More Miracles (and a Few Parables for Good Measure)
- Some people bring a paralytic to Jesus so that he can be cured. But instead of healing him, Jesus forgives his sins.
- Blasphemy! At least that's what the scribes think to themselves. But Jesus is on top of things because (1) he does have the authority to forgive sins, and (2) he also has the power to heal the paralytic. Which is exactly what he does.
- Then Jesus stumbles upon a tax collector named Matthew (yep, that's our Matthew!), and requests that he become a follower. The Pharisees have a field day with this one. Tax collectors weren't the most popular people around town (some things never change), and the Pharisees call Jesus out for hanging out with Matthew and other sinners.
- Jesus will have none of that. He lets them know that he didn't come for the goody two-shoes. No, he came for the sinners.
- Now some of John's disciples ask Jesus why his disciples don't fast. Jesus tells them that no one mourns while the bridegroom is with them and that they will fast in mourning when the bridegroom is taken away. Confused? Don't worry, he explains with the parables of unshrunken cloth and old wineskins. Still confused? Yeah, so is almost everyone.
- Jesus wastes no time in getting back to healing people. While he's on his way to bring a girl back to life, a woman suffering from a twelve-year-long hemorrhage touches Jesus's cloak to be made well again. Despite having a slew of people around him, Jesus feels her and says her faith has cured her. Oh yeah, and then he brings the little girl back to life.
- News spreads fast.
- Next up to join the I've Been Healed by Jesus club are the two blind men who call out to "the Son of David." Okay, that gets Jesus's attention. He asks if they believe and says it's by their faith that they're healed. But then he tells them not to tell anyone. This again?
- Guess what? They tell people anyone.
- You would think that since Jesus wants everyone to keep their mouths shut, he wouldn't drive the demon out of a mute demoniac. But Jesus is a good guy, and what do good guys do? They drive demons out of mute demoniacs.
- Once again, the crowds are amazed. But the Pharisees accuse Jesus of driving out demons by the power of the prince of demons (a.k.a. Satan). That's not good.
- Jesus continues touring around, preaching at synagogues, talking about the kingdom of heaven, curing people…you know, the norm.
- He feels compassion toward those who follow him and says that the harvest is plenty but the laborers are few.
- Time to get more laborers.