John says at the end of his gospel that if all the miracles that Jesus did while on the earth were written down that the world could not contain the amount of books they would fill!
The Bible only tells us of a few of the blessings that Jesus bestowed on those around Him while on the earth.
Mark 7:24-26- And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know [it]: but he could not be hid. For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
Matthew 15:24- But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
A Gentile woman found Jesus as He was walking. She had heard of all the wonders that He had performed in her village. She had a daughter who had a devil living inside of her, and she was hoping that Jesus would heal her.
Jesus kept walking along as she was pleading, seeming to not hear a word that she said. But, the disciples heard her every plea and it was annoying them, so they asked Jesus to send her away.
Matthew 15:24-25- But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
Jesus said that He was sent by His father to Israel only. He was not suppose to deal with the Gentiles- not yet.
She came and fell down and worshiped Him and begged Him again to heal her daughter.
Mark 7:27-28- But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.
But, Jesus called her a dog, and said that a man with a family would feed His own children the food that was prepared, not give it to the animals.
What an offensive thing to say! How could someone who was the Son of the Creator of the universe say that a human being was as low as an animal?
What would you have done?
Matthew 15:27-28- And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
Many would have gotten angry, and even argued that they were worth much more! But, this woman heard something that they had not. She heard that there was hope.
You see, when the children are eating and they drop something on the floor, the animals in the house are allowed to eat it! She knew if she accepted that He called her an animal, that He might just drop a blessing down for her.
Jesus acknowledged her humbleness and was impressed by her willingness to lower her own self worth just to receive this petition.
Mark 7:29-30- And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.
She had faith that Jesus would bless her and He did! He gave her the answer she was seeking and her daughter was healed!
Many times we would see more blessings from the Lord if we would only humble ourselves. But, we don't learn. The disciples couldn't have compassion on this woman, and so they didn't understand why the Lord would ignore her. I bet they didn't understand why He blessed her either.
Mark 8:22-23- And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.
When Jesus got to town, there were people who asked Him to heal a blind man.
Jesus first took the man outside of the town. Why? Why would He take a blind man and lead him out of familiar surroundings?
Not only that, but Jesus spit on the blind man! I wonder what that man was thinking as he was being led about and spit on?
Mark 8:24-25- And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
First, the man had strange sight. He saw men as trees. That is curious.
Jesus could have easily healed this man correctly the first time. But, He wanted us to know something by this miracle.
Men as trees, what could it mean? Man's first sin was associated with a tree. Christ would be crucified on a tree.
Paul used this illustration in Romans.
Romans 11:16-17; 19-21 - For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
And, Jesus, Himself, said this-
John 15:5- I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Jesus is the vine, or the base of the tree. All those who come to Him are the branches of the tree.
First, Israel was called to the Lord God Almighty- that's why Jesus came to the Israelites, because He was their promised Messiah.
But, when they rejected Him the invitation was then given to all- Jews and Gentiles alike. And, those who ask Him to save their souls will become part of His tree- they will become branches on His royal family tree!
Jesus healed this man in two steps so that someone would take note of what was said and search the Scriptures to find the reason!
John 8:1-2- Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
Jesus was always trying to teach the Israelites the Scriptures. He wanted them to understand that the Lord God Almighty was more than they had come to believe. He wasn't only judgement. He wasn't only anger!
But, the religious leaders couldn't look past that. When they read the Scriptures that was all they saw. And, they were going to do everything in their power to try to prove that Jesus couldn't possibly be who He claimed to be.
John 8:3-5- And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
The religious leaders brought a woman who had committed a very serious crime. It was their law to kill this woman for her crime, but they wanted to see if Jesus would follow the law.
They brought her to Him and accused her of the wickedness. She just stood there saying nothing. She knew the law. She knew she was guilty. And, she knew the punishment must be coming.
John 8:6-8- This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
Jesus acted as though He hadn't heard them. He got down and with His finger wrote something in the dirt.
What was it that He wrote? Was it the Scripture that said that both the man and the woman that had sinned were to be put to death? Was it the Ten Commandments? We don't know. But Whatever is was, when He said that the person who hadn't sinned could kill her, they were convicted!
John 8:9- And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
When the last one had left, Jesus and the woman were the only ones of that company left.
John 8:10-11- When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Jesus asked the woman if there was anyone left that accused her of sin. She knew that the only one who could rightly accuse her was someone who hadn't sinned themselves- And, that was Jesus.
But, Jesus wasn't come to condemn lives- He was come to save them! And, so He forgave her, but told her not to sin anymore!
Jesus often forgave those who others wouldn't. And when He forgave, He never brought their sin up again.
Luke 7:36- And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.
Luke tells us of a story where Jesus went to eat with a Pharisee, but Mark tells us something about that Pharisee that Luke doesn't.
Mark 14:3a- And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat,
This Pharisee was a leper- he had the deadly disease which should have separated him from all human contact. Yet, here he was throwing a party!
Luke 7:37-38- And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
Exactly what had happened to make this woman decide to do this, we don't know. We do know that she had heard of Jesus and she wanted to show Him how much she loved and appreciated Him.
Mark 14:3b- there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
This box of ointment was very costly! She was giving Him something that was expensive. To be used, the box must be broken taking away all value of cost and removing any other purpose for it's use. And, she was using up something that was precious on someone whom she deemed worthy!
This act was full of adoration for the Lord. She was crying because it was from her heart, and she was using her hair to wipe his feet, which probably meant that she wasn't prepared to be so emotional and so she brought no towel.
Matthew 26:8-9- But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
The disciples were probably the first to start complaining out loud. But, they weren't the only ones who thought ill of the woman's actions.
Luke 7:39- Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
The prideful Pharisee had already judged and condemned this lady. He must have heard of or known about her reputation, because he was certain she was a sinner.
But, all this was going on inside his mind. He didn't say any of this out loud.
Can you imagine a man that had the walking death, leprousy, talking wickedness about a woman who showing kindness and love?
Lukd 7:40-42- And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
Jesus knew what the disciples were whispering about the woman. He knew what the leper was thinking about her. So, he addressed the leper and asked him who would love the most- someone who was forgiven a little or someone who was forgiven a lot?
Luke 7:43-47- Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
Jesus told the leper that, even though the woman was a sinner, she was forgiven for her sins. She loved the Lord so much because He had forgiven her for so much.
The leper had, also, sinned since all men are sinners. But, he never sought forgiveness for his sins.
Luke 7:48-49- And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
Some people began to question who Jesus thought He was to be able to forgive sins. The just never learned! He was the only one who could truly forgive sins.
But, Jesus paid no heed to their arguments. He still had the disciples to deal with.
Mark 14:6-9- And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
Jesus told the disciples that this woman had accomplished something that no one else would ever be able to do- she got to anoint the holy Lamb of God before his death.
Mark 7:50- And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
What a wonderful thing to be forgiven! And to have the assurance that you are at peace with the Lord!
This story will be forever told throughout history because someone loved enough to give the best and expected nothing in return. But, in return she got something that she never could have found elsewhere.
