It has been said that "to be great is to be misunderstood." The reception accorded the great demonstrator of God's power certainly goes to prove the truth of this statement, and noble men and women in all ages, who have had glimpses of the same truth which Jesus taught and demonstrated, who have been inspired with ideals above and contrary to the world's standard of righteousness, and have tried to hand them forth to the world, have been wofully misunderstood and misrepresented by the very ones who should have been their stanchest supporters. Jesus' meekness, humility, and understanding made him great in the sight of God, but not in the eyes of the "carnal mind" which is "enmity against God." He was maligned and crucified for doing that which he could not help doing, for demonstrating the power of Spirit to save human lives.
The healing of the sick and sinful was no experiment with Jesus. The aroma of his thought was a healing balm for all who were ready to receive the truth. It was as natural for him to heal as it is for the sun to shine. He laid no claim to any self-assumed power, but said, "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." He knew that all activity and power are resident in Mind, Spirit, and not in matter; hence he could declare, "Though ye believe not me, believe the works;" for they "bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me." He laid more stress upon his works than upon his words, but he did not try to separate the two. His works were in strict accord with what he uttered in private and in public. Because he understood that God is omnipotent, he could not help proving it through healing. Had he done no healing works he would not have revealed the kingdom of heaven on earth. He once said, "But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you."
The Gospel narratives give prominence to Jesus' works of healing, one of them concluding with these words: "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written." Matthew gives this most graphic account of his unceasing labors for mankind: "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them." No wonder the multitudes followed him! In like manner they are beginning to flock around the Christian Science standard, because it has come to restore to mankind the lost art of Christian healing.
