Jesus is the Great Physician

One of the more powerful attributes of Jesus is that of the Great Physician. He came to this world to heal humanity and all four Gospels record Jesus’ healings as a significant part of His ministry. He created us in His image with a body, mind, and spirit, and each aspect can need healing. Jesus is the same healer today that He was over 2000 years ago, and will be forever.

The Great Physician Verse 

There is no verse that names Jesus “the Great Physician”, but the following story ends with the words of Jesus that explain its origin.

Matthew 9:10-13:

Jesus and His disciples were sharing a meal at Matthew’s house after he accepted Christ’s call to follow Him. Matthew invited his friends, who happened to be fellow tax collectors, and those deemed sinners by the self-righteous Pharisees.

This presented somewhat of a sticky social situation for them…

Eating with them meant they would be ceremonially “unclean” and when the Pharisees saw this, they questioned the disciples about their Rabbi’s actions.

Jesus heard them and replied:

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” Matthew 9:12 NIV.

It seems like a simple statement, right?  But it’s the significant and principal reason Jesus came to us as fully human and fully God.

We all suffer from the disease of sin and are in need of a physician to cure us. It’s a deadly and fatal disease with only one cure.

Only Jesus has the powerful prescription all human beings need- His sacrifice on the cross as a substitution for the penalty our sin deserves.

He is the healer of our greatest ailment, He is our Great Physician.

The God Who Heals 

The Old Testament contains many stories of God’s healing, too. We see God telling the Israelites He will be their Jehovah Rapha- the God who heals.

The Israelites began grumbling after traveling their first 3 days in the desert. God had just parted the Red Sea for them, but their memories were short. They were thirsty!

God once again provides for them. He also instructed the Israelites that if they listened to Him and kept his decrees, He would bring none of the diseases He brought upon the Egyptians-

“For I am the Lord, who heals you.” Exodus 15:26b.

Many of God’s dietary and moral laws kept the Israelites from physical sickness and disease. The God who heals taught them obedience brings a peaceful existence, prayer brings peace and wisdom, and dependence on God brings faith and trust.

He brought them healing in body, mind, and spirit.

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Jesus Healing the Sick 

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John packed their Gospels with examples of Jesus healing sick people and referenced crowds of people who came to be healed from physical illnesses. They give us great insights into different aspects of Jesus as He brought physical healing to so many.

Jesus, however, didn’t need to be present to heal the sick.

Jesus Heals the Officials Son 

A royal official’s son lay gravely ill at his home 20 miles away. His father came to Jesus when he heard He was in the area and begged Him to heal his son.

In faith, he asks, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus says, “You may go, your son will live.” Believing in faith that his son was healed, the man left.

He found out later that his son had been healed at the very moment Jesus had spoken. (John 4:46-53)

Jesus wasn’t afraid to get His hands “dirty” to heal the sick.

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind 

While out walking, Jesus notices a man born blind. ( I love this picture of Jesus who kept watch for people who may need healing as He was out and about!)

He spits on the ground, makes a mud paste, and applies it to the blind man’s eyes. Jesus then sends the man to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The man did as Jesus instructed, and it restored his sight. (John 9:1-11)

Jesus Heals a Leper 

After delivering the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus descended the mountain. A man with leprosy knelt before Him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” At the time, leprosy was a terrifying, contagious disease with no cure. They banished lepers from their homes and cities, forcing them to live on the outskirts of civilization. While others found lepers revolting, Jesus did not.

Jesus reaches out and touches the man, immediately healing him. (Matthew 8:1-4)

Jesus’s healings restore mind, body, and spirit.

Jesus Heals the Paralytic

Mark 2:1-12 tells the story of Jesus healing the paralytic. His caring and concerned friends break down the roof of the house where Jesus is teaching, just so Jesus could heal him. Jesus saw their faith and spoke to the paralyzed man- “your sins are forgiven.” This incensed the religious leaders; they considered this blasphemy.

Jesus responds- “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” He tells the man to pick up his mat and walk.

Jesus’s claim was true, and to prove it, He healed the paralytic- physically and spiritually.

Jesus’s healing restores dignity.

Those with physical disabilities could return to work and live a normal life.

He restores a deaf and mute man in private, away from the crowds. (Mark 7:31-35)

A woman bleeding for 12 years only has to touch Jesus’ cloak in faith to be healed. Once considered constantly unclean, she now can live a normal life.

Jesus healed many demon-possessed individuals. The demons that controlled these people tortured them relentlessly. Healing meant a return to peace, their families, and a normal life.

What is the Purpose of Jesus’ Healing Ministry?

Jesus healed lepers, the blind, deaf, deformed, and crippled. He healed fevers, the maimed, the paralyzed, and many more. We read many times that crowds of people came to be healed by Jesus. There is so much more healing that we don’t even know about!

But there more than just restoration, health, and well-being.

Matthew tells us:

“When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.’” Matthew 8:16-17.

All of our sicknesses- physical, mental, and spiritual- result from man’s original sin and the curse that followed.

When Jesus comes with healing, God is showing us that the Son of God is the only cure for the curse of sin.

Just as Jesus physically and emotionally healed all who came to Him, His sacrifice for our redemption is for all who come to Him. He offers a onetime cure for the sin that sickens us and the promise of an eternal life with Him.

Jesus, the Great Physician 

He is available 24/7 (always “on call” and no appointment necessary) so that by His wounds we are healed. There is no bill to be paid- His services are free. He paid it all for us.

He also gives us the “medicine” of His Word to heal our unbelief, our broken hearts, loneliness, emotional wounds, sorrow, illness, pain and loss.

Jesus knew pain in His life too- emotional, physical, and spiritual. He can empathize with all our suffering.

Is there any area in your life where you need God’s healing?

Our Jehovah Rapha- the God who heals- and Jesus Christ still heal today. They want us to experience healing and full health in all aspects of our lives. No matter what ails us, we can reach out and trust in His loving and faithful care.

Did you notice Jesus did not once condemn any of the people who came for healing? The same is true today.

The apostle Paul reminds us: “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1.

Jesus does not condemn you– He wants to make you whole and perfect in His sight. He wants to give you the gift of eternal life with Him.

Jesus Heals Today 

Do you need His healing touch today? The same Jesus that healed the multitudes in His time on earth is still healing today. He knows the pain you are experiencing and promises to always be by your side. (Matthew 28:20).

We are never beyond His ability to heal. Healing can come through the removal of our physical and emotional issues, or it may come as He takes us to Heaven. He is by our side either way, loving and asking us to trust Him in the outcome.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 NIV.

Sometimes healing takes years to come, but rest assured, we can trust in His timing. There are times we endure suffering because it causes us to depend on and draw closer to Him. He uses time to transform us into His image. Above all, He wants us to want Him, the Healer, even more than the healing He brings.

God wants to heal every hurt and every part of you- heart, mind, body, and soul. Go to Him and pray for healing in faith, trust, and dependence. Ask for His healing touch, knowing He has the final word, and trust it is always within His will.

Healing Scriptures

Healing Bible verses point us to Jesus, the Great Physician. He has the power to give us relief from the suffering and the strength, hope, and encouragement we need. His Word is powerful medicine! Here’s a prescription for you:

I’ve compiled a list of 20 Healing Scriptures in printable form. There were so many to choose from! Click on the image below, or find them in my Resource Library under the “Bible Verses” section.

Blessings of Healing,

AnnMarie

All Scripture is taken from the NIV unless specified otherwise.

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