Numerology 

The call of Peter, Andrew, James and John to the apostolic ministry. The Calling and Ordination of the Apostles

Gospel at the Liturgy on the 18th week after Pentecost
Luke chapter 5 verses 1-11

1 At that time Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret

2 and saw two boats moored on the shore; and the fishermen went ashore and washed their nets.

3 Entering into one of the boats - and this was Simon's boat - He asked him to take her a little from the shore, and then, sitting in the boat, he continued to teach the people from it.

4 When He had finished His words, He said to Simon, “Sail deep place and throw down your fishing nets."

5 And Simon answered him, “Master, we labored all night and caught nothing; but since You command, I will cast down the nets.

6 And having done this, they captured a great multitude of fish, so that their nets began to break.

7 Then they signaled to their companions in the other boat to come to their aid; they swam up and loaded both boats with fish so much that the boats began to sink into the water.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he knelt down on Jesus and said, “My lord, get away from me, for I am a sinful man!”

9 Horror fell on him and on all who were present with him at this catch,

10 also against James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were companions of Simon. And Jesus said to Simon: “Do not be afraid; from now on, your catch will be people.

11 And they hauled their boats ashore, left everything, and followed him.

Translation by Sergey Averintsev

The Lord calls every person to be with Him. And our fate depends on how we respond to this divine call. And it also happened that the destinies of the world changed from a worthy answer of some people. In the Old Testament, this happened to the "father of all believers," Abraham. And so it was already in the New Testament era, the era Church of Christ, where the twelve disciples were first called, who became apostles.

But why did the Lord choose these people in order to build His Church on earth through their labors? Is it the fact that these people for the most part Galilean fishermen, were the most worthy, wisest and most moral of those who lived then among Israel?

The gospel makes it clear that these were the most ordinary people but they had one common property souls: they sought God with all their hearts and waited with all their hearts for His Messiah, Christ. Isn't that why they were chosen? They were looking for God and God answered them; they waited for Christ - and met Him. As soon as the Lord began His Sermon - after Baptism, fasting and returning from the wilderness - people immediately followed Him to hear His word and see His miracles. On one of these days the Lord chose His first disciples. So, Lake of Gennesaret; people are crowding on the shore; there are so many of them that many cannot see or hear Jesus. And so He enters a fishing boat and, having sailed from the shore, speaks to the people. The owner of the boat is Simon, the future Peter. He is already familiar with Jesus - he was brought to the Lord by Andrew, Peter's brother and also a fisherman, a disciple of John the Baptist.

Having finished the sermon, Jesus turns to Peter, who is sitting right there in the boat, and tells him to go into the depths and cast down the nets. Peter knows that there is no fish: for a fisherman who has worked all night and caught nothing, the futility of a new attempt is obvious. But Peter obeys this Man because he heard His Word. He throws his nets into the waters that were just empty. Horror fell on the fishermen when the nets began to break through, unable to withstand the weight of the miraculous catch. And Simon, falling on Jesus' knees, asks Him: “Get out of me, Lord! because I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8).

At this moment, Simon Peter revealed that the One who was with him in the boat was more than a teacher and mentor. Peter experienced a holy awe, he felt that next to the One who was with him in the boat, a person was only “dust and ashes”. There was water all around the boat, there was nowhere to get out; “leave me, get out of my life” - this is what the words that escaped from Peter really meant. With all his being, Peter felt that His former life did not contain Jesus, and if the Lord enters into it, then it is necessary, leaving the whole world, to follow Him.

Peter is an impulsive person, these words are the result of his shock. The Lord, knowing that the fear of God and reverence that seized Peter, caused them, responds not to words, but to the deep movement of his heart. And the Lord approves of Peter. “Do not be afraid,” He says, “from now on you will catch people” (Luke 5.10). This is a metaphor. “You got fish out of the abyss, and you will save people” - this is its meaning. Transmitting these words of the Lord in the Gospel, the Apostle Luke used the Greek verb ζωγρέω - to catch alive.

