Jesus' Miracles 

The wedding at Cana took place on February 27, 26 CE, soon after Jesus had returned from his forty-day sojourn on Mount Hermon and selected the first six apostles. At the time of the wedding of Naomi, the whole town and surrounding areas had heard the story of Jesus’ baptism in January. At that event, a spirit presence appeared over the head of Jesus, and a voice from the heavens announced, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." And this was witnessed by James and Jude, Jesus’ brothers, and John the Baptist.

So, when Jesus, his family, and his six new apostles went to the wedding, everyone was expecting some kind of supernatural occurrence. But Jesus did not want to draw attention to himself; he counseled Mary, his mother, and his apostles that they were not to expect anything like that to happen, as his hour had not yet come.

When Mary came to him and said that the mother of the bridegroom told her that they were running out of wine, Jesus asked her why she was telling him about that; he told her again that his hour had not yet come. She told him that she had promised them that he would help, and when he scolded her for making such promises, she began to cry.

The human heart of Jesus was moved to see his beloved mother crying like that. He said to her "Now, now, Mother Mary, grieve not over my apparently hard sayings, for have I not many times told you that I have come only to do the will of my heavenly Father? Most gladly would I do what you ask of me if it were a part of the Father’s will—" And just then, he stopped speaking, as if aware that he had said too much.

Mary was thrilled; she sensed that she had persuaded Jesus to act as she wished. In the next few minutes, she went over to where there were six large water pots that held about twenty gallons each. She directed the servants to start drawing from them, and what they drew out was wine!

On this occasion all of the required celestial and spiritual personalities that attended Jesus gathered near the water and other necessary elements, and because of the expressed wish of a Creator Son, Jesus of Nazareth, there was no avoiding the instantaneous appearance of wine.

When the servants carried the wine to the best man, he tasted it and called to the bridegroom, saying: "It is the custom to set out first the good wine and, when the guests have well drunk, to bring forth the inferior fruit of the vine; but you have kept the best of the wine until the last of the feast."

Everyone was surprised, but no one was more surprised than Jesus himself. This was precisely what he had not wished to do. But then he remembered his recent experiences during his forty-day sojourn in the wilderness, when he had made certain decisions about his future mission to the world and how he would conduct himself. He had decided at that time not to perform miracles, but he also had decided that in all things, he would abide by the will of his heavenly Father. The enactment of this so-called miracle was evidently not contrary to that will, because he had said "if it were a part of the Father’s will…".

Jesus now understood that he would have to be on guard to prevent repeated episodes of this sort. He had to keep watch on his human emotions of sympathy and pity. But even so, many similar events took place before Jesus finally left this earth. And all were approved by the Father or they would not have happened.

Two years later, on Friday January 13, 28 CE, Jesus was teaching the multitudes near the sea shore. The crowd was so large that he was being pushed closer and closer to the water’s edge. So, seeing a boat close by, he asked the men in the boat to come and help him. One of the men was David Zebedee and the other men were associates of David’s, and they were cleaning their nets after a long night of fishing where they had caught nothing. When they brought their boat close to him he entered the boat and continued to teach for another two hours. This boat was interesting because it had been built by Jesus himself.

When Jesus was finished teaching, he offered to go fishing with the men and work with them. Simon, one of the assistants, told Jesus it would be useless because they had been out all night and had caught nothing. Nevertheless, David and the men agreed to go out with Jesus. Once out on the sea, Jesus signaled where they should let down the nets. They gathered up so many fish that they were afraid their nets would break. There were so many fish that they signaled to others onshore to come and help them. And when two other boats came to them, they filled all three boats so full that they were almost sinking.

They were all amazed at this catch, and considered it a miracle. From that day, David Zebedee and the rest of their fishing associates left their nets to follow Jesus.

But this was not a miraculous catch. Jesus was an experienced fisherman and he was such a practiced student of nature and her moods, he knew the habits of the fish in the Sea of Galilee. He simply directed the men to drop their nets where he knew the fish were usually to be found at that time of day.

Later in that month of January of 28 CE, Jesus performed one of his greatest miracles when hundreds of people were healed all at once. But earlier on that same day, something happened that the people considered a miracles of healing that was not a healing at the time. However, it served to make the last event of the day truly spectacular.

The first event happened at the synagogue in Capernaum, where Jesus was speaking that afternoon. As he finished his talk, a young man who had been listening to Jesus was suddenly afflicted with a violent epileptic attack. This young man had been told that he was possessed by a demon that was causing his affliction; he lived his whole life in that belief, as did all of the people of that day. When Jesus took the young man by the hand and said to him: "Come out of it," the young man responded by awakening from his epileptic fit. When the people saw this, they assumed that Jesus had cast the unclean spirit from the boy. But the boy was not cured at that time. It was only later that day, after sundown in Zebedee’s front yard, that the boy was really healed – not of an unclean spirit, but of epilepsy.

The news of this event spread rapidly throughout Capernaum. The people believed that Jesus had cast a demon out of a young man and had miraculously healed him. Because it was the Sabbath, this news spread in Capernaum and the surrounding smaller towns and villages. Many people believed it.

By the time Jesus and his apostles were having dinner that same day, scores of people in Capernaum and the surrounding area were making preparations to go to Zebedee’s home. The news of the epileptic boy in the synagogue had reached far and wide, and the belief that this was a miracle had influenced many. So, all who were sick or afflicted were either walking by themselves or being carried by friends or relatives just as soon as the sun had set, hoping to experience their own healing.

When Jesus came out of the house to see what all the commotion was about in the front yard, he saw nearly one thousand people gathered there. Not all were sick; some had been carried or accompanied by friends. But most of them were stricken by disease or other afflictions. Jesus’ human heart was greatly moved by this sight of so many sick people. He knew that performing a miraculous work of healing now would send the wrong message; he knew he could not build a lasting spiritual movement on the basis of miracles. Not since the events at Cana had he used his miraculous powers. But his sympathetic heart and understanding nature awakened his sincere affections for the multitude.

Someone from the front yard exclaimed, "Master, speak the word, restore our health, heal our diseases, and save our souls." When this was said, a vast host of angels and other spiritual beings who always attended Jesus made ready to act should Jesus give them the signal.

When Peter asked Jesus to listen to this cry for help, Jesus appealed to his heavenly Father for direction, saying to Peter: "I have come into the world to reveal the Father and establish his kingdom. For this purpose have I lived my life to this hour. If, therefore, it should be the will of Him who sent me and not inconsistent with my dedication to the proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, I would desire to see my children made whole—and—" but the rest of his words were lost, as the yard erupted in an uproar.

When Jesus called on his heavenly Father to decide, the Father evidently did not object. The celestial personalities that had assembled went into the crowd of the afflicted and in a moment of time, 683 men, women, and children were perfectly healed of their various diseases and disorders. Such a spectacle of healing was never seen on earth before that day, or since.

Even though Jesus was, once again, surprised by this turn of events, it was inevitable that it happened the way it did. He sincerely desired to see this multitude of suffering humanity made whole, provided that it was within the Father's will. The creative act was accomplished because what a Creator Son desires and the Father wills, IS.

A couple of months later, in March of 28 CE, Jesus and the apostles were engaged in the first public preaching tour of Galilee. In the course of this tour, Jesus and the twelve spent time in the small village of Iron. Jesus had never experienced the life of a miner, and since Iron had many mines he spent most of his time working underground alongside the other miners, working closely with them while the apostles visited peoples’ homes and preached in public places. Even in this remote village, the people knew of Jesus as a healer, and many sick people sought help from him. Some benefited greatly by his healing ministry, believing themselves to be healed just by being in his presence.

