◄ What Does Luke 4:40 Mean? ►

We are fallen sinners living in a corrupted world, and we are incapable of keeping God's Law. We sin because we are born sinners. We were born dead in sin which means that that it is impossible for us to keep God's perfect Law. We know what is right but are unable to do it, and we know what is evil but often do things we know to be wrong. Paul put it this way, "The good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want," and in desperation cried out, "O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"

As fallen men and women who break God's law, our just dessert is death. Because of man's sin, God's entire creation was placed under a curse during our brief time on earth. The fall of man in the Garden of Eden dictates that our bodies and souls are prone to trials and tribulations, disease, distress, and disability.

There is nothing that fallen man is able to do to reverse God's curse or cure men's ills. But God in His grace purposed to redeem the world by sending His only begotten Son to be the sacrifice for man's sin. Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth to be cursed in our stead. He came to fulfil the righteous requirement of the Law on our behalf... for it is impossible for sinful man to keep God's perfect Law.

Jesus was born under the dispensation of the Law. He came as our Redeemer to die on the Cross for our sin. He came to right all wrongs. He was sent by God to preach good news to the poor, to free the captives, to restore sight to the blind, and set free those that are oppressed.

Because Jesus was a Jew who lived under the Law, we often find Him visiting the Temple or attending a synagogue on the Jewish Sabbath. And because He came to redeem the fallen race of man, we often find Him in the company of the poor, the sick, the hopeless, and the helpless.

For example, on one particular Sabbath day, we discover Jesus returning from the synagogue to the home of Peter, only to find that Peter's mother-in-law was sick, suffering from a high fever. Jesus rebuked the fever and healed her - and immediately the fever left her and she got up straight away and began to serve Jesus and his disciples.

A little earlier in His ministry while at the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus had laid claim to the fact that He was Israel's promised Messiah with the words, "the Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind - to set free the oppressed and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour." And when in Capernaum, we read that Jesus cast out demons and unclean spirits. And although the short-sighted, small-minded leaders of Israel resented and rejected Him, news of His miracles and healings started to spread throughout the land of Galilee - and many came to Him to be healed.

And so it was that after sunset on the very Sabbath day that Jesus had healed Peter's mother-in-law of a fever, we discover many sick people with various illnesses and diverse diseases, being brought to Jesus by their loved ones. News of Him had spread far and wide and the Bible tells us, "those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them all."

Jesus was the incarnate God Who came to Israel as the prophesied Messiah to save His people from their sins. The many signs and wonders that He carried out during His sojourn on earth, authenticated His Messianic claim to be Israel's long-awaited Messiah-King. His mighty signs and healing miracles demonstrated that Jesus had dominion over sickness, disease, demons, and even death. His miracles and signs demonstrated His authority over the powerful forces of nature and creation.

But in this verse, we not only see the almighty God of Creation showing His power and dominion over the natural world through His signs and wonders, but we see a Man of great compassion and grace. We see a Man of kindness and patience. We see Jesus, a Man of tender-mercy and great gentleness of spirit, for we read in this verse that while the sun was setting at the end of a busy day - Jesus healed them ALL. 

Although He was fully God, Jesus was also human. He was a Man of flesh and blood with the same human limitations we have. At times He grew tired and hungry... and on that Sabbath when He healed Peter's mother-in-law, He must have been weary and worn as evening approached. But this simple story provides a perfect picture of Jesus, the God-Man Who understands our infirmities and frustrations. This story reveals someone Who is able to sympathise with our weaknesses, "for while the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus and laying His hands on each one of them, and heal them all." YES - Jesus healed them ALL.

Although He is our eternal Creator, Jesus came to live among His creation as a Man Who was tempted and tried as we are - yet He had no sin. He was sent to fulfil the Law and the prophets by living a sinless life so that He would be qualified to die on the Cross and to pay the price for the sins of fallen humanity.

The Lord Jesus died so that by faith in Him, we would not suffer the eternal dictates of breaking God's Law (death) but would find grace in the eyes of the Lord - by faith. He came to bind up the broken-hearted, heal the sick, and set the captive free, so that by grace through faith in Him, we might not be condemned, but have everlasting life.

Heavenly Father, thank You for this beautiful story which demonstrates Your great power and wonderful compassion. May I never forget Who You are - both in Your Majesty as my God and in Your compassion as My Brother. Take pity on those who are dead in their sins and draw many into eternal fellowship with Yourself, through faith in Jesus Christ, in Whose name I pray, AMEN.