In the Septuagint (Greek text Old Testament) it also means the salvation of people from death (see Numbers 31:18). And Peter, and with him his friends - the brothers James and John, having pulled the boats ashore, leave them and follow the Lord.

Then there were three years they spent with Jesus. Their Teacher performed miracles, healed the hopelessly ill, brought the already dead back to life, and most importantly, taught as “having authority,” and His words were words. eternal life. And Peter, on behalf of all the disciples, already called Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

But the disciples, like most of their contemporaries, believed that the Messiah was coming to restore the former glory of the Kingdom of Israel. And when the Lord reveals to them that He has to accept death, this word does not yet fit into their souls. When Christ was executed and buried, all their faith, hope, love - their whole life seemed broken and lost its meaning. Just like the faith of Abraham, the faith of the apostles went through catastrophic trials.

And then the story with boats and a wonderful catch repeats again. The Lord again performs the same miracle to revive the disciples to faith. This new story begins with a sign of the collapse of all hopes: the disciples return to what they left behind when they followed Christ.

"I'm going to fish," says Peter. “We are going with you,” others agree. And just as before the call, they toiled all night to no avail, and their nets were empty.

But the night passes and the morning comes. And the resurrected Lord calls them from the shore. And Peter, who once asked Jesus to get out of his boat, now throws himself into the water and swims to the shore, to the Lord. Next comes a boat with a lot of fish caught - just like that time, according to the word of the Lord (see: John 21, 3-11).

And the words of the Lord about Peter, that he will become a “fisher of men,” will begin to be fulfilled right now, after the Resurrection of Christ. The sermon of the Apostle Peter will draw the hearts of millions of people to Christ - not only those who saw him and heard his living testimony, but also all those who have been reading in the New Testament about Peter and his calling for two millennia.

Priest Michael Braverman

"Not more than that love, as if someone puts
his soul for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command
to you. I no longer call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing;
but I have called you friends because I have told you all that I have heard from my Father.”
(John 15:13-15).

In this lesson, we not only
we meet John the Baptist, but we also get to know the disciples of Jesus and His closest
friends. Closest to Jesus were the twelve disciples he called,
to serve humanity together. The selfless life of these people, described
on the pages of the Holy Book, always fills our hearts with reverence. Let's go back
to the place where we left Jesus in the last lesson. After temptation in the desert
He went to the Jordan, where John the Baptist was preaching. Arrived at this time
delegation from the Sanhedrin, the supreme Jewish court. The Sanhedrin, which consisted of
70 elders sent priests and Levites to learn more about the activities
John and ask about his authority in this matter.

I. Important
Mission of John the Baptist

1. What questions were asked of John by those sent from
Sanhedrin?(John 1:19-22). The difference between a desert preacher and a comer
from the city by teachers is evident. John was dressed in rough clothes made of camel hair
great people from Jerusalem in rich clothes. John did not have from the Sanhedrin
official permission to preach, and his independence hurt their pride.
In addition, anxiety crept into their souls - what if it turns out that John really
a prophet sent by God? How to be then?

2. What rationale for his mission did
John?(John 1:23-25). John clearly stated that He was not the Christ, and
called himself the voice that should announce the coming of the Savior. Then
the priests accused John of not having the right to baptize: “And they asked
him: why are you baptizing if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet? Speaking of "prophet"
the Jews meant Moses, for they believed that he would be resurrected and taken to heaven.
They did not know that he had already been resurrected and was in heaven (Jude 9; Matt. 17:1-3).
They also believed that before the coming of the Savior, the prophet Elijah,
taken by the living God into heaven.

3. By what name did Jesus give John the Baptist?
“And if you want to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come” (Matt. 11:14).