But Jesus performed no miracle of healing in any of these cases at Iron, except for the leper.

One afternoon, as he was returning from the mines, Jesus happened upon a miserable dwelling place where a leprous man lived. This man, who had heard of Jesus, boldly approached the Master as he passed and said as he knelt before him: "Lord, if only you would, you could make me clean. I have heard the message of your teachers, and I would enter the kingdom if I could be made clean." This man truly believed that unless he could be healed of this terrible disease, that he would not be welcomed into the kingdom. When Jesus heard him and witnessed his faith his human heart was moved with pity. The man fell on his face in worship, and Jesus stretched his hand out and touched the man saying: "I will – be clean." Immediately the man was completely healed of his leprosy.

This healing of the leper was the first miracle of healing that Jesus performed intentionally and with deliberation. And the man was a true leper as this was a case of real leprosy.

Even though Jesus asked the man not to tell anyone, he told everyone he could find that he had been cured by Jesus. And this caused so many other sick and afflicted people to seek out Jesus for healing that he had to leave Iron early the next day.

Ten days later in the month of March, Jesus and his apostles were once again in Cana in connection with the continuing preaching tour of Galilee. While they were there, a prominent citizen of Capernaum, who had heard that Jesus was in Cana, came looking for him. The man's name was Titus. He was a half-hearted believer, and his son was very sick. So, he decided to seek Jesus out as his fame as a healer was very strong in Capernaum.

When Titus had located Jesus, he begged him to hurry over to Capernaum to minister to his son. Jesus was reluctant. He said to Titus: "How long shall I bear with you? The power of God is in your midst, but except you see signs and behold wonders, you refuse to believe." But Titus continued to plead with the Master. He said to Jesus: "My Lord, I do believe, but please come before my child dies. When I left him he was near death." Jesus remained silent for a moment, as if in meditation, and then he suddenly spoke, saying: "Return to your home; your son will live."

Titus believed what Jesus said and hurried back home to Capernaum. But even before he got there, his servants met him outside and told him that his son had improved, and that he was alive. Titus asked them what time his boy began to feel better. And when they told him, he realized that it was at about the same time that Jesus had told him that the boy would live. This son of Titus later became a great worker in the kingdom and died as a martyr in Rome.

Titus and his whole family, all of their friends, and even the apostles, considered this as a miraculous healing, but it was not. There was no miracle of healing a disease; instead Jesus was able to access certain knowledge regarding natural law. And it was this mysterious preknowledge that told him that the boy would survive his affliction.

So, once again, Jesus was besieged by the townspeople of Cana, who remembered very well what had happened at the wedding of Naomi. Now, they were convinced that he had healed Titus’ son – and from a distance. There was so much unwanted attention around Jesus that he decided to leave Cana and go to Nain.

A sort of frenzy had developed among the people of Galilee regarding Jesus. Many people who suffered from mental and emotional disorders came into the presence of Jesus and returned back home, announcing that Jesus had healed them. When Jesus was traveling to Nain after leaving Cana, he was followed by a great multitude of the curious and believers.

Upon entering the city of Nain, a funeral procession was winding its way towards the cemetery, bearing the only son of a widow of the town. She was well-known, so nearly half the town was in attendance. When the funeral procession encountered Jesus, they all recognized him and the widow asked Jesus if he would bring her boy back from the dead. By this time, the people thought that Jesus could do anything, even resurrect the dead.

Jesus went to where the boy lay on the funeral platform; he lifted the covering and examined the boy, only to discover that the boy was not dead at all. He understood that allowing the mother to believe her son had died would create a worse tragedy, so he said to her: "Weep not. Your son is not dead; he sleeps. He will be restored to you." He took the young man’s hand and said to him: "Awake and arise." And the boy sat up and began to speak.

Jesus tried to explain to everyone there that the boy had not really been dead, but his efforts were in vain. The people who witnessed this scene were convinced that a miracle of resurrection had occurred and they were in an emotional frenzy. Many were fearful, some were in a panic, and many resorted to praying and crying over their sins. It was long after nighttime before the people would return to their homes. Even though Jesus kept repeating that he had not raised the boy from the dead, the people just thought he was being modest about his miracles.

After this, the story of the widow’s son was repeated throughout Galilee and many who heard it believed it. Even his apostles believe that he had raised the boy from the dead. But he did convince them to the point that the story was left out of all the biblical records except for the gospel of Luke, who related it as he heard it from someone else.

Near the end of March of 28 CE, as Jesus and the apostles were getting ready to head to Jerusalem for Passover, a centurion – a captain of the Roman guard who was stationed in Capernaum – went to see the rulers of the synagogue. This centurion, whose name was Mangus, asked them to intercede for him with Jesus on behalf of his servant, who was very ill. He reasoned that religious leaders would have a special influence on Jesus. So these rulers did as Mangus asked. They went to Jesus and said to him: "Teacher, we earnestly request you to go over to Capernaum and save the favorite servant of the Roman centurion, who is worthy of your notice because he loves our nation and even built us the very synagogue wherein you have so many times spoken."

Jesus agreed to go with them to Mangus’ home, but even before they got to his yard, Mangus sent his friends out to meet Jesus. He told them to say: "Lord, trouble not yourself to enter my house, for I am not worthy that you should come under my roof. Neither did I think myself worthy to come to you; wherefore I sent the elders of your own people. But I know that you can speak the word where you stand, and my servant will be healed."

Jesus turned towards his apostles and the rulers and said, "I marvel at the belief of the gentile. Verily, verily, I say to you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." And then, turning from the house, they left. But the centurion's friends went back into the house and related Jesus' words to Mangus. From that time, the servant began to get better, and he continued to improve until he was completely restored to health.

The facts of this event are known, but no one really knows for sure whether this was a miracle of healing or not. But there is no doubt that the servant did enjoy a complete recovery from his illness.

In September 28 CE, the apostles and the new corps of evangelists were getting ready to leave on the second preaching tour of Galilee. On the second Sabbath before they left, Jesus spoke in the Capernaum synagogue. There were many there who were sick and variously afflicted with disorders of all kinds. After the service, these afflicted ones crowded around Jesus, seeking to be healed. The apostles were there, too, as well as the six spies that had been sent by the Pharisees in Jerusalem. These spies were always around, following Jesus so they might catch him in some violation of Jewish law, hoping to discredit him in the eyes of the populace.

One of these crafty spies persuaded a man who had a withered hand to ask Jesus if he could be healed, even though it was the Sabbath. Jesus knew what had happened, so he asked the man to come forward and said: " If you had a sheep and it should fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, would you reach down, lay hold on it, and lift it out? Is it lawful to do such things on the Sabbath day?" The man answered: "Yes, Master, it would be lawful thus to do well on the Sabbath day."

Then Jesus addressed the whole assembly, saying: "I know why you have sent this man into my presence. You would find cause for offense in me if you could tempt me to show mercy on the Sabbath day. In silence, you all agreed that it was lawful to lift the unfortunate sheep out of the pit, even on the Sabbath, and I call you to witness that it is lawful to exhibit loving-kindness on the Sabbath day not only to animals but also to men. How much more valuable is a man than a sheep? I proclaim that it is lawful to do good to men on the Sabbath day."

