COMPSION

Compassion on the Mount

²⁹ Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there. ³⁰ Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’feet, and He healed them. ³¹ So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

—Matthew 15:29–31

The tour into the region of Tyre and Sidon may have lasted several weeks, giving Jesus time with His disciples. From there He returned to the region of Galilee, as reported by Mark (7:31–8:9), evidently going to the east shore in the Hellenistic region. That this was a Gentile area is suggested by the words “they glorified the God of Israel.” It may well have been deliberate on the part of Jesus to follow His ministry to the Syrophoenician woman by going to the Decapolis.

Having studied the Sermon on the Mount, we now have the healing on the Mount. Word is matched by deed throughout Jesus’ ministry. In Acts 1:1–2 Luke writes “of all that Jesus began to do and to teach.” The deed demonstrates the word, and the word interprets the deed. The deed authenticates the word and the word articulates the meaning of the deed. And yet, deeds of compassion need few words. The comparison with the Sermon on the Mount is suggested in the words of verse 29, that He “sat down there.” This is the symbol of an official act of ministry. Matthew makes a point of the people coming to Him, of their bringing the sick, lame, and blind and placing them at His feet.

There is no other answer for our problems than to place them at the feet of Jesus. The feet that walked upon the water as Lord of creation are now symbolic of His power over creation to minister in compassion and wholeness (note Is. 52:7).¹

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The sick and handicapped (vv. 29–31). Jesus departed from the borders of Tyre and Sidon and went to the region of the Decapolis. The Decapolis included ten cities that were in a league and were authorized by the Romans to mint their own coins, run their own courts, and have their own armies. This was predominantly Gentile territory.

Jesus healed there a man who was deaf and dumb (Mark 7:31–37). Even though the Lord cautioned the man to be silent, he and his friends spread the account of the miracle abroad. This apparently caused a great crowd to gather—including people who were lame, blind, dumb, and crippled (maimed). Jesus healed these people, and the Gentiles “glorified the God of Israel.”

We cannot help but marvel at the contrast between these Gentiles and the Jewish leaders who knew the Old Testament Scriptures. The Gentiles glorified Israel’s God, but the Jewish leaders said that Jesus was in league with Satan (Matt. 12:22–24). Our Lord’s miracles did not cause the Jewish cities to repent (Matt. 11:20ff), yet the Gentiles believed in Him. The very miracles that He performed should have convinced the Jews that He was the Messiah (Isa. 29:18–19; 35:4–6; Matt. 11:1–6). Jesus marveled at the faith of a Gentile soldier and a Gentile mother. Yet He was amazed at the unbelief of His own people (Mark 6:6).²

1 Augsburger, M. S., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1982). Matthew (Vol. 24, p. 18). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.

2 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 55). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.