Two Blind Men

As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. There were two blind men sitting by the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” The crowd sternly ordered them to be quiet; but they shouted even more loudly, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!” Jesus stood still and called them, saying, “What do you want me to do for you?” They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they regained their sight and followed him (vv. 29-34).

Floating Iron

The students of the prophets spoke to Elisha.

Students of the Prophets: The place where we are staying with you is too small for us. Allow us to travel to the Jordan Valley, cut down trees, and build a house there for ourselves.

Elisha: Go.

One of the Students: Will you please travel with us, your servants?

Elisha: Yes, I will go with you.

Elisha traveled with them, and they cut down trees when they arrived at the Jordan. While one of the students was cutting down a tree, the iron of the ax broke off and dropped into the river.

Student of the Prophets (to Elisha): Oh no, master! This ax is not mine! I borrowed it!

Elisha: Where did it drop into the river?

The man showed Elisha where it had dropped into the water, and Elisha took a stick and tossed it into the river. Then the iron of the ax floated to the surface.

Elisha: Get your iron out of the water.

The man then grabbed it (2 Kings 6:1-7, The Voice).

Elisha’s Miracles

The wife of one of the prophets’ disciples pleaded with Elisha.

Woman: My husband who served you is now dead. He greatly feared the Eternal. You yourself know this to be true. The creditor is now trying to take away my only two children and make them into slaves.

Elisha: What is it that you want me to do? Do you have anything of worth in your house?

Woman: I don’t really have much of anything. The only thing I have in my house that might be of any worth is a jar of oil.

Elisha: Borrow as many large empty containers as you can. Ask neighbors for anything they can give to you. Be sure to collect a lot of them. Then enclose yourself in a room with only you and your sons. Pour oil into as many of the containers as you can. Set aside the full ones.

The widow went away from Elisha and enclosed herself in a room with her sons. One at a time, her sons held a container before her, and she poured. Soon all of the containers were filled.

Woman: Bring me another container.

Son: There aren’t any left.

It was then that the oil ran out. The widow then went back to Elisha, the man of God.

Elisha: Now go sell the oil, and pay the creditor what you owe. Then your children won’t be made into slaves, and you and your sons can live on the remaining money.

One day, Elisha traveled to Shunem. There was a well-known woman who lived there, and she convinced him to eat something. So whenever he walked by her house, he went in and ate.

Shunammite Woman (to her husband): This man, who comes by here frequently to eat, is a holy man of God. Can we please make a little room for him—just a simple setting: a bed, a lamp, a table, and a chair. That way, whenever he comes here, he can rest in his own room and have his privacy.

Elisha went by their house to eat one day, and he went and lay down in the upper room. He spoke to his servant, Gehazi.

Elisha: Tell the Shunammite woman to come here.

So Gehazi called out her name, and she came to him.

Elisha (to Gehazi): Tell her, “You have been fearfully attentive to us. We thank you for all of your care. Now what can I do to repay you? Would you like for me to speak to the king or the military commander on your behalf?”

Shunammite Woman: No, that’s OK. I dwell with my own people.

Elisha (to Gehazi): Is there anything at all that I can do for her?

Gehazi: Actually, her husband is an old man, and she doesn’t have a son.

Elisha: Tell her to come here.

Gehazi called out her name, and she came and stood at the entrance to the room.

Elisha: This time next year, when spring is full of new life, you will hold a son of your own in your arms.

Shunammite Woman: That’s impossible, my lord! You are a man of great integrity, a man of God, so please do not deceive me, your servant.

But that time next year, the Shunammite woman did conceive and deliver a son, just as Elisha said she would. When the child was older, he walked out to his father, who was harvesting the fields with the reapers.

Son (to his father): My head hurts! My head hurts!

Father (to his servant): Take the child inside to his mother.

The servant brought the child inside to his mother; and about noon, while the boy was sitting in his mother’s lap, he died. She took his lifeless body and laid him down on Elisha’s bed. She then closed the door and went away.

Shunammite Woman (to her husband): I beg you to send me a servant and a donkey so that I can go find Elisha, the man of God. As soon as I do, I will come back here.

Father: Why is it that you are so anxious to find him today? Today is not a holy day—a new moon or a Sabbath.

Shunammite Woman: Don’t worry; all will be well.

She prepared the donkey and gave instructions to her servant.

Shunammite Woman: Go quickly! Don’t slow down unless I tell you to.

She rode quickly toward the man of God who was staying about a day away on Mount Carmel. As she approached,Elisha saw her at a distance.

