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 friend once told me that he believed people became sick because they had committed a sin. He believed that the Apostle Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” in 2 Corinthians 12:7 was due to some sin that the apostle had committed. He also believed that the Old Testament saint Job was ill because he had sinned. He did not know how to respond when I told him that God had said Job had been “a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil” (Job 2:3). This comment reveals the fact that Job’s problems and illness were not due to personal sin. God had allowed these trials to cause Job to spiritually grow. Yet, some teach that all illness occurs due to sin. The Jewish leaders in Jesus’ time also believed as my friend did. Scripture teaches that sometimes we are sick because we have sinned, but not always (1 Cor. 11:30).The Start. Our last study was about a leper whom Jesus had healed. After the man was healed Jesus strongly encouraged the leper not to tell anyone, but he ignored Jesus’ request anyway. Next we are told that Jesus went into the wilderness and prayed. When we come to this study (Matt. 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26), we discover that “some days” had passed when He returned home.
When He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home. (NASB) Mark 2:1 Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came to His own city. (NASB) Matt. 9:1 If we combine the facts provided to us by Matthew and Mark, we discover that Jesus had returned to the city of Capernaum, His current home, by crossing the Sea of Galilee. Luke adds that crowds of people had discovered that Jesus was back home and had come to Him.
One day He was teaching; and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing. (NASB) Luke 5:17 The people came from the surrounding areas and among them were some religious leaders.
Why Did They Come? Mark tells us that Jesus’ home was packed with people, like a bunch of sardines in a can.
And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. (NASB) Mark 2:2 The home was so full that people were standing outside the door of the home. No one could get in. Could those standing outside hear Jesus? Why would people stand outside? Would you stand outside in order to hear someone teach? Many of us would leave.
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| Life & Heart of Jesus | ||||||
