You Were There (9/26/07)
I am tempted to think I can model the scene at this healing after the sort of scene that plays out in a Charismatic altar call, or at one of these healing ministries. In truth, though, I don’t think that’s a viable model at all, not for this case. The only thing they really share in any immediate sense is the ability to stir up either skepticism or excitement. I shall not go so far, yet, as to say they share an ability to stir up faith.
One major difference, which renders such a comparison unreasonable, is the setting. Those things I have mentioned are very public, and prone to public display. What we see happening here, so far as we know, is still happening in Jesus’ house. That doesn’t completely eliminate the crowd from the scene, but it certainly mitigates their impact. A second major difference lies in the simple fact that in the events Matthew relates, there is no doubt for us that the Son of God is present and working. In those other settings, the question persists.
That, however, provides us a key for entering the scene, particular entering it from the perspective of the Pharisees. We, who hold the benefit of history, understand Who is in that room. We know with certainty that He is no fraud, no magician, no manipulator of weak men seeking to make a name for himself, and perhaps a tidy profit. The Pharisees do not have that confident understanding of Him. Whatever we may think of their judgment, however wrong they were in their opinions, we must give them this: They cared enough to check it out. They weren’t going to take every newcomer claiming to be God’s representative at his word. No, they tested this One with His claims as best they knew how. It was a pretty poor test, and in the end it showed itself to be a test that could not possibly be passed, but that is somewhat of a separate issue.
When I look at the reaction of the Pharisees to this event I would be blind not to see something of myself there. Put in a similar situation of assessing the actions of a purported healer upon a man I’ve never known before this point, quite honestly, I’d be suspicious of these claims about his sudden ability to speak. Perhaps it’s simply that I’ve seen or heard about one too many occasions of trickery to accept the real. Perhaps those Pharisees were actually in the same situation, though.
They, too, had been through a number of would-be Messiahs already. They, too, had seen more than enough ‘exorcists’ and ‘healers’ take advantage of the weak and the desperate. This does not excuse them, nor does it excuse me, but it deserves recognition.
So, they have come with an admittedly strong sense of skepticism about this Jesus. Oh, sure, they’ve heard the stories, but are they anything more than stories? Have they come to Capernaum specifically to check Him out, or perhaps specifically to discredit Him? Perhaps. Perhaps they’re locals, although I find that somewhat less likely. At any rate, they have picked a particularly good time to come. Consider the series of events that have now unfolded in this city: First, there was that woman who had come and been healed of her flow of blood. Twelve years of suffering, a fact which could easily be confirmed given her frequent visits to various physicians; and now she said she was healed. Again, that would be something easily confirmed. This is no rumor of healing, this is verifiable evidence of healing.
Then there is Jairus’ daughter. Again, there were plenty of witnesses there to confirm that his daughter had been laid out dead on her bed. She had been dead long enough for the mourners to arrive. As to her being alive now, well, there was no need for confirmation there. One could see her out walking and playing once more. Not only that, but this is Jairus we’re talking about, the president of the synagogue that Cornelius had paid to build! This was no ignorant peasant, this was a man of position. That would have to carry some weight, even with these out of town Pharisees.
Doubtless, they will have heard about Cornelius and his slave, as well, but they may not have been around to witness that part. Besides, even if he was a proselyte, even if he did pay for the synagogue and treat the locals well, he was still a Gentile and a Roman at that. What use would a Pharisee have for such a witness? Less than for a shepherd, I suspect.
So, now, they have witnessed for themselves (for they are apparently there in the crowds outside Jesus’ house) two blind men coming out with clear vision, and this mute who suddenly speaks volumes. Again, they have no reason to know these three men. Certainly, with all the beggars in Jerusalem, they know how many of those beggars are fakes seeking a free ride off of society. Certainly, they would expect much the same out here in Capernaum. But, notice one thing: The mute was brought to Jesus. Those who brought him presumably knew him. It would stand to reason that they also knew with some certainty that he was truly a mute.
In the face of the total body of evidence that has been presented to these Pharisees in just the last few hours, whatever skepticism they brought with them should surely have been swept away. If they were really open to the evidence, really seeking the truth about this Man, they could not have failed to recognize what everybody else recognized. Indeed, if you look at their accusations against Jesus, they have been forced to recognize that something happened. They cannot deny the healings, because the results of the healings are there: incontrovertible proof.
Even so, they will not accept the clear implication of all that proof. Rather than acknowledge the hand of God in it, they insist it is the devil. How easily we do the same. In our defense, if there be any defense, I would note the transitory nature of many of the reported healings we witness. Oh, they were healed for a day or two, but then something happened. There was a relapse. Maybe their faith grew weak or some such. In all honesty, I would venture to say that no healing ever happened, it was just an emotional high that caused the immediate symptoms to subside for a time. It’s like the difference between two aspirin and a cure.
I could also note the many clear fakes we have been subjected to. We have seen too many ministries that were all healing, all the time, and we have seen too many of these debunked. The medical records simply don’t wind up supporting the claims. So, when and if we ever find ourselves in the presence of the real power of God, we carry all this baggage in with us. We stand like the Pharisees with all these presuppositions, and we are holding them so firmly that no amount of evidence to the contrary seems to move us.