And then Jesus spoke to the afflicted man again: "Stand up here by my side that all may see you. And now that you may know that it is my Father’s will that you do good on the Sabbath day if you have the faith to be healed, I bid you stretch out your hand." The man stretched out his hand, and it was made whole.

The crowd was angered by the attitude of the Pharisees and their spies and they threatened to turn on them, but Jesus calmed them all down, telling them it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath but not to do harm. The Pharisees were angry, too, because they failed to discredit Jesus. So they went away and broke their own Sabbath day rules to meet with Herod in an attempt to get him on their side. But he refused to take any action against Jesus.

This is the first miracle that Jesus performed as a result of his enemies’ challenge to him. The real reason he performed this miracle of healing was as a protest against the meaningless rules and regulations that the Jewish rulers imposed upon the populace in the name of religion. And it was an effective protest.

The healed man returned to his work as a mason and lived a life of gratitude and goodness.

Some days later, on Friday, October 1, 28 CE, Jesus was in the middle of his last meeting with all those who were going to be part of the upcoming preaching tour of Galilee – the apostles, the evangelists, and many other leaders who were going along for the tour. This large meeting was held in the Zebedee home, where he had provided a sizable room for just such occasions. As usual, the six Jerusalem spies were there and took seats in the front row. Outside, there was a huge assembly of people surrounding the house; they were listening as best they could to hear some part of what Jesus was saying.

This was the scene when a man from Capernaum was carried into the throngs by some of his friends. The man was afflicted with paralysis, and he had heard that Jesus was getting ready to leave the area from Amos, the man with the withered hand who had recently been healed. So, he determined that he was going to see Jesus and ask for healing, too. He was carried on a small cot, and his friends tried to get him through the front or back door, but the crowds were too thick. Not one to accept defeat, he told his friends to find some ladders and climb up on the roof. There, they loosened some of the tiles, and brazenly lowered the man on ropes into the room below until he was right in front of Jesus.

When the Master saw what was going on, he stopped his speech; everyone was amazed at the boldness and perseverance of the sick man. The paralytic man said to Jesus, "Master, I would not disturb your teaching, but I am determined to be made whole. I am not like those who received healing and immediately forgot your teaching. I would be made whole so that I might serve in the kingdom of heaven."

Jesus knew all about this man and that his affliction was the result of his own dissipated life; nevertheless, he recognized the man’s faith and said: "Son, fear not; your sins are forgiven. Your faith shall save you."

This really aroused the anger of the spies and their associates from Jerusalem. They murmured among themselves that Jesus was a blasphemer; who but a blasphemer would presume to forgive sin? But Jesus knew very well what they were thinking and he spoke to them, saying: "Why do you so reason in your hearts? Who are you to sit in judgment over me? What is the difference whether I say to this paralytic, your sins are forgiven, or arise, take up your bed, and walk? But that you who witness all this may finally know that the Son of Man has authority and power on earth to forgive sins, I will say to this afflicted man, Arise, take up your bed, and go to your own house." At that pronouncement, the paralytic man rose from his cot and walked out unaided, right in front of everyone.

This was one of the strangest, most unique incidents of Jesus' earthly life; everyone was truly amazed at what had just happened. Peter closed the meeting and dismissed everyone.

Just about this time, the six spies were recalled to Jerusalem by messengers of the Sanhedrin. But they were now a divided group; three of them returned to Jerusalem, but the other three defected and confessed their faith in Jesus. They went to the lake, where Peter baptized them, and the apostles welcomed them into the kingdom as children of God.

The second preaching tour of Galilee began on October 3, 28 CE, and ended on December 30, 28 CE. During these three months, more than one hundred people – men, women, and children – experienced healing because of Jesus. Scores of people were healed, not because Jesus consciously willed them to be healed, but because of their powerful and potent faith in Jesus that made them seek healing in the first place. This kind of faith is restorative.

These unexplained and most peculiar series of healings started at this time and continued throughout the remainder of Jesus’ life on earth. When these healings took place, the healed would return to their homes, full of the good news of what had happened to them. Even though Jesus would always say, "Tell no man," these restored people did tell. And all of this only served to make Jesus' fame grow.

Jesus did not consciously perform these types of healings and he never told the apostles or anyone else what happened to make people well. But, at times, he was heard to say: "I perceive that power has gone forth from me." And once, when a sick child touched him, he remarked: "I perceive that life has gone forth from me."

It is possible that these healings were the result of the following potent influences:

1. Those who sought healing from Jesus always had a strong and dominant living faith. The healing was not always for purely physical benefits but also for its spiritual benefits.
2. The presence of the sympathy and compassion of Jesus, who possessed timeless and creative healing powers.
3. Jesus' primary desire was to do the Father’s will. If the Father’s will was in accordance with Jesus' will to heal, that healing took place – unconsciously in Jesus’ human mind but recognized by his divine nature. These healings were in accordance with the great law: What the Creator Son desires and the eternal Father wills IS.

So, in the personal presence of the Master, strong and profound human faith inevitably manifested in the healing of many sick people. These people really healed themselves in the presence of Jesus through their own living faith.

About three months after the second preaching tour ended, on an evening in March of 29 CE, Jesus told the apostles that he was tired and needed some rest. He had been very busy with the third preaching tour that had begun in January, and he was still followed everywhere by crowds of people. So, they got in a boat and started rowing to the other side of the lake.

On the way across, they faced a sudden and fierce windstorm. This kind of storm is fairly common in the evenings on the Sea of Galilee because of its geographical location; the water is surrounded by high banks. The winds can often rush down from the hills onto the water without notice, and they can vanish just as suddenly.

It was an isolated storm, but quite severe; the waves were whipped by the winds so that they began washing over the sides of the boat carrying Jesus and the apostles. The sail was ripped away and the apostles had to get out the oars and start rowing to the shore, which was about a mile and a half away. All of these men were experienced oarsmen, but this storm was one of the worst that they had ever seen.

Through it all, the Master lay sleeping under a small shelter in the back of the boat; he was very tired and slept soundly. Peter started to panic and shook Jesus aggressively to wake him up. Peter said: "Master, don’t you know we are in a violent storm? If you do not save us, we will all perish."

Jesus got up and, after surveying the situation, said to Peter: "Why are all of you so filled with fear? Where is your faith? Peace, be quiet." Just then, the winds calmed, the waves subsided, and all the dark clouds vanished; they could look up and see the stars. However, all of this was purely coincidental, as these storms can go away as suddenly as they appear. But the apostles, and especially Peter, always saw this occurrence as a miracle of nature caused by Jesus. They had certain superstitions about nature and that it could only be influenced and controlled by spiritual forces and supernatural personalities.

Jesus explained that his words were directed to their fearful minds, not the storm. But after this experience, they insisted that Jesus had supernatural power over nature. Peter loved to recall how "even the winds and the waves obey him."

By the time they reached their destination, it was a calm and beautiful night, and they slept in the boats until morning.

The morning after the eventful voyage to Kheresa, Jesus and his associates came ashore and decided to hike up a nearby hill for breakfast and some social time together. Just as they were passing through this area, a crazed man accosted them. This man, named Amos, was a well-known figure in these parts; he was thought to be a lunatic, and at one time, he had been chained up in one of the caves. But he had managed to escape, and now he was able to roam around freely.

Amos suffered from a kind of insanity that seemed to come and go. At times, he seemed almost normal and sane. In one of his lucid periods, he had gone to Bethsaida, where he heard Jesus preach. He even believed what he heard, at least in a half-hearted way. But soon, his insanity returned, and he ran back to these hills and caves where he scared anyone who came near with his moans and loud cries.

