Did Jesus Heal Everyone?

 

 Introduction

When one reads the gospels and learns of Jesus’ ministry (which includes healing people), we sometimes assume that Jesus healed everyone. But that isn’t true.

Here’s what gospel preacher, J.D. Tant had to say about this subject—

It should be obvious to all that the main purpose of gifts was not to heal the sick in the world or give sight to all the blind, etc. If that was the purpose, then there was a great failure. Christ could have spoken one word, and every malady in the whole world would have been eliminated. Christ’s purpose in performing miracles was to establish his credentials and identity as the Messiah, the Son of God, not to heal all the ills in the world. J.D. Tant, Miracles, Signs, and Wonders

Let’s look at some examples in scripture to know, for sure, if He did or did not heal everyone.

 

The Multitudes of Matthew 12:15

At the start of Matthew 12, we see the Pharisees challenging Jesus concerning His disciples and the “unlawful act” of picking grain and eating it on the Sabbath. He concludes the matter in verse 8, “For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” He also stated in Mark 2:27, And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” To further His point, He healed a man on the Sabbath (Mt. 12:9-13).

But now let’s focus on verse 15, But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. Note, it says, “He healed them all.” However, that doesn’t mean ‘everyone’. Just those who were following Him, at that moment.

 

Those of His own Local Area

Now let’s look at the first few verses of Mark 6, Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” And they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching (Verses 1-6).

Notice in verse 5 that He healed a few sick people which means not everyone was healed. Here, in His homeland, he was simply known as the Carpenter’s Son. They couldn’t fathom Jesus to be the Messiah. Too many locals knew Him from childhood and had, more or less, drawn conclusions about Him. They didn’t see Him as anything special at the time.

 

The Lame Man of Acts 3

When we are introduced to the lame man laid at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, we are told he had been lame since his mother’s womb (verse 2). It’s not until chapter 4 that we are told his age, For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed (Verse 22).

From this, we can conclude that he was around when Jesus walked the earth. Only 40 days had passed between Jesus’ ascension and the Day of Pentecost. And not much more time had passed between Acts 2 and 3. This means that Jesus didn’t heal everyone.

 

Why Didn’t Jesus Heal Everyone?

Now that we’ve answered that question, the next question to ask is, why? Why didn’t Jesus heal everyone?

The main reason is that He wasn’t commanded to do so. In John 5:30 Jesus states, “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”  He was obedient to The Father just as we are to be obedient to Him (Mt. 7:21).

Remember what he stated in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). Even if Jesus wanted to heal everyone, He wasn’t commanded to do so by His Father.

When Jesus gave the Great Commission to His disciples, he said in (Mark 16:17-18) “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” The disciples were to carry on the work, which included healings. The purpose is found in verse 20, And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

 

Conclusion

Jesus performed miracles, including healings, to validate that He was the Son of God. The scriptures never taught that He healed everyone. The miracles were not the focal point of His presence on Earth. He came bringing a message from God, the Gospel, and the miracles were a validation and an attention getter.

The true power is found in the message as Paul writes, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek (Romans 1:16).