134 THE GOSPEL AND THE PLOW 



timate relation to some individual or group in need. 

 The great majority have to do with meeting immediate 

 human need. 



Why did Jesus perform these miracles? Some say to 

 teach spiritual lessons, to give preachers texts for ser- 

 mons wherefrom they can draw analogies between the 

 physical ill and the spiritual ill. I have no objection to 

 any one getting all the spiritual meaning he can out of 

 the miracles of Jesus. I think it well, however, to re- 

 member that the primary object of Jesus in performing 

 these miracles was to meet the present physical needs of 

 those He healed or fed as well as to forgive their sins. 



I never go into the leper asylum of which I have charge 

 without thinking of that leper who, as Jesus passed by 

 said, ''Lord, if thou wilt Thou canst make me clean." 

 Jesus said, "I will," and put forth His hand and touched 

 him saying, "I will, be thou clean." And immediately 

 his leprosy was cleansed. That fair, pure hand of the 

 Son of God touched that disease-rotted body and it was 

 clean. This man who had been outside the pale of 

 ordinary society, by that touch, was brought back into 

 the human family. Why did Jesus cleanse the leper? 

 To enable men to draw analogies between leprosy and 

 sin? Or was it, that seeing the desperate need of the 

 leper and the leper's faith, He healed him ? Jesus healed 

 the leper because he was a leper and it was from leprosy 

 he needed relief. It was his physical need and Jesus' 

 ability to meet that need that caused Him to heal the 

 leper. 



The blind man found out that Jesus was passing by. 

 He had faith to believe Jesus could give him sight and 

 Jesus spat upon his eyes and the man saw. It was the 



