“The Divine Healing of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel”
One wise eighty year old woman living in Chicago by the name of Sophie will often be heard saying, “If you’ve got health you’ve got wealth, because without health you have nothing!” Sophie wants to enjoy the goodness of the world around her, the simple pleasures of life: having independence, taking care of her home, driving, and enjoying good company. All of these things depend upon her health and well-being. It is gift to share in the richness of living life! Throughout time the strength and beauty of the human body in all its complexities and senses to perceive, experience, and understand has been a means of great pleasure for many people. Life can be a source of much enjoyment in this world, while at the same time the frailty of the human body has been problematic, because one can be robbed of these pleasures when the body or senses fail, and sickness and disease come to a person.
Therefore, people have sought the significance and cause of ill-health in various ages and in various cultures. Religion has played a significant role in understanding sickness and health. Many times people turn to God or gods for the cause of sickness, disease and death. The author of Exodus describes the view of the ancient Israelites in the following way, “If you really listen to the voice of the LORD … I will not afflict you with any of the diseases with which I afflicted the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer” (Exod 15:26). This passage is powerful and troublesome in many ways. It contains a gripping statement about well-being and ill fortune as well as a mixed message of God’s goodness. The passage is given divine legitimation, the highest authority for believing for it is God speaking to Moses. The Israelites present God on the one hand as the cause of ill health, while at the same time God is named “your healer.” From passages like this people have looked for punishment and guilt in illness, sometimes forgetting the many other passages which speak of God’s faithful compassion and care. Yet within this passage one can see reflected the age old desire to name the cause of disease, possibly so that one can have power over that force, finding some way to ensure good fortune. In Matthew’s Gospel God is seen as a compassionate healer through the person of Jesus. Jesus’ healings in Matthew’s Gospel are a manifestation of God’s coming to earth to bring the fullness of life promised through the Messiah. Matthew’s strategic use of the title “Son of David” in the healing stories identifies Jesus as the Messiah. Yet, Jesus does not come to bring a political restoration to Israel, but rather the spirit of God to earth. This paper will discuss Jesus’ embodiment of חסד the “compassionate kindness” of God manifested in his ministry, especially the role that his healings play in bringing forth the fullness of life particularly spoken of in Matt 9:35-36. This passage reveals an essential age old attribute to the nature of God present to the sick and suffering through the person of Jesus. The literary and historical critical methods will be used and all Scripture passages will be taken from the New American Bible unless other wise noted.
To begin with a perspective on health John J. Pilch quotes the World Health Organization in his book Healing in the New Testament. Insights from Medical and Mediterranean Anthropology, “Health is: a state of complete well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Jesus presented in Matthew’s Gospel is a restorer of well-being in the fullest sense of the Hebrew understanding. The word used to express or wish well-being on someone is שלום commonly translated as peace. Yet peace fails to capture the fullest sense of this word for the Hebrew people which encompasses not only peace, but health of mind and body, tranquility, safety, and prosperity of life. In other words שלום means the fullness of life in all its many aspects. Jesus restores the inner tranquility of a person along with the physical wholeness of mind and body, and it is in this restoration of person that one can find meaning and wholeness to life.
Furthermore, in the summary statement which describes Jesus’ ministry of healing it can be seen that Jesus not only cures people by removing bodily disease, but he heals them by restoring them holistically of their infirmities. Matt 9:35 states, “Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing πασαν υοσος και πασαν μαλακιαυ “every disease and illness.” The Greek μαλακιαυ covers everything from a condition of bodily weakness to inner weakness of faint-heartedness, a lack of energy or despondency. Further it can encompass the meaning of softness or delicacy, a vulnerable state of a person which is concerned with boundaries and integrity. Jesus brings healing to those whose infirmity has been caused because their integrity has not been respected. The other word describing what Jesus was curing is υοσος which means a biological disease, something that has attacked the human body causing it not to be well and also moral malady and character defects, indicating that Jesus healed not only the physical disease but the entire person as well. Hence, these two words cover a multitude of infirmities and include ailments of the widest range dealing with the biological, physical, emotional and spiritual. Because of the wide range of healings he performs it is possible that some of them are spiritual and moral maladies dealing with sin. There is an all encompassing power to Jesus as a healer, not like those of his day, and Matthew’s use of repetition in his Gospel, here with “all” and “every” when speaking of Jesus’ healings emphasizes Jesus’ intentions and ability to transform peoples ailments into life. However, it can not be assumed that every malady is because of sin or even that such healing stories as with the paralytic when he says, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven” (Matt 9:2), are meant to say that sin and sickness are directly related. This same account in Mark does not include the forgiveness of sins, but instead “they were all astounded and glorified God” (Mark 2:12). Rather it is likely that the Matthean community inserted the forgiveness of sins into the Markan version in order to emphasis the power by which Jesus heals as coming from the authority of God.