4. How did John introduce Jesus to his interlocutors?
“…I baptize in water; but there stands among you one whom you do not know, he who is coming
behind me, but who stood ahead of me. I'm not worthy to untie my shoes
him” (John 1:26-27). Christ stood among them. Neither the teachers nor the people knew
His. Here the opportunity arose to ask John more about Christ, but they
showed no interest in it.

5. With what words did John introduce Christ to the people?
“…behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This is, about which I said:
“a man comes after me, who has become ahead of me, because he was before me”
(John 1:29, 30).

6. Whose disciples were most of the apostles
Jesus? They were disciples of John the Baptist.

II. Vocation
twelve apostles

7. Who were the first called by Christ to serve?
(John 1:40-42). Probably Peter had already heard about Christ and was looking for an opportunity to see
His. When Andrew said they had found the Messiah, Peter willingly went with him to Jesus.
Of these two brothers, Peter was chosen by God for a greater work than his brother.
Andrew was an instrument in the hand of God to bring Peter to Jesus. how good
it would be if all those who accepted Christ would bring their relatives to Him!
Maybe you will lead someone to Christ by offering to study on this
correspondence course about the life of Christ.

8. Who were the next two students?(John
1:43-45). We do not find the name of Nathanael among the twelve apostles in the Gospel
from Mark (3:13-19) and Luke (6:12-16). In these texts next to Philip is named
Bartholomew. It is assumed that Nathanael and Bartholomew are one and the same person. Nathanael
prayed under a fig tree, asking God to reveal the truth to him. Found Christ, he is the one
immediately received Him as the Savior of the world.

9. When Christ called the disciples a second time to
permanent service?(Mark 1:14-20). The first disciples called by Christ
spent all their time with Him. He began work alone and only afterwards
invited the students to leave their former studies and devote their time entirely to the ministry
near. Jesus promised these fishermen to make them "...fishers of men." He fulfilled
this promise His disciples became able teachers and preachers of the truth.
Thanks to their activities, the entire then known world learned about Christ and His teachings.

10. Whatm was the problem in calling
publican Matthew?(Luke 5:27-28). Matthew-Levi was a tax collector, i.e.
officer in the Roman service. His fellow Jews hated such people
for the fact that they served the conquerors, and did not communicate with them. But Jesus didn't stop
Before that, he called Matthew. To establish the kingdom of truth in the hearts of men,
it was necessary to destroy the barriers created by the Jews in society, and to destroy
prejudices and prejudices, due to which certain classes of people were not allowed
to God and salvation. Jesus showed by example that everyone who believes in Him
as in the Son of God and ready to follow Him, can be His disciple and friend
regardless social position. He called Matthew, despised by all
publican, among His disciples, closest followers and friends; and Matthew
was deeply moved by the love of the Savior.

11. How did the Pharisees react to the fellowship of Christ
with publicans and sinners?(Luke 5:30-32). The publicans felt that Jesus,
by choosing one of them to be among his disciples, he showed them great honor. They are very
interested in the teachings of Christ. But the leaders of the Pharisaic sect criticized Jesus.
Jesus repulsed their attacks with their own weapons: if publicans suffer a terrible
disease of sin, then He, as a Physician of the soul, just came to help such people
- spiritually ill. But those who did not feel the need of a Physician, He could not help.

12. Why did Christ accept Judas as an apostle?
(John 6:64). “And yet Christ did not deprive him of the call of grace and the gift
love. Seeing the danger threatening Judas, the Savior drew him closer to Himself,
introduced him into the close circle of His chosen disciples ... As for Judas, the work
the love of Christ was in vain” (Education, pp. 92-93).

13. What was the purpose of choosing the twelve apostles?
(Mark 3:13-19). They were called by Jesus to be the leaders of His church.
This was the first step in organizing christian church.