When Amos recognized Jesus, he fell at his feet and told him he was possessed of devils; he pleaded with Jesus not to hurt him. The man believed that his problems were due to evil, unclean spirits that entered his mind. The truth was that his illness was mostly of an emotional nature, and his brain was mostly sound

Jesus had compassion on Amos. He took him by the hand and had him stand up. He told him: "Amos, you are not possessed of a devil; you have already heard the good news that you are a son of God. I command you to come out of this spell." Amos heard these words and a sudden change came over him; he was immediately returned to his right mind.

Meanwhile, some villagers had come out, and some swine herders who worked on the cliffs above the area were also gathered there, watching as the man who they thought was a lunatic sitting like a normal person, talking with Jesus and the others. They were all astonished to see that he appeared to be in his right mind, just having a normal conversation.

The swine herders rushed into the village to tell what they had seen – they considered it a true miracle, But just then, their dogs started to chase a small herd of the swine that the herders had left unattended and these swine became spooked as the dogs chased most of them them right over the cliff to the sea below. This was an unforeseen, incidental happening. But the people immediately connected it with the presence of Jesus and the healing of the lunatic. In their minds, Jesus had cast devils out of Amos and the devils had entered the swine which caused them to run off the cliff to their deaths. The swine herders were the ones who initially believed this tale, and by the end of the day, everyone in the village had heard it and believed it.

Amos believed it, too. He still believed he had been possessed by demons and when he saw the swine tumble over the cliff right after he was healed, he truly believed that his demons went over the cliff in the swine. For Amos, this belief had a lot to do with his cure being permanent. Even the apostles – all except Thomas – believed that the swine and Amos’ cure were connected.

Unfortunately, Jesus never did get the rest that he wanted and needed. Soon, the villagers were coming out to see the scene where the swine had been possessed by the demons that Jesus cast out of Amos. They stayed one night there, and the next day they were woken up by some representatives of the swine herders. They urged Jesus to leave the area saying: "Fishermen of Galilee, depart from us and take your prophet with you. We know he is a holy man, but the gods of our country do not know him, and we stand in danger of losing many swine. The fear of you has descended upon us, so that we pray you to go hence." And of course, Jesus consented to go.

Amos wanted to go with Jesus but he refused to take him along. He told Amos: "Forget not that you are a son of God. Return to your own people and show them what great things God has done for you." Amos never got tired of telling and retelling the story of how Jesus had cast a legion of devils out of him and how the devils had entered into a herd of swine, killing them. He went into all the cities of the Decapolis with his story and proclaimed to all that Jesus had done this great work for him.

When Jesus and his associates landed on the shore the morning after the incident with the Kheresa lunatic, a great crowd was waiting for him. The story of Amos had already reached Bethsaida and Capernaum and Jesus graciously spoke with those who had assembled.

Jairus, one of the synagogue rulers, managed to come so close to Jesus that he could fall at his feet. Jairus took Jesus’ hand and begged him to come to his house because his only child was at home, close to death. He said: "I pray that you will come and heal her." And Jesus answered: "I will go with you."

And as they walked along, the crowd followed to see what would happen next. But before they could go very far through a narrow street, Jesus suddenly stopped as he was being pushed and shoved by the crowd. He said loudly: "Someone touched me." Peter stated the obvious, that there were so many people around him, how could he say that someone touched him? It seemed that everyone was touching him at that point. But Jesus answered, "I asked who touched me, for I perceived that living energy had gone forth from me."

At that moment, Jesus looked around and noticed a woman who came forward. Her name was Veronica, and she was from Caesarea-Philippi. She knelt at his feet and said: "For years, I have been afflicted with a scourging hemorrhage. I have suffered many things from many physicians; I have spent all my substance, but none could cure me. Then I heard of you, and I thought if I may but touch the hem of his garment, I shall certainly be made whole. And so I pressed forward with the crowd as it moved along until, standing near you, Master, I touched the border of your garment, and I was made whole; I know that I have been healed of my affliction." Jesus took her hand and lifted her up, saying: "Daughter, your faith has made you whole; go in peace."

This was a case of a miraculous healing that Jesus did not consciously will to happen. It was a true faith healing; her faith was so strong that it was only necessary that she approach the person of Jesus. Her faith was able to access his creative power, which is what he felt when it passed from his person to her. She didn’t even have to touch his garment. And in time, it became clear that this woman’s disease was truly cured. This instance is an example of many cases of miraculous cures that happened during Jesus’ time on earth.

When he told Veronica that her faith had made her whole, he wanted her to know that it wasn’t the act of touching his garment that had been effective; that was mere superstition on her part. It wasn’t that she somehow "stole" her healing without his knowing about it. He wanted her and everyone else who witnessed this healing to know that it was her pure and living faith alone that had functioned to effect her complete cure.

Interrupted on their journey, Jairus was getting impatient and he wanted to hurry to his house. So they walked along quickly. But before they could get there, one of Jairus’ servants came out to say that his daughter had died. Jesus didn’t seem moved by this news. He only said to Jairus: "Fear not; only believe."

Jesus took James, Peter, and John with him, and they all went into the house, where they found that the mourning had already begun. There was a lot of noise from the relatives weeping and wailing and flute players making an undignified racket. Jesus told them that the girl was not dead, but they laughed at him. Then he turned to the mother and said, "Your daughter is not dead; she is only asleep." He asked all of the mourners to leave and he went with the father and mother and the three apostles into the now-quiet room. Jesus went to where the girl was lying and took her hand. He said to her: "Daughter, I say to you, awake and arise!" She immediately got up out of bed and walked across the room, and Jesus advised that they give her something to eat.

As so often happened in these cases, Jesus tried his best to explain to the parents and to his apostles that the girl had merely been in a deep coma caused by a long fever. All he did, he said, was to wake her up – he had not resurrected her from the dead. But no one believed him; they were all "miracle-minded." They all held firm that Jesus had performed another miracle.

When he came out of Jairus’ house, he was followed by a mute boy who was leading two blind men, and they, too, cried out for healing. No matter where he went, he was surrounded by the sick and afflicted. But all of these events were starting to take their toll. Jesus looked visibly tired, and his friends were beginning to worry about him.

By the end of March 29 CE, Jesus was still being followed everywhere he went, and the crowds were increasing every day. The Master was teaching the people each day and at night, he would instruct the apostles and the evangelists. He was so busy and getting so tired that on Sunday, March 27, he decided he had to get away. He and the apostles planned a getaway to the opposite shore of the lake that they hoped would go unnoticed by the crowds. Over on that side, there was a beautiful park and they all looked forward to a good rest.

But it was not to be; the people saw which way the boat went and again started to follow him. Those who couldn’t find a boat walked around the lake. Nearly one thousand people managed to locate Jesus by that afternoon. Most of those who came there to the park at Bethsaida-Julius brought food with them, so after an evening meal, Jesus and his apostles continued to fellowship and teach them in small groups.

And the people kept coming. On Monday, more than three thousand people were there. And they just kept arriving, many bringing their sick friends and relatives with them. Since the Passover weekend, hundreds had come from far and wide to see Jesus, and now they all came to the park. By Wednesday, March 30, five thousand souls were assembled at the park. It was a beautiful day, with no rain.

