PHYSICIAN

Why was the Lord often unable to relax at dinner? Dinners were a stage for criticizing Him: a Pharisee snubbed Him, giving no welcome, and the crowd doubted His authority to forgive, Luke 7; another Pharisee criticized His negligence in washings, Luke 11; others attacked His honour suggesting He was not worthy of Mary’s sacrifice, John 12; Judas commenced the betrayal, John 13; here, they attacked His acceptance of sinners.

But Levi provided a welcome. He did not hesitate at Christ’s call, but forsook all and followed - a model disciple. Without prompting he told his friends, as Christ desires, Mark 5. 19. Levi knew the guilt of being a cheater, and the loneliness of being known as one. He had experienced a most important healing, a spiritual healing. Christ often puts the spiritual ahead of the physical, Luke 5. 20, 24. In the Old Testament the Psalmist reminds us that our God is One ‘Who forgives all your sins, Who heals all your diseases’, Ps. 103. 3 NKJV.

In this spiritual context, Christ is seen as the Physician. Only sick people need doctors. Pharisees conceded that publicans were ‘sick’, but as Israel’s leaders they committed malpractice, disapproving of the Physician’s help. They were spiritually sick, but unwilling to admit it, Luke 15.1-2, 7.

Physical healings have in the past been evident at the commencement of a new age. As the age of Law began, the Lord revealed Himself at Marah with the title Jehovah Ropheka, ‘the Lord that healeth thee’, Exod. 15. 26. Exodus 15 shows that often, though not always, God used disease as a punishment for sin. Thus, He gave the promise that no Egyptian diseases would afflict Israel if they obeyed Him. As Christ was on earth, His ministry was substantiated by the healing that He brought, John 3.2; Acts 10. 38. The apostles’ miracles at the start of the church age were also a testimony to a work of God, Heb. 2. 4. In James chapter 5 verses 14 to 16, there is physical healing upon confession when there is illness due to disobedience.

This is no general panacea for all disease. God heals physically according to His will. But it is always His will to give spiritual healing, the more important of the two.