III. Great
mission twelve

14. How great was the mission of the twelve? They are
were called to the highest service available to man (Matt. 19:27, 28),
and had the advantage of fellowship with the Son of God and cooperating with Him in salvation
perishing (John 17:1-9). As the twelve patriarchs were representatives of Israel,
so the apostles, together with Christ, are the foundation of the Christian church (Eph.
2:19-22). Eight books of the New Testament were written by disciples from among the 12, namely:
Gospels of Matthew and John, two letters of Peter, three letters and Revelation
John. Since the day of Pentecost, moved by the Holy Spirit, they have led the largest
missionary movement. Almost all of the disciples, except for John, died as martyrs.
death. They are an example for ministers of the church of all ages.

15. How did the character of the disciples change under the influence
Jesus?“Seeing the boldness of Peter and John, and noticing that they are unlearned people
and simple, they marveled, meanwhile they recognized them that they were with Jesus.” (Act
4-13).

16. What is our attitude towards the mission of the twelve
apostles?“As Christ sent his disciples, so today he sends members
Your church. It is the duty of every Christian not only to expect
the coming of the Savior, but to hasten it” (“Acts of the Apostles”, p. 360,
361).

Conclusion

Anyone who wants to learn from Christ can become His
student and collaborator.

test questions

Decide whether the following statements are true or false:

1. The Sanhedrin consisted of seventy elders.

2. John had permission from the Sanhedrin to preach.

3. Jesus called John the Baptist Elijah.

4. Most of Jesus' Disciples Were John's Disciples
Baptist.

5. Of the two brothers, Peter was chosen by God for more
ministry than his brother Andrew.

6. It is assumed that Nathanael and Bartholomew -
one and the same face.

7. The Jews respected tax collectors because
they were officials of the Roman government.

8. Publicans felt that Jesus, choosing Matthew
His pupil, showed them great honor.

9. The selection of 12 apostles was the first step in
organizations of the Christian Church.

10. From the day of Pentecost, driven by the Holy Spirit
the apostles led the largest missionary movement.

11. Everyone who wants to learn from Christ can become
His student and co-worker.

There is a tradition that entered the Russian Orthodox Church as a certain belief that the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, when the part of the world to which he was to go was determined for him, also visited places Kievan Rus, and was on the Kiev hills, and blessed these hills, and said that here, on these hills, a wondrous city would be erected, which would turn to Christ. And therefore the name of St. Andrew, the First-Called Apostle, has a completely special meaning for a Russian person, for a believer, and it has always been in the history of Russia that Andrew the First-Called was the Apostle who, one might say, began the baptism of Russia, hoisting the Cross on Russia. For a thousand years, almost, before the Baptism of Russia itself took place.

How amazing! It was like a heavenly omen, a heavenly indication, for it was even before it was realized. In prayers, when the Holy Apostle Andrew passed from this life to another, even before the Baptism of Russia, he already became a prayer book for her, as if preparing her, praying before the throne of God in heaven for Russia. It was, as it were, Heavenly Russia, which was already embodied in the days of St. Olga and St. Vladimir.

And here we should pay attention to the Gospel, which is read on the day of the Holy Apostle Andrew - his calling. And when he first sees, listening first to the words of his first teacher John the Baptist that Jesus, as John the Baptist showed, is that Lamb of God who takes upon himself the sins of the world, he goes to Jesus himself, and Christ calls him to the apostleship . And he goes and calls his brother Simon and says to him, "I have found the Messiah, the Christ."

The call of the apostles Andrew and Peter. Painting of the Church of the Intercession of St. Nicholas in Klaipeda, Lithuania. Photo: pokrov.lt

He saw Christ, and after that Simon goes to Christ, and Christ for the first time gives him the name Peter - a stone, a rock. And later he will say: “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” On Peter's faith when Peter confesses Him later. It is interesting that Andrei confesses earlier, Peter later, not at that moment yet. And he receives these amazing words of Christ that the Church will never be overcome by the gates of hell, later, after the Apostle Andrew. And it is interesting that the Gospel further tells how Nathanael is also called, and how Nathanael comes and at first does not believe, doubts. And Christ says to him: "I know you, I saw you under the fig tree."