Is that skepticism going to stop Jesus? Apparently not. It certainly didn’t in this case, did it? The far more important question is whether we’re going to open our eyes and open our hearts and minds to the real power of God. When He comes, will any be ready?
New Thoughts (9/27/07-10/1/07)
The testimony that the common people give is truly astounding. Their words reveal a thorough understanding of God’s history with His people. They have been raised on the stories of Israel’s founding, of the fathers of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. Think about it: they were raised on stories of Isaac’s near sacrifice on the altar, of God providing the ram to substitute for his life. They were raised on the stories of the great heroes of Israel, of Barak and Deborah, of Elijah and Elisha, of David. They knew about Moses at the Red Sea, and they knew the stories of that long trek through the wilderness. They knew of the Temple Solomon had built, and they knew of the incredible events that had led to its reconstruction. They knew. And, with what they knew they understood that even with all of these things, never had anything like what they had just witnessed occurred. In all Israel’s history, with all the miracles that composed that great history, nothing compared.
That seems like hyperbole, but is it? I mean, the dead had been restored to life before, if not very often. Plagues had been stopped before, if not often. Even in what we read of Jesus’ ministry, there had been so many who were healed, so many who were freed of their demons. So, what made this new? What made this more important? After all, the greater part of what Jesus had done had been in their own neighborhood. Something about this transcended all the rest of that, though. Something about this had made the situation more obvious, more clearly manifest than all the rest. What had been fairly clear already was now, in their opinions, conspicuous. It couldn’t be missed! Some new reality had been revealed in such great degree that everything that came before this moment had lost meaning by comparison.
Well, what was it, then? Was it the fact that this man had been dumb and now he spoke? Surely, others among the many Jesus had healed by now were also dumb. Was it that he was brought by others? No, the paralytic had been brought by his friends as well. I wonder, and this can only be conjecture, I suppose, but I wonder: could it be that there was no association of faith with the event? The man himself was possessed, completely ruled by the demon within. He could not have willed himself to faith if he wanted to. He wasn’t in control. Even if he had found some kernel of faith in himself, how would he make it known? He is not permitted to speak by that demon?
Neither are we told that it was friends who brought him. We cannot know the motives of those who did so, but it is at least possible that they had nothing more in mind than entertainment. They wanted the wow of seeing Jesus do His thing. Is this what set it apart? Maybe.
Perhaps, it was simply that this man was so familiar to them. Perhaps they had known his case for so long, had known the demonic involvement, or at least suspected it, for years. Perhaps they figured that here at last was somebody beyond recovery. And yet, Jesus had healed him. Indeed, from what little we can gather from the account, there was no tangible act of healing performed. No. The demon was cast out, and that was it. Nothing more is said. What Matthew does tell us, though, is that as soon as the demon was cast out, that man’s speech returned to him.
That’s something noteworthy. Jesus had cast out demons before, but it seems like those were more often associated with epileptics and others who displayed signs of a certain physical wildness. Elsewhere, when He has been dealing with more typical health issues: blindness, deafness, even leprosy, there has been no mention of demons, just a word of healing. Now, all of the sudden, we have a case of healing accomplished in one of these more mundane situations by speaking not to the sickness but to a possessing demon. Never before! Nobody else had ever done this. Even with the raising of the dead, there had been nothing of this nature done.
This, to the people, was conspicuous, tangible evidence of the very manifest power of God in their midst. Now, it has been seen. In this case, the comment is not just talking about what the eyes see. It’s talking about what is revealed. Something has been brought into the light that had been hidden ‘til now. It would still be a thing seen if nobody had been their to physically see it. It is, in a sense, disconnected from the observer. Much like truth is disconnected from our perception of truth, the reality of this event has a life that is not controlled or changed by our taking notice of it or by our ignoring it entirely. Whatever we do or do not make of it, it is what it is. It is manifest Truth. Opinions to the contrary don’t count.
For the people at large, the implications were clear. God had broken through into history once again, and this time was like no other amongst all the long history of God breaking through. This was a miracle somehow of a different order altogether. It meant something. It meant God was on the move once again. It meant the period of silence had ended and God was still on His throne, still looking upon His creation, and still determined to save His people.
And there amongst the people who understood this stand the supposed experts on God, and those experts miss the point. Indeed, it must be seen that they insist on missing the point. After all, if the evidence is this clear, this obvious, and they still lay it off to the work of the devil, they have to be determined not to get it. What those Pharisees had been present to witness: the dead raised, the blind seeing, the dumb speaking and the poor hearing the Gospel; how could they not understand Isaiah’s words fulfilled in this? In one day, they had seen it. They could quite easily confirm that nothing of what they had just seen had been faked. The blind men were truly blind and it was patently obvious they could now see. This mute had been mute for long years. Anybody they thought to ask could confirm. That he was talking now was certainly undeniable. That dead child…who could escape the fact that she had truly been dead? There were so many witnesses to it! Yes, and dead children don’t play in the yard as she does. Dead children don’t eat their dinner as she does. The facts of the case were undeniable. And yet, they denied it.
