Category: Mindful Bible Reads

Jesus Heals an Officer’s Servant (Matt 8:5-13;Lk. 7:1 10; Jn. 4:43 54)

Jesus went to the city of Capernaum.* When he entered the city, an army officer* came to him and begged for help. The officer said, “Lord, my servant is very sick at home in bed. He can’t move his body and has much pain.” Jesus said to the officer, “I will go and heal him.” The officer answered, “Lord, I am not good enough for you to come into my house. You need only to give the order, and my servant will be healed. I know this, because I understand authority. There are people who have authority over me, and I have soldiers under my authority. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,’ and he goes. I tell another soldier, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and my servant obeys me.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. He said to those who were with him, “The truth is, this man has more faith than anyone I have found, even in Israel. Many people will come from the east and from the west. These people will sit and eat with Abraham,* Isaac,* and Jacob* in God’s kingdom.* and those who should have the kingdom will be thrown out. They will be thrown outside into the darkness, where people will cry and grind their teeth with pain.” Then Jesus said to the officer, “Go home. Your servant will be healed the way you believed he would.” Right then his servant was healed.

The miracle highlights Jesus’s authority lead him to believe that Jesus can heal his servant simply by speaking the word, which Jesus then does, emphasizing that faith alone can bring miraculous outcomes.

Jesus Gives Life to a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman (Matt 9: 18-26; Mk. 5:21 43; Lk. 8:40 56)

While Jesus was talking to John’s followers regarding fasting, a leader of the synagogue* came to him. The leader bowed down before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But if you will come and touch her with your hand, she will live again.” So Jesus and his followers went with the man. On the way, there was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. She came close behind Jesus and touched the bottom of his coat. She was thinking, “If I can touch his coat, I will be healed.” Jesus turned and saw the woman. He said, “Be happy, dear woman. You are made well because you believed.” Then the woman was healed. Jesus continued going with the Jewish leader and went into the leader’s house. He saw people there who make music for funerals. And he saw a crowd of people crying loudly. Jesus said, “Go away. The girl is not dead. She is only sleeping.” But the people laughed at him. After the people were put out of the house, Jesus went into the girl’s room. He held the girl’s hand, and the girl stood up. This news spread all around the area.

This miracle highlights how faith, even a small touch, can bring healing and life to those in desperate situations. The passage also subtly suggests that the miracles are not just physical, but also symbolize spiritual restoration and God’s compassion for those who turn to Him.

Jesus Heals a Man on the Sabbath Day (Matt. 12: 9-14; Mk. 3:1 6; Lk. 6:6 11)
Jesus left from the fields of grain and went to their synagogue. In the synagogue there was a man with a crippled hand. Some Jews there were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus of doing wrong. So they asked him, “Is it right to heal on the Sabbath* day?” Jesus answered, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a ditch on the Sabbath day, you will take the sheep and help it out of the ditch. Surely a man is more important than a sheep. So it is right to do good on the Sabbath day.” Then Jesus said to the man with the crippled hand, “Hold out your hand.” The man held out his hand, and it became well again, the same as the other hand. But the Pharisees* left and made plans to kill Jesus.

The true faith and service to God are not about rigid adherence to rules, but about expressing love, mercy and compassion, even when it goes against the status quo.

Jesus Heals a Deaf Man – Mark 7: 31-37
Jesus, while on his way to Lake Galilee he went through the area of the Ten Towns. While he was there, some people brought a man to him who was deaf and could not talk clearly. The people begged Jesus to put his hand on the man to heal him. Jesus led the man away from the people to be alone with him. He put his fingers in the man’s ears. Then he spit on a finger and put it on the man’s tongue. Jesus looked up to the sky and with a loud sigh he said, “Ephphatha!” (This means “Open!”) As soon as Jesus did this, the man was able to hear. He was able to use his tongue, and he began to speak clearly. Jesus told the people not to tell anyone about this. But the more he told them not to say anything, the more people they told. They were all completely amazed. They said, “Look at what he has done. It’s all good. He makes deaf people able to hear and gives a new voice to people who could not talk.

With just the touch of his hand, Jesus cures a man of hid deafness and speech impediment and gives him a whole new life. The story reminds us of how much of an impact Christ can have on our lives. We may not even realize the tiny blessings that he sends us each day or the little miracles the he works in our lives. We should be open to hear God’s word and speak freely about the good news of his love and forgiveness.