Why Did Jesus Heal?
What motivated Jesus to heal? On one occasion Jesus had planned to go to a lonely place where he could be alone. But the crowds found out and followed him. Seeing them his heart was filled with compassion and he healed everyone who was sick (Mt 14:13-14). When he saw the funeral bier of the only son of the widow of Nain, he was moved to pity (Lk 7:13). When the leper begged Jesus, “You have the power to make me well, if only you want to,” Jesus felt sorry for him, touched me and said, “Of course I want. Go, you are now well” (Mk 1:40-41). When he was shown where Lazarus was buried, he wept, and the people said, “See how much he loved Lazarus” (Jn 11:34-36). For him the Gerasene demoniac was more precious than 2000 swine (Mk 5:11-13). He insisted on staying with Zacchaeus in spite of criticism, for he had come to look for and to save people who were lost (Lk 19 1-10). He healed the ear of Malchus, even though he had come to have him arrested (Lk 22:51). His family thought he was crazy;
