Deeds

1. Why did Jesus, the healer, sometimes destroyed things?

To teach a lesson to humans. With the miraculous catches of fish, He provided food for the disciples. He also taught them to be fishers of men. Only by trusting on Jesus they would have food and converts. Although the demons destroyed the herds of pigs, they did that by Jesus' permission. It demonstrated the destructive influence of evil powers. As the pigs would be sacrificed to idols before they were eaten, the drowning of the pigs was a blow to idol worship. The cursed fig tree was a symbol of Israel: if they would not bear fruit they would wither too.

2. Why does Jesus not heal all the sick today?

Jesus did not heal all the sick in His time either. At the pool of Bethesda He passed all the sick and healed only one person. Many people died while He was on earth, but He raised only three people from the dead. His healing ministry was part of His Good News that the kingdom of God was coming. Eventually all disease and death would be eliminated in that kingdom. However, this side of the grave we live in a broken reality. Therefore we yearn with all creation for the day when God will make all things new (Rom. 8). In the meantime we have to discover the hidden blessing in our illness and in our other problems.