The matter of food was becoming an issue for many. Those who had initially brought food with them now had very little left, and David Zebedee had not had any time to organize a camp to provide food. Jesus and the twelve apostles had brought three days’ worth of food for themselves and it was in the care of John Mark, the youngster who did various chores for the apostolic party. For some of the people, this was their third day in the park. But even though food was getting scarce and the people were hungry, they did not want to leave. There was an air of expectation simmering; a rumor had gained traction that Jesus had chosen this beautiful spot that was not ruled by his enemies to be crowned King of the Jews. Nobody said anything to Jesus about this rumor, but he was already aware of what was going on.

By Wednesday afternoon at dinner time, Jesus asked Andrew and Philip: "What shall we do with the multitude? They have been with us now for three days, and many of them are hungry. They have no food." Philip told Jesus that he should send them away, and Andrew quickly agreed. Jesus said: "But I do not desire to send them away hungry; can you not feed them?" Overwhelmed, Philip said: "Master, in this country place, where can we buy bread for this multitude? Two hundred denarii worth would not be enough for lunch."

Again, Jesus said: "I do not want to send these people away. Here they are, like sheep without a shepherd. I would like to feed them. What food do we have with us?" Andrew found John Mark, and they looked to see what was left of their food supply. Andrew told Jesus: "The lad has left only five barley loaves and two dried fishes," and Peter promptly added, "We have yet to eat this evening."

Jesus was silent; he was staring off into the distance. And then he suddenly said to Andrew: "Bring me the loaves and fishes." When he did so, Jesus told Andrew to have the crowd sit down in the grass in groups of one hundred and for each group to select a leader. He then took the loaves in his hands, gave thanks for it, and broke the bread into pieces, giving it to the apostles, who gave it to the evangelists, who carried it to the crowd. And he did the same with the fish.

The multitude enjoyed the meal and were filled up. When everyone finished eating, Jesus had the disciples go and gather up all the leftover pieces. He wanted nothing lost. When they finished gathering up all the food that was left over, there were twelve full baskets. This was truly an extraordinary and unexpected feast for this crowd of about five thousand men, women, and children.

While it is true that his followers were inclined to refer to many things as miracles which were not, this event was a genuine supernatural manifestation. Jesus multiplied food elements as he always does except for the elimination of the time factor and the visible life channel.

After the dramatic events that took place after the feeding of the five thousand and the king-making episode, Jesus sent the apostles that night to row back across the lake to Bethsaida by themselves. They were all upset over this turn of events, and they were worried because he had never sent them off like this. He had refused to go with them and they worried about him alone in the hills at night.

During the trip across the lake, another of those strong winds had come up and they all had to man the oars. Progress was slow, and they had been fighting that wind for a long time. Peter finally got worn out and he fell into an exhausted sleep. Andrew and James made him as comfortable as they could in the rear of the boat, while the rest of the apostles continued rowing.

During his sleep, Peter had a dream – a vision of Jesus coming towards them, walking on the water. In his dream Jesus was about to walk on by the boat and in his sleep state, Peter cried: "Save us, Master, save us!" He said it loud enough that those near him in the rear of the boat heard some of what he said. The dream continued in Peter’s mind and he next dreamed that he heard Jesus say: "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid."

In his dream, he was so happy to see the Master and hear these words that he called out to Jesus: "Lord, if it really is you, bid me come and walk with you on the water." Then, Peter dreamed that he did go into the water to join the apparition of Jesus. But he started to sink right away because the waves were still pretty high. He cried out: "Lord, save me!" And he dreamed that Jesus answered him by saying: "O, you of little faith, wherefore did you doubt?"

Peter did actually walk in his sleep and actually did go over the side of the boat while sleeping. The shock of the water woke him up as Andrew, James, and John pulled him out of the sea.

But Peter always thought this experience was real and, to him, it had felt very real. But Peter's experience was just a dream.

On June 10, 29 CE, Jesus and his apostles were lodged in Sidon. Jesus was staying in the home of a woman called Karuska and the apostles were variously lodged with some of Karuska’s friends in the neighborhood. Karuska knew Jesus because she had been a patient at the kingdom's first hospital over a year before.

Near where Karuska lived was the home of a Syrian woman named Norana. Norana had a young child, a daughter of about twelve years old, who was afflicted with a serious malady that caused convulsions and other upsetting symptoms. Norana believed that her child was possessed by an unclean spirit, which was common thinking in those days

In spite of Jesus' desire to have a rest with some peace and quiet, Karuska’s servant went to Norana’s house to tell her that the Master was staying at her mistress’ home; she told Norana that she should take her daughter to see him, that maybe he could heal her of this demon. Norana had heard of Jesus and that he was a great healer and teacher. So she decided to do as the servant suggested. But when she got there, she was told by James and Judas Alpheus through an interpreter that Jesus was resting; that he could not be disturbed. Norana replied that she and her daughter would wait until Jesus had finished his rest. She refused to leave, even when Peter came on the scene and tried to reason with her that Jesus was tired from so much healing and needed his rest. She only answered: "I will not depart until I have seen your Master. I know he can cast the demon out of my child, and I will not go until the healer has looked upon my daughter."

Thomas then tried to send her away but she was determined. She said to Thomas: "I have faith that your Master can cast out this demon which torments my child. I have heard of his mighty works in Galilee, and I believe in him. What has happened to you, his disciples, that you would send away those who come seeking your Master’s help?"

Simon was next to try and get Norana to leave. He said to her: "Woman, you are a Greek-speaking gentile. It is not right that you should expect the Master to take the bread intended for the children of the favored household and cast it to the dogs." Norana could have taken offense at these words, but she just said in reply: "Yes, teacher, I understand your words. I am only a dog in the eyes of the Jews, but as concerns your Master, I am a believing dog. I am determined that he shall see my daughter, for I am persuaded that, if he shall but look upon her, he will heal her. And even you, my good man, would not dare to deprive the dogs of the privilege of obtaining the crumbs which happen to fall from the children’s table."

Just then, the little girl suffered a violent seizure and the mother cried: "There, you can see that my child is possessed by an evil spirit. If our need does not impress you, it would appeal to your Master, who I have been told loves all men and dares even to heal the gentiles when they believe. You are not worthy to be his disciples. I will not go until my child has been cured."

Jesus had heard all of these exchanges through an open window; he came outside and said to Norana: "O woman, great is your faith, so great that I cannot withhold that which you desire; go your way in peace. Your daughter already has been made whole." And she was made whole from that very hour. As they left the house, Jesus strongly urged them not to tell anyone about the daughter’s healing; but this mother and her child told everyone they could about it in spite of Jesus’ request. It became so well known throughout the countryside that within a few days, Jesus again had to find a new place to stay.

The next day, Jesus commented about the experience of curing the Syrian woman’s child. He said to the apostles: "And so it has been all the way along; you see for yourselves how the gentiles are able to exercise saving faith in the teachings of the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. Verily, verily, I tell you that the Father’s kingdom shall be taken by the gentiles if the children of Abraham are not minded to show faith enough to enter therein."

On August 15, 29 CE, Jesus and three of his apostles experienced the amazing events that accompanied the Transfiguration on Mount Hermon. The next day, they came down from the mountain into the apostolic camp, where there was a great deal of activity going on with loud voices and arguments coming from a group of about fifty people. The nine apostles were there, and the rest of the people were divided about equally with one half representing the Jerusalem scribes and the other half believers of Jesus.