Elisha (to Gehazi): Look! It’s the Shunammite woman. Go quickly to see what she wants. Ask her, “Is everything fine? Is your husband well? Is your son well?”

Shunammite Woman: Everything is fine.

When she approached the man of God at the mountain, she fell to the ground and hugged his feet. Gehazi approached to pull her away, but the man of God stopped him.

Elisha: Leave her be. Her very soul is distressed, but the Eternal has kept her troubles hidden from me.

Shunammite Woman: Was it I who asked for a son? I told you not to mislead me!

Elisha (to Gehazi): Prepare yourself, and carry my staff to where the boy is now. Do not acknowledge any blessing to anyone on your way there. If someone speaks a blessing to you, do not respond. When you get there, lay my staff on the boy’s face.

Shunammite Woman (to Elisha): As certain as the life of the Eternal and your own life, I will not leave without you.

Elisha then stood up and followed her to her house. Gehazi went ahead of them and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but nothing happened. The boy did not move or make a sound. Gehazi went back to Elisha and reported this to him: “The boy did not wake up.”

Elisha arrived at the house and saw the lifeless body of the boy lying on Elisha’s bed. He went into the room, closed the door behind both of them, and prayed to the Eternal. Elisha approached the boy and lay down, placing his mouth on the boy’s mouth, his eyes on the boy’s eyes, and his hands on the boy’s hands. He covered the boy with his own body, and warmth returned to the boy’s body. Elisha turned around and paced back and forth in the house, then he went back into the room and covered the boy’s body with his own body. The boy sneezed seven times, and then he opened his eyes.

Elisha (to Gehazi): Tell the Shunammite woman to come here.

Gehazi told the Shunammite woman to go inside the room, and she did.

Elisha: Lift up your son, for he is alive.

She fell to the floor before Elisha’s feet, bowing to the ground, and she wept with happiness. She picked up her son and left the room with him (2 Kings 4:1-37, The Voice).

The 5,000+ Are Fed

But soon the crowds discovered where they were and pursued Him. Jesus didn’t turn them away; He welcomed them, spoke of the kingdom of God to them, and brought health to those who needed healing.

Picture what happened while in Bethsaida, where Jesus and His disciples were spending time with the crowds:

The sun is low in the sky, and soon it will be dusk. The twelve come to Jesus with advice.

Disciples: Send the crowd away so they can find lodging and food in the nearby villages and countryside. We’re out here in the middle of nowhere.

Jesus: No. You give them something to eat.

Disciples: Are You kidding? There are at least 5,000 men here, not to mention women and children. All we have are five loaves and two fish. The only way we could provide for them would be to go to a nearby city and buy cartloads of food. That would cost a small fortune.

Jesus: Just do this: organize them in little communities of about 50 people each and have them sit down.

They do what Jesus says, and soon groups of 50 are scattered across the landscape.

Then Jesus takes the five loaves and two fish, and He looks up to heaven. He praises God for the food, takes each item, and breaks it into fragments. Then He gives fragments to the twelve disciples and tells them to distribute the food to the crowd.

Everyone eats. Everyone is satisfied. Nobody goes away hungry. In fact, when the disciples recover the leftovers, they have 12 baskets full of broken pieces (vv. 9-17, The Voice).

Special Delivery

In verses 1-4, we are reminded that the gospel message has been delivered by angels, by miracles, and by the Spirit.

Surrounded by Miracles

In 1 Kings 17, Elijah predicts a drought, relies upon ravens and a widow for sustenance, and raises a boy from the dead.

Old and New

The miracle of Acts 3 is a reminder that God works all things out for good, no matter how bleak the circumstances.



Sign and Wonder

Peter uses this opportunity, in verses 11-16, to explain to the crowd the source of the beggar’s healing.

This awesome miracle is a sign of Jesus’ power, and Peter explicitly draws attention to this fact.

Parental Pressure

I find it fascinating that, as John reports Jesus‘ first sign and miracle, the Messiah was pressured into it by his mother.

It’s so mysterious. Why would Jesus allow himself to be influenced in this way?

One thing’s for sure, Jesus is fully human.

And when the master of the wedding feast tastes the wine, he’s shocked. Usually hosts would save the cheap wine for after the guests were wasted.

Jesus was fully God, able to turn water into the finest wine available.

I suppose the creator of the universe, the creator of humanity and grapes and fermentation, would be able to produce the best wine. I wonder if it was a red or a white?