Breaking the Word

 As they were going out, a demoniac who could not speak was brought to him, and when the demon was driven out the mute person spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel." But the Pharisees said, "He drives out demons by the prince of demons." Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest." (Mt 9:32-38)

This passage speaks about a demoniac who could not speak. So demoniac also had sicknesses like humans. Interesting. Did Jesus heal the sickness of the demoniac? This clearly speaks of the mentality of the people at the time of Jesus. This gives the ‘thought world’ of the Jews at the time of Jesus. But Jesus drove out the demon from the person. The person was healed.

Jesus went around preaching, teaching, and healing. His heart was moved out with pity for the people. He was proclaiming the kingdom.  This is the summary statement of the ministry of Jesus. He had pity on the people (thy were troubled, abandoned and sheep without a shepherd) and secondly he ushered in the kingdom through words and deeds.

Harvest is plenty. Labourers are need for the harvest. He does not speak here about the cultivation. No labourers are talked about for cultivation (ploughing, planting, and weeding). These works are done by the Lord. The labourers are needed only for the harvest. So the labourers have no hold over the fruits (it is not the produce of their work). There is no my church, my people etc. Calling is only to harvest and gather them in the barns.

 While he was saying these things to them, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, "My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live." Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, "If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured." Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, "Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you." And from that hour the woman was cured. When Jesus arrived at the official's house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, "Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping." And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land. (Mt 9:18-26)

An official with faith, came forward and asked Jesus to come to his house to raise her daughter who had just died. Faith raised the dead. The girl lived. In the Gospels we see Jesus raising the dead son of the widow of Nain, Lazarus who was dead for few days and the girl who had just died. Jesus raised the ‘just dead’, few hours after death, and few days after death. Death and the time were not matters of concern for raising the dead. It was faith and God that were important.

Jesus was not actively involved in healing the woman suffering from haemorrhage. The woman touched only the tassel of his cloak. The faith of the woman wrought the miracle. Jesus had no role to play in that. He did not make any effort to touch her or asked her even to express her faith etc. Faith alone matters here.

We also see a crowd sitting and making commotion and probably they had no faith. Because they ridiculed Jesus for his action and statement. Shall we say that people of no faith or little faith are the one who always stand at the place where the event takes place? In a sense they are the witnesses. They go around and spread the news about the miracle. They receive faith (shall we say so). For faith is a gift from God.  Faith works miracles and the real miracle is receiving faith.