Each of us has a moment when we can say that we are under a fig tree. It's a secret. Our mystery and the mystery of God, when something happens that we are absolutely sure: there is some power of God. We do not know what happened then with Nathanael under the fig tree, whether he prayed, whether he received an answer from God, or, conversely, there was something, some kind of vision - this Gospel does not tell us, but it is clear that there was such a moment, mysterious and divine.

And so Nathanael, when he hears these words, recognizes Him Who saw him under the fig tree, spiritually. And he says to him, confessing: "You are the King of Israel, You are the Son of God." You see how on the one hand a person sees God in the face of Jesus Christ, like Andrew. And God sees man, as in the case of Nathanael, under the fig tree. And such a union takes place in this Gospel narrative, a union of the human and the divine, which is realized and embodied in the person of Christ Himself.

This is how you and I need to look better on the one hand, as Nathanael was told: “Come and see, come and see,” so we now say to many: “Come and see, look, listen, read the Gospel and then you will see Christ Who and What He is. This is on the one hand, but on the other hand, keep in mind that God sees you always, everywhere, even under the fig tree, and maybe just under the fig tree, that is, at that secret moment that you think belongs only to you. .

May the Lord grant us all to be faithful and true seekers of truth, so that the Lord will reveal himself to us, as He revealed Himself to His apostles and how He called St. Andrew the First-Called, the first Baptist of Russia. Amen.

Orthodox psychotherapy [patristic course of healing the soul] Vlachos Metropolitan Hierofey

THE CALL AND ORDITION OF THE APOSTLES

THE CALL AND ORDITION OF THE APOSTLES

The Lord calls those who are fit for the work and gives them His priesthood. Thus, the first bishops were the apostles. The Lord called them to the apostolic rank, stayed with them for three whole years, and later gave them the Holy Spirit so that they could forgive sins, and sent them to preach “to all nations” and instruct people. He made them evangelical fishermen and preachers. It was this election and mission that made them apostles. AT Holy Scripture there is no evidence that the Lord used a special rite to transfer the priestly ministry to the apostles. However, we may note that "the Lord, being Himself the founder of the sacraments, was not bound by them, but could accomplish the purpose for which they exist by the mere expression of His will."23 In any case, there is no doubt that the calling of the twelve apostles by Christ, His appearance to them after the Resurrection, the gift of forgiving sins, and the descent of the Comforter on the day of Pentecost made them shepherds of the people of God.

However, we also have the case of the apostle Paul, who was not a disciple of Christ during His earthly life. However, he was also called to the apostolic rank. He himself considers himself an apostle of Jesus Christ: "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ..." (1 Tim. 1:1). Moreover, he also writes: “But I think that I have nothing lacking against the superior apostles” (2 Corinthians 11:5). Elsewhere the same apostle writes: “I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who gave me strength, that he acknowledged me as faithful, appointing me to the ministry ...” (1 Tim. 1:12). The apostle is sure that he is a witness of the resurrection of Christ, because he saw Christ on his way to Damascus. Therefore, describing the apparitions of the resurrected Christ, he dares to assert: "...and after all, he appeared to me as to some monster" (1 Corinthians 15:8), counting himself among the witnesses of the resurrection.

The appearance of Christ to the Apostle Paul and his calling to the apostolic rank became the apostolic ordination. And to him also Christ gave His priesthood.

