The Master's Life
Overthrowing Cultural Mores Sections 76-85
76. Jesus heals a leper
After he came down from the mountain, while Jesus was in one of the towns, large crowds followed him. Right away a leper who was covered with leprosy came to him, and when he saw Jesus, he bowed low before him and fell to his knees, begging for help. “Lord, If you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said.
Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” The leprosy left him at once, and he was immediately clean.
Immediately Jesus sent the man away with a very strong warning to tell no one. He told him, “See that you do not say anything to anyone, but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
But as the man went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely. The news about Jesus spread even more, and large crowds were gathering together to hear him and to be healed of their illnesses so that Jesus was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Still they kept coming to him from everywhere. Yet Jesus himself frequently withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.
Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” The leprosy left him at once, and he was immediately clean.
Immediately Jesus sent the man away with a very strong warning to tell no one. He told him, “See that you do not say anything to anyone, but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
But as the man went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely. The news about Jesus spread even more, and large crowds were gathering together to hear him and to be healed of their illnesses so that Jesus was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Still they kept coming to him from everywhere. Yet Jesus himself frequently withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.
77. Jesus heals a centurion's slave
After Jesus had finished teaching all this to the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave who was highly regarded, but who was sick and at the point of death. When Jesus entered Capernaum, the centurion heard about Jesus and he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave. (Through the elders) the centurion asked, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible anguish.”
They urged him earnestly, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, because he loves our nation, and even built our synagogue.” So Jesus went with them. Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”
When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not presume to come to you. Instead, just say the word and my servant must be healed. For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to this one, ‘Go’ and he goes, and to another ‘Come’ and he comes, and to my slave ‘Do this’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him. He turned and said to the crowd that followed him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found such faith in anyone in Israel! I tell you, many will come from the east and west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, but the sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Then Jesus said to the centurion (’s representatives), “Go; just as you believed, it will be done for you.” So when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well and the servant was healed at that hour.
They urged him earnestly, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, because he loves our nation, and even built our synagogue.” So Jesus went with them. Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”
When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not presume to come to you. Instead, just say the word and my servant must be healed. For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to this one, ‘Go’ and he goes, and to another ‘Come’ and he comes, and to my slave ‘Do this’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him. He turned and said to the crowd that followed him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found such faith in anyone in Israel! I tell you, many will come from the east and west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, but the sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Then Jesus said to the centurion (’s representatives), “Go; just as you believed, it will be done for you.” So when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well and the servant was healed at that hour.
78. Jesus raises a widow's son
Soon afterward Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. As he approached the town gate, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother (who was a widow), and a large crowd from the town was with her.
When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, “Do not weep.”
Then he came up and touched the bier, and those who carried it stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” So the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they began to glorify God, saying, “A great prophet has appeared among us!” and “God has come to help his people!” This report about Jesus circulated throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.
When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, “Do not weep.”
Then he came up and touched the bier, and those who carried it stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” So the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they began to glorify God, saying, “A great prophet has appeared among us!” and “God has come to help his people!” This report about Jesus circulated throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.
79. The sinful woman in the house of Simon
Now one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. Then when a woman of that town, who was a sinner, learned that Jesus was dining at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfumed oil. As she stood behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfumed oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.”
80. Parable of the two debtors
So Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
He replied, “Say it, Teacher.”
“A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
Simon answered, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.”
Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then, turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss of greeting, but from the time I entered she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfumed oil. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven, thus she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little loves little.”
Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”
He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
He replied, “Say it, Teacher.”
“A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
Simon answered, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.”
Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then, turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss of greeting, but from the time I entered she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfumed oil. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven, thus she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little loves little.”
Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”
He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
81. Second tour of Galilee with women followers
Some time afterward he went on through towns and villages, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and disabilities: Mary (called Magdalene), from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna the wife of Cuza (Herod’s household manager), Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their own resources.
82. Jesus accused of working for Satan
Now Jesus went home, and a crowd gathered so that they were not able to eat. When his family heard this they went out to restrain him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
The experts in the law came down from Jerusalem. Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus healed him so that when the demon had gone out, he could speak and see. All the crowds were amazed and said, “Could this one be the Son of David?”
But when the Pharisees heard this they said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and, “He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons!” Others, to test him, began asking for a sign from heaven.
Now when Jesus realized what they were thinking, he called them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom will not be able to stand; it is destroyed. If a town or a house is divided against itself, it will not be able to stand.
So if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. And if Satan rises against himself and is divided, he is not able to stand and his end has come. How then will his kingdom stand?
I ask you this because you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges.
But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you.
How else can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are safe. But when a stronger man attacks and conquers him, he takes away the first man’s armor on which the man relied and divides up his plunder.
Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
“When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but not finding any. Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’ When it returns, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first.”
The experts in the law came down from Jerusalem. Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus healed him so that when the demon had gone out, he could speak and see. All the crowds were amazed and said, “Could this one be the Son of David?”
But when the Pharisees heard this they said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and, “He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons!” Others, to test him, began asking for a sign from heaven.
Now when Jesus realized what they were thinking, he called them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom will not be able to stand; it is destroyed. If a town or a house is divided against itself, it will not be able to stand.
So if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. And if Satan rises against himself and is divided, he is not able to stand and his end has come. How then will his kingdom stand?
I ask you this because you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges.
But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you.
How else can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are safe. But when a stronger man attacks and conquers him, he takes away the first man’s armor on which the man relied and divides up his plunder.
Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
“When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but not finding any. Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’ When it returns, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first.”
83. The sin against the Holy Spirit
For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and even all the blasphemies they utter, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, will never be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. They are guilty of an eternal sin. (Because they said, “He has an unclean spirit”)
“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury.
I tell you that on the Day of Judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
As he said these things, a woman in the crowd spoke out to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed!” But he replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”
“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury.
I tell you that on the Day of Judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
As he said these things, a woman in the crowd spoke out to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed!” But he replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”
84. The sign of Jonah
Then as the crowds were increasing, some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
But Jesus answered them, “This generation is a wicked generation; an evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, being in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be a sign to this generation, being in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them – and now, something greater than Jonah is here!
The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon – and now, something greater than Solomon is here!
“When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’ When it returns, it finds the house empty, swept clean, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first. It will be that way for this evil generation as well!”
But Jesus answered them, “This generation is a wicked generation; an evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, being in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be a sign to this generation, being in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them – and now, something greater than Jonah is here!
The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon – and now, something greater than Solomon is here!
“When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’ When it returns, it finds the house empty, swept clean, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first. It will be that way for this evil generation as well!”
85. The true family of Jesus
Then Jesus’ mother and his brothers came but they could not get near him because of the crowd. Standing outside, they sent word to him, to summon him. A crowd was sitting around him and someone said to him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are outside looking for you, wanting to speak to you.”
To the one who had said this, Jesus replied, “Who are my mother and who are my brothers?” And looking at those who were sitting around him in a circle, he pointed toward his disciples and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.””
To the one who had said this, Jesus replied, “Who are my mother and who are my brothers?” And looking at those who were sitting around him in a circle, he pointed toward his disciples and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.””