Moreover, there are two passages in Matthew were he identifies Jesus’ healing mission with an official statement in the text. This doubling follows a pattern that the Evangelist uses in order to give emphasis and importance to what he is saying. Both occurrences reflect an affirmation that Jesus has come to fulfill the messianic role awaited for by Israel. The first appearance of a summary of Jesus’ mission includes the three aspects to his ministry: teaching, preaching and healing. The passage is identical to the later one when it states that Jesus was θεραπευων πασαν νοσον και πασαν μαλακιαν “curing every disease and illness” (Matt 4:23; 9:35). In Matt 4:23 this phrase appears of Jesus’ ministry shortly after his baptism and anointing from the Spirit of God (Matt 3:15). Thus, declaring him the Messiah of God promised to bring about God’s kingdom. The statement found in Matt 9:35 is placed after the teaching discourses of chapters 5-7 and before the healings of chapters 8-9, presenting Jesus as the messiah of word and deed. Both of the passages place Jesus’ healing power at the disposal of his messianic mission to restore the kingdom of God on earth.
Further, Matthew’s use of εσπλαγχνισθη “his heart was moved with pity” is presented as the motivation of Jesus’ mission and gives reason for his healings as the text reads, “At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt 9: 36). Within Matthew εσπλαγχνισθη is often not only the motivation within Jesus for his healings, but is offered as the ideal interior disposition for a disciple of Jesus. This verb σπλαγχνιζομαι is unique to the original parables of Jesus and is especially important when describing Jesus’ interior disposition. This the Evangelist uses as characteristic of the divine nature of Jesus’ acts, and in the following parables an attribute of God. It is also presented within the parables as the model behavior for followers of Jesus. In the parable describing a merciful master it appears, σπλαγχνισθεις δε ο κυριος του δουλου εκεινου απλυσεν αυτον και το δανειον αφηκεν αυτω “Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan” (Matt 18:27). It is the quality praised as the ideal way in which God would have us act towards those in need and destitute. It is a reflection really of the divine life moving within a person in response to others in need. Similarly Jesus gives parables in Luke to illustrate the same divine nature of God with the word σπλαγχνιζομαι, in the parable of “the Good Samaritan.” The same compassionate attribute is presented when the robbed and half dead man is found by, “a Samaritan traveler who came upon him εσπλαγχνισθη ‘was moved with compassion’ at the sight” (Luke 10:33). Luke 15:11-32 like Matthew affirms the divine nature of εσπλαγχνισθη when the merciful father welcomes back his wayward son with εσπλαγχνισθη, an embrace and a kiss. These parables which use εσπλαγχνισθη to describe the ideal godly behavior for situations needing compassion give testimony to the use of this word in the Scriptures. These examples in Jesus’ parables give support that σπλαγχνιζομαι is reserved as a positive and encouraging attribute of divine dealings.
Thus, Jesus restores wholeness to life for people who have no one to care for them and restores them to a meaningful existence. Kindness can be found when Jesus is moved with pity for the people who “were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt 9:36) recalling how in the Hebrew Scriptures people were in need of care, “I see all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd” (1 Kgs 22:17), placing the need for a savior to come. Jesus extends concern for the people who follow him in need. This concept of a loving, faithful, and compassionate God for those in need can be found in chapter 15 of Matthew’s Gospel where σπλαγχνα appears and Jesus’ heart is moved in the same way for the crowds as was mentioned in his summary statement. The Gospel moves from a non-Israelite woman receiving a cure for her daughter who is freed of the demon to a group of people suffering from multiple ailments, “the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others. They placed them at his feet and he cured them” (Matt 15:30). They are restored to wholeness and just as Jesus returns there bodies to fullness he also restores their ability to function within the society. By Jesus giving them sight they can gather now what they need to live. By Jesus giving them speech he restores their ability to share, and by restoring their hands and feet he enables them to act upon their world, all of which are essential in discovering and creating meaning in life. He does cure them, but he also heals the entirety of their life by allowing them to integrate back into the community. The passage continues to describe Jesus’ inner disposition at this time and it states that Jesus tells his disciples, “My heart is σπλαγχνιζομαι “moved with pity” for the crowd, for they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat” (Matt 15:32).