Professor John Romanidis writes: “Among the Apostle Paul, the parish prophets (1 Corinthians 14:29) together with the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:5-8) are people who have reached the state of theosis, that is, the beholding of Christ in the glory of the Holy Trinity. Paul clearly distinguishes this is when he writes about the mystery of Christ, that it was not proclaimed to the former generations of the sons of men, as it is now revealed to His holy Apostles and prophets by the Holy Spirit (Eph. all the members rejoice" (1 Corinthians 12:26), which introduces the enumeration of the members of the body of Christ. After all, the glorified member is the deified one, who has reached deification, whom God made a prophet. Therefore, enumerating the members of the body of Christ, Paul begins with the apostles and prophets at the head and finishes having different languages(1 Cor. 12:28), which was one of the types of worship (Eph. 5:19-20). According to the Apostle Paul, the prophesyer should be engaged in the interpretation of the Old Testament (the New was considered not requiring interpretation) on the basis of the experience of mental prayer, which is called "different tongues", while the prophet is one who has reached deification. This exactly corresponds to the later distinction that the holy fathers made between the theologian and the theologian. Everyone, from the apostle to the one who prophesies and interprets, had different languages ​​in their hearts, that is, different kinds intelligent ministry of the Holy Spirit, therefore being God's chosen members of the body of Christ and temples of the Holy Spirit. As God's chosen ones, they are separated from the common people (1 Cor. 14:16), who have not yet accepted the gift of visiting the Holy Spirit, who would perform unceasing prayer in their hearts, and, therefore, have not become His temples. Apparently, these were people baptized with water for the remission of sins, but not baptized with the Spirit, that is, not anointed. Probably, the sacrament of chrismation was performed as a confirmation of the invasion of the praying Holy Spirit, which is why it is called in Latin confirmatio.

In any case, the burnt apostles and prophets and enlightened teachers, who had miraculous powers, as well as gifts of healing, help, guidance, different languages ​​(1 Cor. 12:28), apparently, constituted the anointed clergy and the royal priesthood, as it is clear from the following of holy peace. The commoners, according to the fathers, are the laity. The words “God has set some in the Church” (1 Corinthians 12:28) clearly indicate that the visitation of the Holy Spirit took place through the deification of the apostles and prophets and the enlightenment of others, and not through a special rite”24.

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MY ORDINATION (24 years old) To Igor Platonovich Demidov I was born in the family of a priest, the Levitical blood of six generations flows in me. I grew up near the church of St. Sergius, grace-filled with his prayer and ringing. My childhood impressions, aesthetic, moral, everyday, are connected with

§467. And as he was passing near the Sea of ​​Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, throwing their nets into the sea; for they were fishermen; and he said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they immediately leaving the nets, they followed him. From there, going on, he saw two other brothers, James Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and called them. And they immediately left the boat and their father, followed him." ("The Gospel of Matt.", ch.4, st.18-22.)
"While passing from there, Jesus saw a man sitting at the toll booth, named Matthew, and said to him, Follow Me. And he got up and followed Him." ("The Gospel of Matt.", Chapter 9, Article 9.)
§468. There is nothing surprising in these facts, if the power of double vision and the very natural cause of this ability are known. Christ possessed her the highest degree and it may be said that it was his ordinary state, as evidenced by many facts of his life, which are now explained by magnetic phenomena and Spiritualism.
Likewise, catching, called "wonderful", is explained by double vision. Jesus did not arbitrarily create fish where there was none; he saw, just as a clairvoyant would see, with spiritual vision the place where she was; he could confidently tell the fishermen to throw their nets there.
The insight of thought, and with it a certain foresight, was the result of spiritual sight. When Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew, he had to know the innermost disposition of their souls in order to be sure that they would follow him and that they were capable of fulfilling the mission that he wanted to entrust to them. It was necessary that they themselves have an inner consciousness of this mission in order to surrender to it. The same thing when at the Last Supper he announced that one of the twelve would betray him, and when he pointed him out, saying that this is the one who dips his hand into the dish, and when he said that Peter would deny him.
In many places of the "Gospel" it is said: "But Christ, knowing their thoughts, said to them ...". And how could he know their thoughts, if not simultaneously through fluidic radiation, which brought him these thoughts, and spiritual vision, which allowed him to read in the depths of human souls?
Often when we think that some thought of ours is deeply hidden by us in the bends of the soul, we do not even suspect that we ourselves carry a mirror that reflects it, an indicator in our own rays of our fluid, which is completely penetrated by it. If we could see the mechanism of the invisible world around us, the branching of those threads-conductors of thought that connect all rational beings, embodied and incorporeal, all fluid currents with the moral world reflected on them, which, like air currents, cross space, we would be less amazed by some phenomena which ignorance ascribes to chance. (Ch.XIV, §§425, 432ff.)