The primary subject of the arguments centered around a man named James of Safed, a citizen of Tiberius who had arrived the day before to see Jesus. James of Safed had an only child, a son of about fourteen years old, who had a severe case of epilepsy. And this child also had become possessed of an evil spirit being, so that he had a double malady – he was both epileptic and demon-possessed.

This man, James of Safed, had explained to the apostles that his son was grievously ill, that his seizures were so bad and the disruptions of his spirit were so terrible that he had come close to death more than once.

Now, these apostles were fresh from the experiences of Peter’s confession a few days earlier, when they had all agreed that Jesus truly was the divine Son of God. They felt themselves true ambassadors of the kingdom and that the keys of that kingdom had been handed to them by Jesus. So, they felt as if they could suddenly do what Jesus was able to do – heal the sick. Simon and Judas Iscariot told the father that he need not wait for Jesus, and that they could heal the boy. Simon tried to get the demon to leave the boy but to no avail. Then Andrew tried and failed. Meanwhile, the boy had a violent fit, and the scribes laughed at their futile attempts.

When Jesus arrived, he asked the apostles what was going on. But before they could answer, the father stepped up and kneeled at Jesus’ feet; He said to Jesus: "Master, I have a son, an only child, who is possessed by an evil spirit. Not only does he cry out in terror, foam at the mouth, and fall like a dead person at the time of seizure, but oftentimes this evil spirit that possesses him rends him in convulsions and sometimes casts him into the water and even into the fire. With much grinding of teeth and as a result of many bruises, my child wastes away. His life is worse than death; his mother and I are of a sad heart and a broken spirit. About noon yesterday, seeking for you, I caught up with your disciples, and while we were waiting, your apostles sought to cast out this demon, but they could not do it. And now, Master, will you do this for us, will you heal my son?"

Jesus lifted the man to his feet and looked at his apostles in a questioning manner. And then he said: "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I bear with you? How long shall I be with you? How long before you learn that the works of faith come not forth at the bidding of doubting unbelief?"

And then he told the father to bring his son to him. He asked the father how long he had been like this, and the father told him that this had been going on since the boy was very young. At this, the boy had another terrible attack; he was grinding his teeth and foaming at the mouth, and he continued with great convulsions until he finally was quiet and lay there as if he were dead.

This sorrowful and anxious father again kneeled at Jesus' feet and begged him, saying: "If you can cure him, I beseech you to have compassion on us and deliver us from this affliction." And then Jesus said to him: "Question not my Father’s power of love, only the sincerity and reach of your faith. All things are possible to him who really believes." And then James of Safed said: "Lord, I believe. I pray you will help my unbelief."

When he heard this statement from the father, Jesus took the boy’s hand and said: "I will do this in accordance with my Father’s will and in honor of living faith. My son, arise! Come out of him, disobedient spirit, and go not back into him." He then placed the boy’s hand into his father’s hand and told them to go on their way; that the heavenly Father had granted their desire.

Even the Jerusalem scribes were amazed at this miracle. This boy had a true double affliction. He was afflicted physically with epilepsy, and he also had a spirit affliction. But from this hour, he was permanently cured of both problems.

Following this episode, Jesus explained to the apostles why their attempts at healing had failed: "Spiritual greatness consists in an understanding love that is Godlike and not in an enjoyment of the exercise of material power for the exaltation of self. In what you attempted, in which you so completely failed, your purpose was not pure. Your motive was not divine. Your ideal was not spiritual. Your ambition was not altruistic. Your procedure was not based on love, and your goal of attainment was not the will of the Father in heaven."

In January, 30 CE, Jesus and two of his apostles, Nathaniel and Thomas, walked into Jerusalem after having breakfast with Martha and Mary. On their way, they happened upon a blind beggar. Everyone knew this man and he was always to be seen at his usual place, near the temple. He wasn’t begging on that Sabbath day, as that was forbidden, but when Jesus saw him sitting there, an idea came to him. He and everyone else knew that the man, Josiah, had been born blind, and he decided to help the man and, by doing so, convince the Jewish rulers to again take notice of his teachings about the kingdom.

Nathaniel and Thomas asked Jesus about the connection between the man’s blindness and some kind of prior sin committed by his parents; the Jewish religion taught that this was the case in blindness of this kind. But Jesus told them the truth by saying: "Neither did this man sin nor his parents that the works of God might be manifest in him. This blindness has come upon him in the natural course of events, but we must now do the works of him who sent me, while it is still day, for the night will certainly come when it will be impossible to do the work we are about to perform. When I am in the world, I am the light of the world, but in only a little while, I will not be with you." And the blind man heard their conversation.

Further, the Master said to Nathaniel and Thomas, "Let us create the sight of this blind man on this Sabbath day that the scribes and Pharisees may have the full occasion which they seek for accusing the Son of Man."

Jesus bent over and spat on the ground, in the dust, and mixed it all together into a paste which he proceeded to put over Josiah’s eyes. And then he said: "Go, my son, wash away this clay in the pool of Siloam, and immediately you shall receive your sight." Josiah did as Jesus told him, and he began seeing for the first time in his life. He went to his friends and family to show them. But after a while, after the shock had begun to wear off, he returned to his usual place of begging because that was all he had ever known.

People who knew him could see that he was no longer blind, and yet they wondered if it was really him. But when they asked him if he was Josiah, he said: "I am he." Everyone wanted to know what had happened, and he told them about Jesus coming to him and making clay from his saliva and putting it on his eyes. He told of washing in the pool of Siloam and how he received his sight right then and there. Josiah told them he was still trying to make sense of all he was able to see.

There are many strange elements of this miracle: Josiah did not ask for healing of his blindness; he did not know Jesus or that he was the celebrated "prophet of Galilee," and he did not really even have much faith that he could be made to see. But there was thought to be magical healing properties in the spit of a holy man, and from hearing the conversation between Jesus and his two apostles, Josiah did assume that he was a great man of some kind, so he did as Jesus told him.

Of course, Jesus knew of this superstition. So, his plan involved using his own saliva to convince the man to wash in the pool of Siloam (a sacred place) since it was not an act that was in response to Josiah’s faith. But he also wanted to demonstrate to believers of that day and subsequent ages that sometimes material methods are quite effective in treating disease and that miracles are not the only way to create health.

Soon after, Josiah was called before the Jerusalem rulers, who questioned him and even his parents – again ironically breaking their own rules about meeting on the Sabbath while denouncing Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. But it turned out just as Jesus had wished: this miraculous act of giving Josiah his sight represented an open challenge to the Pharisees. These rulers were forced to take notice of the miracle and to reckon again with Jesus and his teachings.

Near the end of the Perean Mission, on Sunday, February 19, 30 CE, Jesus and the twelve went over the road towards Amathus. But before they reached their destination, they came upon ten lepers who lived nearby. Nine of these lepers were Jews, and one was a Samaritan. The Jews and the Samaritans did not ordinarily associate with each other, as their life-long hatred of each other was strong. But because of their shared misery, these nine Jews and the one lone Samaritan overcame their religious prejudices.

This group of lepers had heard of Jesus and his miracles of healing, and they knew he was scheduled to come by here, owing to the announcements of the seventy evangelists, who saw to it that townspeople were kept up-to-date regarding the Master’s arrival. They intended to get his attention and ask him for their healing when they saw him nearing their location. Because they were leprous and contagious, they stood well away from him, and they called to him, crying: "Master, have mercy on us; cleanse us from our affliction. Heal us as you have healed others."