Furthermore, an interesting connection can be found between Matthew’s use of σπλαγχνα to speak of divine mercy and the Hebrew Scripture’s use of חסד as the unique attribute of Yahweh-God. Further with a glance back to the Hebrew Scriptures of the sole attribute of divine dealings a possible connection of the Greek εσπλαγχνισθη in Matt 9:36 can be found with the Hebrew רחמים חסד a special attribute of God. Matthew’s use of εσπλαγχνισθη “felt deeply” describes the inner workings of Jesus’ heart and emotions revealing that Jesus possesses a quality which is strikingly similar to the heart and emotions of the God of the Hebrew Scriptures. The Greek word εσπλαγχνισθη from σπλαγχιζομαι or as an adjective σπλαγχνα carries a meaning that expresses what goes deep within a person. The noun literally means “inner parts” and not an emotional response of mercy, pity or love, but from that deep inner sense has come other uses for translations.
Further, the Hebrew word חסד has many meanings depending on the context and date of translation and is often accompanied with another descriptive word. When looking at the LXX’s translation of חסד what is commonly found is οικτιρω. Like wise when translating the Hebrew word for “compassion” רחמים that often accompanies חסד the Greek οικτιρμοι is used. Yet the LXX does not have the last word on translating חסד a favored word for God in the Hebrew Scriptures, rather later writings begin to use the Greek σπλαγχνα. Hence, σπλαγχνα has evolved in expression and by the later Jewish writings; including The Twelve Testaments it completely replaces οικτιπμοι, οικτιρω and οικτιρμων used in the LXX to translate חסד רחמים. οικτιπμος, an adjective meaning a display of concern over another’s misfortune, pity, mercy, compassion, and οικτιρμων, a noun pertaining to one concerned about another’s unfortunate state or misery, and also the merciful, compassion of God so almost always used in the LXX. The verb oικτιρω is the usual Greek word used to translate סדח רחמים with the meaning “have compassion.”
Moreover to further elaborate on the connection between חסד and σπλαγχνα a look at the development of language for how the ancient world began to describe the inner meanings of the heart will be helpful. The process of conversion began with naming the inward parts of the body, the entrails and advanced to a use which expresses the seat of emotions, commonly translated as “heart.” The verb σπλαγχνευω which is derived from the noun σπλαγχνα for “inner parts” has a sacrificial meaning to it. At the sacrificial meals the term “inner parts” meant to eat the inner parts of the sacrifice. The ancient world often placed upon the inner parts of a person’s body psychological aspects, thus giving translations for “inner parts” such as affection, mercy, sympathy, compassion and love. Further developments of the expansive use of σπλαγχνα in expressing divine mercy came through later Jewish writings and first Christian writings, which render a translation ofרחמים with forms of σπλαγχνα. Even though οικτιρει a verb “have compassion” is more commonly used to translate רחמים from Hebrew into Greek, especially in the LXX, there is ample translation with σπλαγχνα in later Jewish writings as well as translations found in the Dead Sea Scrolls that would render a legitimate connection with the genitive combination of σπλαγχνα used with ελεους “kindness or concern for someone in need” and רחמים חסד.
Moreover the importance of understanding the connection between רחמים חסד with forms of σπλαγχιζομαι lie within the depth and importance of חסד in the Hebrew Scriptures. חסד is a rich word in describing human and divine behavior. It is thought to be the ideal for people and the highest in moral behavior, but still the actual attribute of God alone. Used with various words an expansive list of favorable attributes can be discovered including grace, mercy, compassion, faithfulness, reliability, and confidence. These are all part of being חסד, however, not only each individual virtue, but more than what each one in itself can describe. Although the use of חסד is more about “Who” God is and not what God does, God’s actions reflect the nature of God’s being, just as Jesus’ actions reflect his own divinely incarnated being. To flesh out the meaning of חסד a few important moments in Jewish history which used חסד will be recalled. One example of the use of חסד is found in the Hebrew Scriptures when Abraham’s servant was in search of a wife for Isaac to fulfill the covenant that would be carried out through Abraham’s descendant, and he invoked the, “Lord God of my Master Abraham that it turn out favorably for me today and thus ועשה-חסד (“to do”- חסד) with my master Abraham (Gen 24:12). The use of חסד as a noun leads to the activity of the verb in the Scriptures, for by the very nature of being virtuous a person’s behavior shows in action the virtue possessed inwardly. In this case חסד is most often lived out in the covenantal commitment between God and Abraham’s descendants, and Jesus continues חסד and God’s covenant as the “Son of David” the Messiah promised by the God of Abraham. God’s faithfulness is shown to the Israelites now in the person of Jesus, and especially in how God’s faithful, loving, kindness is lived out through Jesus’ healings. As 2 Sam 7:15 also attests to God’s faithfulness for God’s people when God says, “I will never withdraw וחסדי “My favor.” God’s favor can be seen in Jesus’ healing ministry.
