"Pick up your mat and walk"

A TAXONOMY OF JESUS' HEALINGS

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2016

The first century was not a period of great strides in medical science. In fact, the first century was not a period of great strides in any scientific endeavor. So when Jesus came along demonstrating abilities not seen among God's people since the time of the prophets,¹ it was noteworthy,² especially his curative powers,³ which covered a wide range of taxonomies.⁴

Dermatology (leprosy)

Matt 8:2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."⁵ 3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.⁶ "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. (Also Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-16)

Luke 17:12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" 14 When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.

Neurology (paralysis)

Matt 9:2 Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."⁷ ...6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home." 7 And the man got up and went home. (Also Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26)

Matt 12: 10a ...a man with a shriveled hand was there.... 13 Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. (Also Mark 3:1-5; Luke 6:6-11)

John 5:5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years⁸... 8 Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk."⁹ At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

Hematology (bleeding)

Matt 9:20 ...a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years¹⁰ came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak.... 22 Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment. (Also Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-4)

Audiology (deafness)¹¹

Mark 7:32 Some people brought to him a man who was deaf... and they begged [Jesus] to place his hand on the man.... 33b Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears.... 35 At this, the man's ears were opened....

Ophthalmology (blindness)

Matt 9:27 ...two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" ...29 Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; 30a and their sight was restored.

Mark 8:22 Some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.... 25 Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

John 9:1 He saw a man blind from birth¹².... 6 He ...made some mud ... and put it on the man's eyes. 7 "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam".... So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

Matt 20:30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" ...34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. (Also Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43)

Osteopathy (hunchback)

Luke 13:11 A woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years.¹³ She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

Endocrinology (edema)

Luke 14:2 There in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy.... 4b So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away.

Doctors today are reluctant to treat a patient before they have determined the cause of the person's malady, which may entail extensive (and inconclusive) testing. Jesus required no such preliminary evaluation, even when the patient was at a considerable distance. Without so much as a house call, Jesus effected a cure:

Matt 8:5 A centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering." 7 Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him." 8 The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.... 10 When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.... 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour. (Also Luke 7:1-10)

A problem that people sometimes conflate with a medical issue because the symptoms may mimic a psychological disorder (e.g., extreme violence) is demon possession:

Mark 1:23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God,"¹⁴ 25 "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. (Also Luke 4:31-37)

Matt 8:28 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.... 32 He said to them, "Go!" So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water.¹⁵ (Also Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39)

Matt 15:22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." ...28 Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith!¹⁶ Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour. (Also Mark 7:24-30)

Moreover, a demon may manifest itself through some physical malady (e.g., mutism, epilepsy):

Matt 9:32 A man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. 33a And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke.

Matt 12:22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. (Also Luke 11:14-15)¹⁷

Matt 17:14 ...a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 "Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water." ...18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. (Also Mark 9:14-29; Luke 9:37-43)

Yet even demon possession is no impediment to Jesus' ability, as he shows on numerous occasions.

The greatest demonstration of Jesus' curative ability, however, is his power to overcome man's terminal disease: death (thanatology):

Luke 7:14 He touched the coffin¹⁸ and...said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Luke 8:41 A man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42a because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.... 49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus.... "Your daughter is dead," he said.... 54 But [Jesus] took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!" 55a Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. (Also Matt 9:18-26; Mark 5:22-43)

John 11:14 He told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead."¹⁹ ...38a Jesus...came to the tomb.... 39 "Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."²⁰ ...43 Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

This 'cure' more than any other is proof that nothing is beyond Jesus' ability.²¹

The many and various cures that Jesus performs are typical of a God who cares
for His people and "heals all" their diseases (Ps 103:3). It is also typical of the savior who has "compassion" (Matt 14:14; 20:34) on those to whom he ministers, moving him to act on their behalf. While disease is a product of the fall and serves as a constant reminder that we live in a broken world, it is also a reminder of what God has in store for His people, a time when "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Rev 21:4)

For a pdf including Bibliography and Endnotes see here.