Just at this time, Jesus and the twelve were discussing the fact that the message of the kingdom was being assimilated far more readily by the gentiles that they had been meeting in Perea than the Jews, who were so tradition-bound by their religion. The Master pointed out to the apostles that even the Samaritans were more receptive. But the twelve apostles shared the prejudice against the Samaritans, too, and they were not minded to think kindly of them.

So, when these lepers called out to Jesus, Simon Zelotes was quick to notice that one of this group was a Samaritan. And he tried to get Jesus to ignore them because of it. Jesus said: "But what if the Samaritan loves God as well as the Jews? Should we sit in judgment on our fellow men? Who can tell? if we make these ten men whole, perhaps the Samaritan will prove more grateful even than the Jews. Do you feel certain about your opinions, Simon?" Simon replied that if Jesus would heal them of their leprosy, he would soon find out. Said Jesus: "So shall it be, Simon, and you will soon know the truth regarding the gratitude of men and the loving mercy of God."

Jesus went closer to the lepers and he said to them: "If you would be made whole, go and show yourselves to the priests as required by the law of Moses." So as a group, they began walking towards the city to do as Jesus told them. As they walked, they were all healed of their leprosy – made whole. The Samaritan, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back towards Jesus and began to praise God with a loud voice. He fell at Jesus’ feet and thanked him profusely for his healing. But only the Samaritan returned; the other nine continued to the city, even though they, too, saw that they had been healed.

At this demonstration of gratitude by the Samaritan, Jesus looked especially at Simon Zelotes as he said: "Were not ten cleansed? Where, then, are the other nine, the Jews? Only one, this alien, has returned to give glory to God." To the Samaritan he said: "Arise and go your way; your faith has made you whole."

As the Samaritan walked off, Jesus looked at the apostles and they all looked at him, but nobody said a word. At that point, words were unnecessary.

In truth, even though all of this group of ten believed that they suffered from leprosy, only four really had the disease. The other six had a different skin disease that resembled leprosy; nevertheless, they were healed, as well. But the Samaritan really did have leprosy.

Jesus asked the twelve to keep quiet about the cleansing of the lepers as they walked on. But he said to them as they got near to Amathus: "You see how it is that the children of the house, even when they are insubordinate to their Father’s will, take their blessings for granted. They think it a small matter if they neglect to give thanks when the Father bestows healing upon them, but the strangers, when they receive gifts from the head of the house, are filled with wonder and are constrained to give thanks in recognition of the good things bestowed upon them." But the apostles had nothing to say to that.

Jesus and the apostles were still busy with the Perean tour in February, 30 CE. At that point, there had been no miracles performed, except that of the ten lepers. But that was about to change.

On a Sabbath morning in Philadelphia, Jesus attended a breakfast that was given by a Pharisee who had become a believer in Jesus because of the teachings of Abner. Along with Jesus, this Pharisee had invited a number of his Pharisee friends and others who had come in from Jerusalem and other cities. There were about 40 men at this breakfast that had been arranged especially for the Master.

There was a bit of awkwardness at the beginning because a prominent Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin, presumed to take the place of honor at the table to the left of the host. He didn’t realize that that place and the other place of honor, to the host’s right, had been reserved for Jesus and Abner. At this time, Jesus and Abner were still by the door, talking together. The host indicated to this Pharisee that he was to move down a few places, which caused him to be quite offended.

These Pharisees were a mixed group. Most of them were either believers or at least friendly to Jesus. But some of them who were not friendly were observing Jesus carefully and they noticed that the Master did not wash his hands in the ritualistic way that was expected. Nevertheless, everyone seemed to be having a good time.

The meal progressed, and near the end, a man came in off the street. He was afflicted with a chronic disease that had progressed until he was now afflicted with dropsy (a condition that causes the tissue underneath the skin to swell up abnormally with fluid. It can affect the feet and legs but sometimes affects the whole body). The man had been baptized by Abner, and Jesus knew that he had come as he might have a better chance of healing away from the crowds. He knew how bad he looked and he was hoping that Jesus would notice and take pity on him. He was not to be disappointed.

Jesus did notice him, but so did the sanctimonious Pharisee who had been so offended earlier. This Pharisee voiced his resentment that such a man should be allowed into the room. Jesus, though, smiled in a kindly way at the man, which encouraged him to move closer and sit near Jesus on the floor. Jesus gave the sick man a look while saying to the guests: "My friends, teachers in Israel, and learned lawyers, I would like to ask you a question: Is it lawful to heal the sick and afflicted on the Sabbath day, or not?" But no one answered him. They all knew better than to say a word.

So, Jesus went to the man with dropsy and took him by the hand. He said to him: "Arise and go your way. You have not asked to be healed, but I know the desire of your heart and the faith of your soul."

But before he could leave, Jesus walked back to his seat and began addressing those at the table: "Such works my Father does, not to tempt you into the kingdom, but to reveal himself to those who are already in the kingdom. You can perceive that it would be like the Father to do just such things because which one of you, having a favorite animal that fell in the well on the Sabbath day, would not go right out and draw him up?"

Later that day, Jesus spoke in the synagogue in Philadelphia, and near the end of the service, an elderly woman caught his notice. She was bent over, distorting her form, and looked very unhappy. This woman suffered from the kind of depression that has its roots in fear; she had no joy in her life. Of course, Jesus could see all of this with a glance, and he took pity on her. He knew she was not truly diseased but that she had an attitude of suffering that had become second nature to her; she had become accustomed to believing that she was weak and sickly. He went to her and touched her on the shoulder, saying: "Woman, if you would only believe, you could be wholly loosed from your spirit of infirmity."

At hearing these words spoken to her, the woman who had been imprisoned by fear and depression for nearly twenty years believed what Jesus said to her and by her faith in him and his words, straightened up immediately. And when she did so, and felt herself standing straight again, she began praising God in a loud voice. People who knew this woman believed that she had a real physical disorder and when they saw her standing tall, they naturally thought that Jesus had healed her. In their minds, this disorder of hers was thought to be the result of spirit possession or that it had a physical origin. But this woman was delivered from the mental and emotional bonds of fear and depression alone.

Most of the people there that day were friendly towards Jesus, but the ruler of the synagogue was one of the unfriendly Pharisees. He also believed that Jesus had healed the woman of a physical disorder; he resented the fact that Jesus presumed to do such a thing at all, and he was very resentful that he did it on the Sabbath. He stood up and said: "Are there not six days in which men should do all their work? In these working days come, therefore, and be healed, but not on the Sabbath day."

So, Jesus returned to the speakers’ box and answered the Pharisee by saying: "Why play the part of hypocrites? Does not every one of you, on the Sabbath, loose his ox from the stall and lead him forth for watering? If such a service is permissible on the Sabbath day, should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham who has been bound down by evil these eighteen years, be loosed from this bondage and led forth to partake of the waters of liberty and life, even on this Sabbath day?"

At this, the woman continued to glorify God and the congregation were delighted at her happiness and rejoiced with her. But they were not happy with the Pharisee and his negative pronouncement and subsequently replaced him with a follower of Jesus.

Jesus often performed this kind of service to people who were not actually sick of body, but distressed in mind and emotion:

Many of the cures effected by Jesus appeared to resemble the working of miracles, but they were only just such transformations of mind and spirit as may occur in the experience of expectant and faith-dominated persons who are under the immediate and inspirational influence of a strong, positive, and beneficent personality whose ministry banishes fear and destroys anxiety.