Yet when understanding חסד as an attribute Jesus possessed in his healing ministry a theme of deliverance can also be found. In the case of Jesus’ ministry the people are delivered from the bondage of sickness that binds them. When a person suffers ill health it is the illness which holds the persons life. In the Hebrew Scriptures God delivers people from other forms of misfortune as can be seen in the story of Joseph, who was the recipient of חסד. While imprisoned unjustly the Scripture states, “the LORD was with Joseph; He extended חסד “kindness” to him and disposed the chief jailer favorably toward him” (Gen 39:21), saying that “whatever he did the LORD made successful” (Gen 39:23). By God being with Joseph while imprisoned extending חסד to him again the covenant was able to continue once Joseph saves the people from famine, including his own family of Israel. Another example of deliverance can be seen in Psalm 40 and the theme of חסד can be found as God brings deliverance to those who trust in God’s faithful care for them, as particularly stated in verse 11 “Your deed I did not hide within my heart; your loyal deliverance I have proclaimed. I made no secret of your חסד ‘enduring kindness’ to a great assembly. However, within a developed theology of Jesus’ mission, Jesus has most often been thought of as delivering people from sin. Is this really the effective power in the healings of Jesus? Jesus forgives sins on some occasions, and therefore restores the person’s inner life, while at other times he simply restores the physical, mental, and social well-being of the person valuing the goodness of life as a gift from God. One must will to be delivered for deliverance to take place, and in this way salvation from all that binds people whether that is suffering from disease which is part of the created world, or from sins which do hold people captive from the freedom God wishes for them. Jesus brought deliverance from all that keeps people from the fullness of life that God intends for humanity. Within the healing accounts of Matthew’s Gospel no emphasis is given to healing as a result of forgiveness of sins, rather healings are a proclamation that Jesus has brought the kingdom of God to restore life to full stature.
Therefore, because Jesus exhibits the divine attributes most often associated with the God of the Hebrew people it is a logical conclusion that Jesus would in fact be the messiah awaited for by the Israelites. It is within the messianic expectation that an eschatological element is added to the σπλαγχνα of Jesus, because the σπλαγχνα of God was thought to come in the end times. The over-all movement of worship from former times to the end times is a movement from sacrifice to divine mercy. When Jesus himself quotes the Hebrew Scriptures he addresses the Pharisees with this teaching, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Matt 9:12-13). Part of the development of the translation for σπλαγχνα is reflective of a development of theology. The movement in translation is from the sacrifice of the animal, and their “entrails” to the inner place as the seat of emotion, the heart. Thus the inner place is active as the place of mercy, compassion and love, and most especially characteristic of the goodness of God.
Furthermore, this eschatological development associated with Jesus is seen within Matthew under the title “Son of David” and the healing miracles as a sign that the time of God’s fulfillment has come to earth. This eschatological element to Jesus’ miracles is most evidently seen in Jesus’ exorcisms, where a sense of Satan being overthrown gives witness to the expected arrival of the kingdom of God, an apocalyptic expectation. The end times question is at work in the Beelzebul controversy where the question is raised as to whether Jesus’ ability to cast out demons is a sign of the end times or is Jesus an agent of evil? The question raised is, “Could this perhaps be the Son of David?” (Matt 12:23). Even though the expected answer would be “no” in the original Greek, the text shows how people were aware of the eschatological nature to Jesus’ healings in the form of exorcisms and how the messiah was expected to usher in this new age. It was part of a prophetic understanding found in the prophetic writings which states, “On that day there shall be open to the house of David … I will take away the prophets and the spirit of uncleanness from the land” (Zech 13:1-2), and realizing that with the Messiah peace would come to earth.
Moreover Matthew’s text shows that Jesus is the Messiah, through the healing stories and how they are told in relation to the title “Son of David.” On four occasions in Matthew’s Gospel the acclamation Son of David is associated with Jesus’ healing ministry. Preceding the summary statement of his ministry is the healing of two blind men (Matt 9:27-31). The healing is invoked under the title “Son of David,” which sums up the episodes of healing to that point giving the Davidic title to the experience of Jesus’ healings. The blind, demons, and foreigners all give testimony to Jesus being the “Son of David” (Matt 9:27-31; 12:22-32; 15:21-28; 20:29-34). Matthew takes the two stories of the blind man from Mark’s Gospel (Mark 8:22-26; 10:46-52), but doubles the persons to two in each account. Matthew’s editorial change from one to two is intended to draw attention to Jesus’ intentions of restoring sight to the blind. The focus on the blind being healed is not only that being blind is thought to have been the most devastating of all ailments in the ancient Mediterranean world, because it made the person totally dependent on others. It was also a way Matthew was able to say that the blind were physically cured, while those with sight and who didn’t accept Jesus were still blind. In this way Matthew is able to use Jesus’ healing stories to teach about Jesus’ identity as the Messiah sent by God.
