Following the Lord Jesus Christ: #30 Healing Near the Sea of Galilee

Let’s take up from where we left off last time with the Pharisees’ reaction to Jesus healing the man with the withered hand.

Matthew 12:14; Mark 3:6; Luke 6:10 (Matthew and Mark) [NKJV]
Then the Pharisees went out, and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him. But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus, how they might destroy Him.

(The color of the words in the scripture indicates the information that is unique to that gospel: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The words in boldface are recorded in all three gospels. You can read the complete section in each of the gospels at the bottom of this blog.)

Thankfully we can leave those buzzards behind for a while to track Jesus and his small band of disciples moving away from the mounting persecution and out to the seaside. Great multitudes of others who have heard about his works of healing and deliverance follow right after them.

Matthew 12:15; Mark 3:7-9 (Matthew and Mark) [NKJV]
But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there with His disciples to the sea.
And great multitudes from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him.
So he told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.

Notice the emphasis on the “great” multitudes and the “many things” Jesus was doing as God’s Servant. Even Jesus himself was concerned about the great number of people pressing in upon him, desperate for his help. We don’t know if Jesus ever used the small boat to escape the crowds pressing in upon him, but he was ready in any event. And the crushing crowd did not deter him from healing them, and casting out the evil spirits.

Matthew 12:15; Mark 3:10,11 (Matthew and Mark) [NKJV]
For He healed them all, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.
And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.”

The people were physically healed, and delivered from unclean spirits! But Jesus had a stern word for the evil spirits who were noisily proclaiming him as the Son of God.

Matthew 12:16-21; Mark 3:12 (Matthew and Mark) [NKJV]
Yet He sternly warned them not to make Him known,
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
“Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen,
My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased!
I will put My Spirit upon Him,
And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.
He will not quarrel nor cry out,
Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
A bruised reed He will not break,
And smoking flax He will not quench,
Till He sends forth justice to victory;)
And in His name Gentiles will trust.”

This section of scripture proclaims Jesus as God’s chosen Servant. It comes directly from this prophecy in Isaiah:

Isaiah 42:1-4 [KJV]
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment [justice] to the Gentiles.
He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth:
and the isles shall wait for his law [literally, “and in His name will the Gentiles trust”].

A true servant does not complain, nor will he argue, nor boast of his own good deeds, nor advertise his own greatness. By the Spirit of God, he will bring true judgment to all in the earth, unto both Jew and Gentile. He will save all who come to him for physical healing and deliverance from spiritual evil.

A bruised reed can refer to the shepherd’s flute, a very cherished item made from the reeds in a river. During the days in the field with the sheep, the music from the flute will help brighten the long hours that the shepherd keeps watch over them. If the flute becomes damaged, the shepherd will never break it and throw it away, he will take the time and effort required to fix it.

A lamp too low on oil will produce only a smoking flax with very little light. A watchful, caring person will trim the wick and fill the lamp with oil to provide a steady, bright light through the dark night.

Jesus, the true Shepherd of our souls, will not cast anyone out, but can and will save any and all lost sheep among us. As the Light of the world, he will guide us through the darkness and light up our lives from within: “and he healed them all.”

We are then provided one example of a damaged and lost sheep—a bruised and broken reed, a flickering lamp about to be snuffed out.

Matthew 12:22,23 [NKJV]
Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.
And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

Cleansed of evil, released from bondage, this man could now speak and see! The multitudes, stunned in amazement, were beginning to understand who Jesus was. Could this be the Son of David, the promised Messiah? Could this be the promised Shepherd-King? We are blessed to know, from our vantage point today that Jesus is indeed the One. Let’s tell others of the one who repairs broken lives and shines light into our darkness. Jesus truly is the Son of David, the Savior of the world!

NEXT:  Following the Lord Jesus Christ: #31 The Calling of the Twelve Apostles

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Complete Gospel Accounts

Matthew 12:14-23 NKJV
Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.
But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.
Yet He warned them not to make Him known, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
“Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased!
I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.
He will not quarrel nor cry out, Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench,
Till He sends forth justice to victory; And in His name Gentiles will trust.”
Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.
And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

Mark 3:6-12 NKJV
Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea
and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him,
So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.
For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.
And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.”
But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.

Luke 6:11 NKJV
But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.