Jesus came to this world as the unwearied servant of human need. He “‘took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses’” that He might minister to every need of humanity. Matthew 8:17. He came to remove the burden of disease, wretchedness, and sin. It was His mission to bring complete restoration to men and women. He came to give them health, peace, and perfection of character.
Varied were the circumstances and needs of those who wanted His aid, and none who came to Him went away without receiving help. From Him flowed a stream of healing power, and in body, mind, and soul people were made whole.
The Savior’s work was not restricted to any time or place. His compassion knew no limit. His work of healing and teaching was on so large a scale that there was no building in Palestine large enough to receive the multitudes that thronged to Him. His hospital was on the green hill slopes of Galilee, in the thoroughfares of travel, by the seashore, in the synagogues—in any place where the sick could be brought to Him. In every city, every town, every village through which He passed, He laid His hands upon the afflicted ones and healed them. Wherever there were hearts ready to receive His message, He comforted them with the assurance that their heavenly Father loved them. All day He ministered to those who came to Him, and in the evening He gave attention to those who worked through the day to earn a meager amount to support their families.
Jesus carried the awful weight of responsibility for the salvation of humanity. He knew that unless there was a decided change in the principles and purposes of the human race, all would be lost. This was the burden of His soul, and none could appreciate the weight that rested on Him. Through childhood, youth, and manhood He walked alone. Day by day He met trials and temptations; day by day He was brought into contact with evil and saw its power on those He was seeking to bless and save. Yet He did not become discouraged.
A Life of Self-sacrifice
Jesus gave first place to His mission, and all His wishes came second. He glorified His life by making everything in it subordinate to the will of His Father. When in His youth His mother found Him in the school of the rabbis and said, “‘Son, why have You done this to us?’” He answered—and His answer is the keynote of His lifework—“‘Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’” Luke 2:48, 49.His life was one of constant self-sacrifice. He had no home in this world except as the kindness of friends provided for Him as a wayfarer. He came to live in our behalf the life of the poorest and to walk and work among the needy and the suffering. Unrecognized and unhonored, He walked in and out among the people for whom He had done so much.
He was always patient and cheerful, and the afflicted hailed Him as a messenger of life and peace. He saw the needs of men and women, children and youth, and to all He gave the invitation, “Come to Me.”
During His ministry, Jesus devoted more time to healing the sick than to preaching. His miracles testified to the truth of His statement that He came not to destroy but to save. Wherever He went, the tidings of His mercy preceded Him. Where He had passed, the objects of His compassion were rejoicing in health and trying out their newfound powers. Crowds were collecting around them to hear from their lips what the Lord had done. His voice was the first sound that many had ever heard. His name was the first word they had ever spoken. His face was the first they had ever looked upon. Why should they not love Jesus and praise Him! As He passed through the towns and cities He was like a vital current, spreading life and joy.
“The people that sat in darknessThe Savior made each work of healing an occasion for implanting divine principles in the mind and soul. This was the purpose of His work. He imparted earthly blessings to people that He might influence their hearts to receive the gospel of His grace.
Saw a great light,
And to them that sat in the region and shadow of death,
To them did light spring up.”
Matthew 4:16, ARV, margin.
Christ might have occupied the highest place among the teachers of the Jewish nation, but He preferred rather to take the gospel to the poor. He went from place to place that those in the highways and byways might hear the words of truth. By the sea, on the mountainside, in the streets of the city, in the synagogue, His voice was heard explaining the Scriptures. Often He taught in the outer court of the temple, that the Gentiles might hear His words.
The Prince of Teachers
So different were Christ’s explanations of Scripture from those given by the scribes and Pharisees that the attention of the people was arrested. The rabbis dwelt on tradition, human theory, and speculation. Often that which men had written and taught about the Scripture was put in place of the Scripture itself. The subject of Christ’s teaching was the Word of God. He answered questioners with a plain, “It is written,” “What do the Scriptures say?” “How do you read?” Whenever an interest was awakened by either friend or foe, He presented the Word. With clearness and power He proclaimed the gospel message. His words shed a flood of light on the teachings of patriarchs and prophets, and the Scriptures came to the people as a new revelation. Never before had His hearers perceived in the Word of God such depth of meaning.Never was there such an evangelist as Christ. Though He was the Majesty of heaven, He humbled Himself to take our nature, that He might meet men and women where they were. To all, rich and poor, free and bond, Christ, the Messenger of the covenant, brought the tidings of salvation. His fame as the Great Healer spread throughout Palestine. The sick came to places where He would pass, that they might call on Him for help. Others came eager to hear His words and hoping to be touched by His hand. Thus He went from city to city, from town to town, preaching the gospel and healing the sick—the King of glory clothed in the lowly garb of humanity.