Furthermore, the significance of attaching the Davidic title to Jesus’ healing ministry has a two fold function in the revelation of Jesus: 1) Jesus’ healings are connected to his messianic mission, and 2) the Messiah that Jesus is, was not what the Jews of his day expected the Messiah to be. First the Messiah was not expected to be a miracle worker or healer. Therefore in the series of healing episodes that address Jesus as the “Son of David” Matthew relates Jesus’ therapeutic activity with the Son of David giving the message that Jesus is the Messiah. This understanding of Jesus is far removed from the Jewish nature of the Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel who was expected to be a political and military ruler like King David. Secondly, this address is nearly always related to Jesus’ healing ministry. The connection being made between Jesus’ messianic identity and his healing ministry is a unique and unusual development in understanding of the Messiah. Mercy is being called upon in Matthew’s Gospel in the capacity of the Son of David where as the usual address would be κυριε “Lord” or nothing at all.
Consequently, because of the compassion of God now manifested in Jesus the kingdom of God can be brought to the sick and suffering, and Jesus “θεραπευων ‘heals’ every disease and illness” (Matt 9:35). It is because of God’s concern for the welfare of humanity that Jesus’ heart is filled with divine compassion and care for the crowds which manifests itself through Jesus’ healing powers. Even though by Matt 11:1, Jesus stops teaching and preaching which are also part of his mission (Matt 9:35), he will continue to heal in Matthew up until chapter 20 upon his entrance into Jerusalem (Matt 20:29-28). It is here that the second appearance of the healing of the two blind men in Matthew’s Gospel occurs and they ask this healing of Jesus under his Messianic title, “Son of David” (Matt 20: 30) for the second time in Matthew’s Gospel. Similarly Matthew continues Jesus’ mission through the restoration of life to the sick rather than through teaching when he significantly alters his Mark source (Mark 10:1) by healing the crowds rather than teaching them (Matt 14:14; 19:2). It is Jesus’ healings which become the focus of heated debate among the religious leaders of his day, because they are associated with the power of the Messiah (Matt 12:22-32).
Therefore, Matthew’s use of θεραπευων is not used in the secular sense of the word “to serve.” Rather Jesus brings שלום to people in the fullest sense of healing and not simply going about curing their physical ills. He is able to effect both body and soul as his healings are a divine expression of God’s compassion and care. Although there were healers in the time of Jesus there is no account recorded of a miracle-worker in Judaism only isolated accounts of healings attributed to various Rabbis. Jesus crosses boundaries of religious taboo in order to restore livelihood to people’s lives just as he did when he healed the man with a withered hand on a Sabbath (Matt 12:9-14). He integrated a man with leprously back into the community by sending him healed to the priest as prescribed by the Law of Moses (Matt 8:1-4). He makes a woman clean and thus allows her to be socially acceptable once again as he stops the flow of blood by healing her of her hemorrhage (Matt 9:20-22). Thus, Jesus’ healings restore people not only physically, but they restore people to their sense of purpose and meaning within their social and religious context.
In conclusion, Jesus brings about the fullness of God’s life as the Messiah, not according to the Jewish expectation, but through his ministry of teaching, preaching and healing. Matthew captures this in his Gospel and articulates Jesus’ ministry by the mission statements in 4:23 and 9:35. Following the summary of Jesus’ ministry is the motivation of Jesus’ efforts, expressed in the Greek verb εσπλαγχνισθη “his heart was moved with pity” (Matt 9:36). The significance of this word has a developed meaning which speaks of the compassion of God’s divine mercy. Jesus embodies this divine attribute in his humanity and Matthew preserves the essence of this mystery in his Gospel portrait of Jesus, especially in the healing stories of Jesus. A link is found in the rich attribute חסד “faithful compassion” used in the Hebrew Scriptures for God, and εσπλαγχνσθη for Jesus’ inner disposition. Thus Jesus embodies in his healing ministry the חסד of God. Even though healings do deliver a person from bondage, sufficient evidence is not found in the healing stories of Matthew that hold the perspective to be true that sickness is punishment from God. Rather one can see in the healing ministry of Jesus that on the contrary Jesus as God incarnate wants to restore wholeness to people’s lives.
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