Healing

§469.“One woman who suffered from bleeding for twelve years, suffered much from many doctors, exhausted everything that she had, and did not receive any benefit, but came back in worst condition, - having heard about Jesus, she came up behind the people and touched His clothes, for she said: even if I touch His clothes, I will recover. And immediately her source of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. At the same time, Jesus, feeling in Himself that strength had gone out of Him, turned to the people and said: Who touched My garment? The disciples said to him: You see that the people are oppressing you, and you say who touched me? But He looked around to see the one who did it. The woman, in fear and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came up, fell down before Him, and told Him the whole truth. He said to her: Daughter! your faith has saved you; go into the world and be healthy from your sickness." ("The Gospel of Mark", ch.5, st.25-34.)
§470. These words: "Feeling in Himself that power went out of Him," are very expressive. They signify the fluid movement that passed from Jesus to the sick woman; both felt the action that had just taken place. It is remarkable that it was not caused by any act of the will of Christ; there was no magnetization, no laying on of hands; ordinary fluidic irradiation was sufficient to effect healing.
But why did this fluidic outflow go to this particular woman, about whom Jesus did not think, and not to others?
The reason is very simple. The fluids given as a therapeutic force must touch the disturbed organism in order to heal it; they can be directed at the patient at the will of the healer, or they can be attracted by the ardent desire, gullibility, faith of the patient. In relation to the fluid current, the first acts like a pressure pump, the second - a suction one. Sometimes both are needed at the same time, sometimes one is enough: in this case was the second.
So Christ was right when he said, "Your faith has saved you." It is clear that here faith is not the mystical power that some people imagine it to be, but a real attractive force, while those who do not have faith oppose the fluidic current with a repulsive or at least inert force that paralyzes its action. After this, it is clear that of two patients with the same disease in the presence of a healer, one can be cured and the other not. This is one of the most important principles healing mediumship, explaining some apparent anomalies as completely natural causes. (Ch.XIV, §§441, 442, 443.)



The Blind Man of Bethsaida

§471.“He comes to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man to Him and ask him to touch him. Taking the blind man by the hand, he led him out of the village and, spitting on his eyes, laid his hands on him, and asked him if he saw anything? He looked and said, "I see people passing by like trees. Then again he laid his hands on his eyes and told him to look. And he was healed and began to see everything clearly. And he sent him home, saying: do not enter the village and do not tell anyone in village." ("The Gospel of Mark", ch.8, st.22-26.)
§472. Here the magnetic action is evident; the healing was not instantaneous, but gradual; the action is sustained and repeated, but still more rapid than ordinary magnetism. This man's first feeling was exactly that of the blind, to whom their sight returns; as a result of an optical phenomenon, objects seem to him incommensurably large.

Relaxed

§473."Then, having entered the boat, he crossed back and arrived in His city. And, behold, they brought to Him a paralytic, laid on a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic: take courage, child! The scribes said within themselves, "He blasphemes." But Jesus, seeing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier to say, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Get up and walk? But so that you know that the Son A man has power on earth to forgive sins; - then he says to the paralytic: get up, take up your bed and go to your house. And he got up, took his bed and went to his house. But the people, seeing this, were amazed and glorified God, who gave such power to the people." ("The Gospel of Matt.", ch.9, vv.1-8.)
§474. What could the words "Your sins are forgiven you" mean, and how could they lead to recovery? