The Hands and Words of Jesus
—Listen to Jesus
While living in the flesh, the Son of God used his hands to do good, and he spoke words befitting the works of his hands. This lesson looks at five examples. To Jesus belonged the hands and words of a Carpenter, Healer, Judge, Servant, and Redeemer.
By fruitful speech a man is filled with good things, and the work of his hands returns to him (Proverbs 12:14 BSB).
1 The Hands of a Carpenter
"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock" (Matthew 7:24 NKJV).
As a carpenter (Mark 6:3), Jesus was skilled in building. He tells a parable about a wise man who built his house where there was solid rock below, such that the builders could dig down to it and lay the house's foundation upon it (Luke 6:47-49).
Jesus the carpenter, would gladly put his own hands to work on such a house because it was well founded. Jesus makes such work an analogy or parable for the foundation of our lives. We are wise to build our lives upon the rock of his teachings. We are foolish if we don't.
Jesus, furthermore, is the main stone in the foundation of his church —"the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone" (Ephesians 2:20 NKJV).
2 The Hands of a Healer
"Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, 'I am willing; be cleansed.' Immediately his leprosy was cleansed." (Matthew 8:3 NKJV).
Jesus healed many sick and disabled people including lepers. People feared to touch a leper lest they catch the leprosy and be treated as unclean (Numbers 5:1-4). Jesus however reached out his hand and touched the leper. By this touch, and a few words, the leper was made clean.
Jesus began to teach in the synagogues, and "mighty works [were] performed by his hands" (Mark 6:1-2). Matthew, in one sentence writes of Jesus teaching in the synagogues and healing all kinds of disease (Matthew 4:23-24;). These miracles, by his healing hands, established the authority of the words that he spoke.
Jesus, moreover, is able to heal the sin-sick soul and impart eternal life —"who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed" (1Peter 2:24 NKJV). Our Lord’s hands shared in his suffering and sacrifice, evidenced by the nail wounds in them (John 20:25 ).
3 The Hands of a Servant
"If I do not wash you, you have no part with me" (John 13:3-10 NKJV).
Near the end of his three year ministry, Jesus washed his disciples feet, using his hands to do the work of a servant. He did this to teach them a needed lesson. For example the disciples had a dispute about which of them should be regarded as the greatest (Luke 22:24-30).
Peter objected to having his feet washed by Jesus, but Jesus insisted saying that Peter could not be his apostle unless washed by Jesus (John 13:3-10).
Jesus, furthermore, is able to wash away our sins (Acts 22:16). He made this possible by allowing his blood to be shed (Matthew 26:28). He was God’s Servant (Isaiah 42:1) who was willing to suffer for our justification. Unless we accept and allow that cleansing, we have no forgiveness or fellowship with Jesus. God’s Servant orders us out of God’s household. Into whose hands do we fall then?
4 The Hands of a Judge
"One of you will betray me... It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it" (John 13:21,26 NKJV).
Consider a familiar friend of Jesus, one of the chosen twelve. This one became an enemy and betrayed Jesus (Psalm 41:9). Jesus judged this man, Judas Iscariot, to be guilty. With his own hand Jesus dipped the bread and gave it to Judas to identify him as the traitor.
Now you will recall that Jesus had said, in his sermon on the mount, "Judge not, that you be not judged" (Matthew 7:1-5 NKJV). Nevertheless, Jesus dipped the bread and handed it to Judas, condemning him. You may also recall that Jesus said, "Judge with righteous judgment" (John 7:24 NKJV). That's what Jesus did with Judas.
Jesus, moreover, will judge all people, the living and the dead, at his second coming and the end of the world (Acts 17:31, 2Timothy 4:1). However Jesus has every right to judge a person in the present time . Indeed, how can he forgive sins without making a judgment that sin has been done? (Matthew 9:5-7, 1John 1:9).
5 The Hands of a Redeemer
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45 NKJV).
We have already mentioned Jesus as the Servant whose sacrifice provided for our salvation. Here at the end of our lesson we consider Jesus as the Redeemer whose life was the Ransom for our redemption.
Satan deceived us into selling our souls for a fool's price, and we became his slaves. Our redemption, however, came at a price determined by God, without asking Satan’s agreement or approval. The price had to be right, however, to make the transaction just.
Jesus, furthermore, understood that we could not pay the price. So Jesus paid the price for us. Jesus redeemed us with his own blood, and the suffering and death of his body, including his nail-pierced hands. So we have now become the slaves of God, through faith in God, and obedience to God, who treats us as his very own children and heirs (Romans 8:17).