Learn from this that spiritual ignorance is willful. It is a determined effort on the part of the ignorant to reject and ridicule the conspicuous evidence set before them. All creation, Paul wrote, testifies to the Creator. All history points to the Redeemer. Therefore, he says, we are all without excuse. We are all guilty of insisting upon keeping our eyes closed to what has been all around us. Until God breaks through, forces the blinders from our eyes and yanks the plugs from our ears, we will do everything in our power to keep those things in place. Why? Because if once we acknowledge that His Is Who He Is, we cannot possibly continue on as we have been. We must either change or die, and we have not yet accepted that we are dead already, so death doesn’t seem the option. No, and change is not interesting to us until He shows us life in that direction. Until He forces the evidence to come before our mind’s eyes, we simply refuse to see it.
All that they had seen could be easily confirmed as true. In fact, by the accusations they make, the Pharisees actually confirm the reality of what they have witnessed. Look, they cannot hope to deny the healings that they have seen for the very simple reason that there are healthy people standing around them as proof of what happened. These are people known to the community. Their maladies were known to the community. Which, then, would they deny; that these people had ever been sick or that they were now healthy? Both denials would be absurd and they knew it. Yet, something in them finds that it must do what it can to discredit the event. Here is the path of unbelief. If you cannot deny the event, then attack the meaning of the event.
Let me take it to a broader scale. If you cannot deny the Truth of God, the validity of the Church, then attack the significance of that Truth and the Church that is founded upon that Truth. We see it with the attempts to explain away Jesus. First come the attacks on His historical reality. However, even with 2000 years intervening, there is more than enough evidence to support that fact that He was born, was crucified. Indeed, as far as historical proofs go, the number of witnesses still alive when the Gospels were written should be more than sufficient to establish the fact of His resurrection. So many witnesses at so many different times could not all have been deluded by the same madness. The stories would not align as they ought to. The fact that none came to challenge the Gospels as they stand, that with so many alive who had been there, seen the ministry of Jesus, seen the crucifixion, and none of these came forward to declare the accounts bogus; that cannot be ignored.
So, with the path of outright denial cut off, they switch to attacking the meaning. Oh, yes; he was a good man, a prophet even. Even a Muslim, so diametrically opposed to the true faith, will grant that much. Yes, he was a very fine prophet, a wonderful teacher, but that is all. Son of God? No, no. You must be deluded if you would think that. On the contrary, you must be blind, willfully and deliberately blind, to miss that!
Now, we who proclaim ourselves Christians, followers of this Jesus Who Is the Christ, would never deny that He truly is the Son of God. Yet we cannot deny a touch of the Pharisee in our own lives. We may or may not look upon this or that healing ministry as real. We may or may not allow skepticism and doubt to color our view of such matters. Enough forgeries and mockeries may have left us less able to accept the real deal when we happened upon it. Alternatively, we may bend too far in the opposite direction, and accept every claim at face value.
My point is this: we can very easily find ourselves looking at something that truly is the work of God and decrying it as the work of the devil. Whether this is in the realm of healing, or of deliverance, or even in the area of the tests and trials of the Christian life; we can easily slip into that Pharisee mindset. We are probably less likely in our day to attribute good works to the devil. I hope so. I have to admit that seems extreme to me. If it is not a matter of willful blindness then it can only be a confession of total ignorance. No, we may not go to the extreme of claiming that the man of God is empowered by the ruler of hell. But, we may very well accuse that man of being a fraud. We may very well slip into declaring a legitimate healing to be nothing. Is that really any less a sin? Is it not still a denial of God?
Here is the question I think we need to ask ourselves. I know I have to ask it of myself more than occasionally. That question is: are we going to have our eyes, hearts and minds open to the real power of God when He chooses to move in manifest, tangible ways? We pray and pray and pray for the Spirit to move, for God’s glory to come down, but what if it really does? Are we ready for it? Can we accept it? Can we even distinguish it from chicanery and nonsense? Are we in a position to recognize where the power of God ceases and the acts of the flesh begin? I know that in our own actions we are constantly having to check. I know that the closer God’s voice seems to approach my own desires the harder it becomes to have confidence in His voice. Is it He or is it me? Discerning between the prompting of the Spirit and the excitement of the emotions can be difficult enough when we view our own actions. When it comes to others, it becomes nigh on impossible.
It becomes ever harder as we recognize (or think we have recognized) more and more that is fake, or has been ‘worked up.’ The more we are exposed to one point ministries, to those who theoretically work for the kingdom, but seem more intent on making a tidy profit; the more difficult it becomes to accept the real outworking of God in the life of the world around us. Perhaps it would be best if we were to run with all possible speed from any ministry that exists for but one purpose. If there is healing but nothing else, if there is deliverance but nothing else, if there is anything that gains a higher focus than the triune God; look out! Something is out of balance and it may well be that everything is out of balance.
