canaanite people free who were bruised and crushed in body, soul and spirit. They had no hope from their physical status which crushed their soul and had no way to worship God in spirit and in truth. But now Jesus sets at liberty them that are bruised. And gives not only the Canaanite woman hope but also the whole nation hope, in body, soul and most importantly, in spirit knowing God loves them and salvation is not for the Jews only.
Yes, Jesus came to set at liberty them that are bruised and crushed physically spiritually and whose soul is without hope. His atoning sacrifice makes divine healing possible in our triune being.
In Christ,
Greg