The Life of Christ

The Christian tradition of praying for people by asking Jesus to heal them is nowhere supported by scripture.

• This practice falls into the category of “urban legend” or “the tradition of the elders.”

• Jesus never asked the Father to heal anybody, knowing that the Father had already given Jesus the authority to heal the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead (Mt. 28:18; Jn. 3:35).

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Mt. 28:18).

“ The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand” (Jn. 3:35).

• Jesus has already issued every believer the authority to command bodies to be healed; there is no need to keep going back and asking Jesus what He has already told us to do.

• Here in Mt. 10:8 Jesus has already issued every believer the authority to command bodies to be healed; there is no need to keep going back and asking Jesus what He has already told us to do.

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons; freely you received, freely give” (Mt. 10:8).

Rom. 2:4 says, “It is the goodness of God which leads to repentance.”

• When we share the goodness of God by healing the sick, there becomes an immediate openness to repent.

Mt. 10:9 “Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts,”

Don’t concern yourself with raising money to do this; just go, and the Lord will supply your needs.

• When we step forward to do the Lord’ s work, we must realize that we work for Him, and if we go in His will, He will provide.

• Mt. 10:10 says the worker is worthy of his support, meaning it will come.

Mt. 10:10 “…or a bag for your journey, or even two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support.”

When entering the Temple precincts in Jerusalem, it was prohibited to bring an extra staff, extra shoes, or even a money belt according to the Rabbinical law.

• The symbolic reason was to avoid even the appearance of being engaged in other business, while absorbed in the service of the Lord.

• It was as though the disciples were to consider themselves entering the Temple; their temple, however, extended throughout the highways of Israel.

There seems to be an apparent contradiction between Mt. 10:10 and Mk. 6:8.

• Mark says take a staff along; Matthew says don't take a staff.

• The fault lies with the N.A.S. translation; Mt. 10:10 in the NKJV version reads, “nor yet staves,” plural.

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