And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. (Mat 9:35)
Matthew used ten miracles to illustrate the power and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew Chapter 8 and 9. He summarizes Jesus’ ministry by three things in Matthew 9:35: Jesus was teaching, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness.
People came to Jesus or brought to Jesus the sick and demon possessed for His healing. The Bible said that “He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.’” (Mat 8:16-17)
Jesus is the great physician. He said that “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick… For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” This language connects Jesus’ healing of sinners to His healing of physical sickness. He identified Himself as the one who calls people to Him and the healer of souls. We can come to Jesus to seek for the healing of any “disease”, whether it is physical illness, emotional distress, or the burden of sin.
We can pray for the sick and know that God will heal them. Facing financial turmoil or other challenges and difficulties of life, we may have fear or other negative emotions. If we believe in God’s sovereignty and ultimate control, we exchange our fear and worry for peace and contentment. When painful memories surface, we can bring them to Jesus for healing and restoration, allowing Him to remove the shame and sorrow that have been linked to those memories.
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb 4:15-16)
Jesus knows by experience all our trials and temptations. Yet, He never failed or sinned. Jesus Christ is able to understand our weaknesses and miseries, for He Himself has experienced these very things. We are encouraged to approach God boldly with faith and seek His healing of any kind of “disease” – physically, emotionally, socially, or spiritually.