Late on Sunday night, February 26, 30 CE, while still in Philadelphia, Jesus received word from a messenger who had come from Bethany that his friend, Lazarus, was near death. The message from Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha, said: "Lord, he whom you love is very sick." Jesus didn’t say anything at first; instead, he seemed to be far away, somewhere beyond himself. But then, he seemed to return to the present and told the runner to return with this message: "This sickness is really not to the death. Doubt not that it may be used to glorify God and exalt the Son." And the apostles heard what he said.

While his human heart prompted him to go at once to Lazarus’ aid, Jesus began entertaining a remarkable idea that would give the rulers at Jerusalem one last chance to accept him and his teachings. He thought of a plan that would, if it was the Father’s will, demonstrate to these leaders that he was not just a wonder-worker, but that he possessed the actual power over life and death. He had never before employed such powers; this would be the most extraordinary and extreme display of his whole time on earth thus far.

Knowing that Lazarus would die shortly after the runner had left for Bethany that Sunday night, Jesus understood that it was only by the fourth day after death that everyone could agree that a person was truly dead; in those days, people were sometimes thought to be dead when they were really only in a coma. So, while some people might seem to come back to life after two or even three days, no one had ever come back after four days because, by that time, the decay of the physical body had begun. Because of this reasoning, Jesus and his apostles didn’t start for Bethany for two days, staying in Philadelphia.

On Wednesday morning, in spite of the apostles’ objections that it was too dangerous, Jesus announced that they were all going to go into Judea to Bethany. He said to the apostles: "As long as my day lasts, I fear not to enter Judea. I would do one more mighty work for these Jews; I would give them one more chance to believe, even on their own terms – conditions of outward glory and the visible manifestation of the power of the Father and the love of the Son. Besides, do you not realize that our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, and I would go to wake him out of this sleep!"

The apostles thought that he meant, literally, that Lazarus was asleep. But Jesus quickly explained: "Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes, even if the others are not thereby saved, that I was not there, to the end that you shall now have new cause to believe in me; and by that which you will witness, you should all be strengthened in preparation for that day when I shall take leave of you and go to the Father."

Jesus arrived at Bethany on Thursday around noon and was met by Martha, Lazarus’ sister. Lazarus had now been dead since late Sunday night. She was glad to see him but very distressed that it had taken him so long to get there. She lamented to Jesus that if he had only been there sooner, her brother would not have died. But he said to Martha: "Only have faith, Martha, and your brother shall rise again." "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live. In truth, whosoever lives and believes in me shall never really die. Martha, do you believe this?" And Martha said that she did believe.

Standing at the tomb of Lazarus around two-thirty that afternoon, March 2, 30 CE, Jesus issued the order: "Take away the stone," at which command, the assembled celestial personalities under the leadership of the angel Gabriel were ready to do their Master’s bidding. The resurrection of a human being back into its material body is a difficult task; it requires a great many of these personalities and far greater organization of universe resources than the resurrection of a mortal in the usual way on the Mansion Worlds.

Martha and Mary were quite concerned that Lazarus was too long dead; Martha said to Jesus: "Must we roll away the stone? My brother has now been dead for four days, so that by this time, decay of the body has begun." Jesus replied: "Did I not tell you at the first that this sickness was not to the death? Have I not come to fulfill my promise? And after I came to you, did I not say that, if you would only believe, you should see the glory of God? Wherefore do you doubt? How long before you will believe and obey?" So, the stone was rolled away by the apostles and some of the neighbors

The Jews believed that while a person’s soul might linger for two or three days, they also believed in an "angel of death" who had bitter gall on its sword, and by the end of the third day, that gall was doing its work of dissolving the body, prompting the soul to leave for good. All of these opinions influenced all of those who witnessed what was to happen, that this really was a case of raising the dead back to life, caused by the one who proclaimed that he was "the resurrection and the life."

Jesus stood and prayed: "Father, I am thankful that you heard and granted my request. I know that you always hear me, but because of those who stand here with me, I thus speak with you, that they may believe that you have sent me into the world, and that they may know that you are working with me in that which we are about to do." And when he had prayed, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!"

At this command from their Sovereign, the celestial host that surrounded the scene went into action. In just twelve seconds of time, Lazarus began to move and he sat up on the edge of the stone where he had been laid. He still was wrapped with the grave cloths and, as he stood up, alive, Jesus said, "Loose him and let him go." This caused most of those present to run away in fright.

Lazarus was confused as to why he was there in the garden; Martha explained to him what had happened since his sickness and death. She told him that he had died on Sunday and here he was alive on Thursday. But Lazarus had no recollection of any of it. Lazarus went over to Jesus and kneeled at his feet, but Jesus lifted him by the hand and said: "My son, what has happened to you will also be experienced by all who believe this gospel, except that they shall be resurrected in a more glorious form. You shall be a living witness of the truth which I spoke – I am the resurrection and the life. But let us all now go into the house and partake of nourishment for these physical bodies."

Unfortunately, this astounding miracle of resurrection from the dead did not have the desired effect on Jesus’ enemies. While most believed, these enemies only hardened their hearts against Jesus.

On Thursday afternoon, March 30, 30 CE, shortly before the Master’s last sojourn into the city of Jerusalem, Jesus and his apostles came to the gate of the city of Jericho. There they encountered a crowd of beggars, among them a blind man whose name was Bartimeus. Bartimeus had been blind since he was a young man, and he had heard the story of Jesus healing Josiah a couple of months before. He was determined to seek healing for himself, too.

A huge multitude had come out to welcome Jesus. Bartimeus could hear the loud noises of the crowd’s feet, and he knew something was happening. He asked aloud what was going on, and one of the other beggars replied that Jesus was passing by. When Barimeus heard that, he cried out: "Jesus, Jesus, have mercy upon me!" He made such a racket that people tried to make him be quiet but that only made him cry out all the louder.

Jesus heard the cries of Bartimeus and stood still. As he looked over the crowd, he saw the blind man, and he asked his friends to bring the man to him. So these friends went to Bartimeaus and said: "Be of good cheer; come with us, for the Master calls for you." Bartimeus threw his cloak aside and leapt into the street, and the people nearby guided him until he stood before Jesus, who said to him: "What do you want me to do for you?" Bartimeus answered: "I would have my sight restored."

When Jesus heard this request and saw that he had a strong faith, he said: "You shall receive your sight; go your way; your faith has made you whole." He received his sight immediately, and he stayed close to Jesus until the next day when the Master started for Jerusalem. He told all of the multitudes that were around the town that Jesus had restored his sight in Jericho.

Jesus was "a miraculous person." Never before, nor since, was there another like him in this world or any other in our universe. His powers of creative energy, coupled with his spiritual endowments, are utterly unique. He was able to transcend time and most material limitations to accomplish the miracles that he performed. Jesus of Nazareth, as he lived and acted on this earth, cannot be properly evaluated. Science cannot explain the things that happened, nor can religion. Because the fact is that such extraordinary things like this will never happen again.

Healings of the sort that attended Jesus never happened before he came here, and they will never happen again. Unless we are able to stand in the presence of our Creator Son, and discover him as he was in those days, the Son of Man, such phenomena cannot be repeated.

Nevertheless, while he is no longer here physically, we should be aware that there need be no limitation placed on Jesus’ spiritual power. He is always present as the Spirit of Truth in the hearts of all humans. His healing spirit lives right alongside the Spirit of the Father that indwells the minds of all human beings.