When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
To say that Jesus could draw a crowd would be the proverbial understatement. Wherever He went the people followed. We might want to recall that this is not a time of social media, internet and/or texting. The popularity of Jesus was in the fact the power of human behavior telling others the great things Jesus was doing simply by word of mouth. Word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool. The power of Jesus’ ministry in His day would make any social media influencer jealous in our day. How hard would it be, however, to get people excited after they have been miraculously feed, healed and taught? Jesus ministry focused on His teaching, healing and performing exorcisms. For the 400 years prior to Jesus coming there was silence from God regarding His work and word among the people. Jesus is the voice of God to them (John 1:1-3) and they were awaken from their slumber faith. Now they could not wait to touch His garment, hear Him and see Him. Wherever they go, Jesus and the disciples were surrounded by people wanting to hear teaching, wanting to be healed and/or wanting to see miracles. We have to wonder what happened between this point of Jesus’ ministry and the Friday of His crucifixion, when all abandoned Him? John gives us some hint about this here:
John 2:24-25 (ESV)
But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
John 6:64-66 (ESV)
But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.
The key to the above passage is, ... and as many as touched it were made well. This type of faith was not necessarily saving faith. Many of those who believed Jesus would heal them would not later believe He could save them. Popularity did not sway their inner need to be healed of sin. Regretfully, their physical healing would not always equate to their spiritual healing. Jesus was popularity for what He did in the sight. He would not be popular when He wanted to heal them spiritually. It would be exciting to see someone who could not walk instantly stand up and walk around. Wow! But do we believe it is even more exciting to see someone condemned to death by their sin and suddenly saved by Jesus death for them and they now stand before God with no condemnation. When Jesus was on the earth He was popular for doing great things. When Jesus rose from the dead to pay for our sins He did even greater things than heal their bodies. He is now healing souls.
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