He attended the great yearly festivals of the nation, and to the multitude absorbed in outward ceremony He spoke of heavenly things, bringing eternity within their view. To all He brought treasures from the storehouse of wisdom, speaking in simple language so that they could easily understand. By methods peculiarly His own, He helped all who were in sorrow or affliction. With tender, courteous grace He ministered to each sin-sick soul, bringing healing and strength.
As the Prince of teachers, Jesus presented truth in the context of people’s own life experiences. Thus, being connected with sacred memories and emotions, the truth was unforgettable. He taught in a way that made the people feel that He identified fully with their interests and happiness. His instruction was so direct, His illustrations so appropriate, His words so sympathetic and cheerful, that His hearers were charmed. The simplicity and earnestness with which He addressed the needy made every word seem sacred.
Ministering to Both Poor and Rich
What a busy life Jesus led! Day by day He might be seen entering the humble homes of want and sorrow, speaking hope to the downcast and peace to the distressed. Gracious, tenderhearted, and full of pity, He went about lifting up the bowed-down and comforting the sorrowful. Wherever He went, He carried blessing.While He ministered to the poor, Jesus also studied ways of reaching the rich. He made friends of the wealthy and cultured Pharisee, the Jewish nobleman, and the Roman ruler. He accepted their invitations, attended their feasts, and made Himself familiar with their interests and occupations, that He might gain access to their hearts and reveal to them the imperishable riches.
Christ came to this world to show that by receiving power from on high, human beings can lead lives unstained by sin. With unwearying patience and sympathetic helpfulness He met men and women in their necessities. By the gentle touch of grace He banished from the soul unrest and doubt, changing enmity to love and unbelief to confidence.
Jesus could say to whom He pleased, “Follow Me,” and the one addressed arose and followed Him. The spell of the world’s enchantment was broken. At the sound of His voice the spirit of greed and ambition fled from the heart, and the person arose, emancipated, to follow the Savior.
Christ recognized no distinction of nationality, rank, or creed. The scribes and Pharisees wanted their own nation and local community alone to benefit from the gifts of heaven, excluding the rest of God’s family in the world. But Jesus came to break down every wall that separated people. He came to show that His gift of mercy and love is for everyone, like air, sunlight, or the showers of rain that refresh the earth.
The life of Jesus established a religion in which there is no caste, a religion by which Jew and Gentile, free and bond, are linked as members of one family, equal before God. His plans and actions were not influenced by political considerations. He made no difference between neighbors and strangers, friends and enemies. He was always looking for people who were thirsting for the waters of life.
He saw value in every human being and endeavored to apply the healing remedy to every soul. No matter what social environment He was in, He presented a lesson appropriate to the time and the circumstances. Every time He saw someone neglected or insulted, His heart was stirred to provide divine-human sympathy. He inspired with hope even the roughest and most unpromising people, assuring them that they might become blameless and harmless, attaining characters that would reveal that they were children of God.
Often Jesus met those who had drifted under Satan’s control and felt unable to break from his power. To such people, discouraged, sick, tempted, fallen, He spoke words of tenderest pity, words that were needed and could be understood. Others He met who were fighting hard against the adversary of souls. These He encouraged to persevere, assuring them that they would win, for angels of God were on their side and would give them victory.
At the table of the publicans Jesus sat as an honored guest, by His sympathy and social kindliness showing that He recognized their dignity as humans, and they longed to become worthy of His confidence. Upon their thirsty hearts His words fell with blessed, life-giving power. New impulses were awakened, and these outcasts of society saw the possibility of a new life.
Though He was a Jew, Jesus mingled freely with the Samaritans, deliberately disregarding the Pharisaic customs and prejudices of His nation. He accepted the hospitality of this despised people, slept under their roofs, ate at their tables—partaking of the food prepared and served by their hands—taught in their streets, and treated them with the utmost kindness and courtesy. And while He drew their hearts to Him by the tie of human sympathy, His divine grace brought to them the salvation that the Jews rejected.
Personal Ministry
Christ neglected no opportunity to proclaim the gospel of salvation. Listen to His wonderful words to that one woman of Samaria who came to draw water as He was sitting by Jacob’s well. “‘Give Me a drink,’” He said, surprising her by asking a favor of her. He wanted some cool water, but He also wished to open a way by which He might give her the water of life. “‘How is it,’” the woman asked, “‘that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?’ For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.”Jesus answered, “‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, “Give Me a drink,” you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water. ... Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.’” John 4:7-14.
How much interest Christ manifested in this one woman! How earnest and eloquent were His words! When the woman heard them, she left her water pot and went into the city, saying to her friends, “‘Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’” We read that “many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him.” Verses 29, 39. And who can estimate the influence that these words have had on the work of soul winning in the years that have passed since then?
Wherever hearts are open to receive the truth, Christ is ready to instruct them. He reveals to them the Father and the service acceptable to Him who reads the heart. For such, He uses no parables. To them, as to the woman at the well, He says, “I who speak to you am He.”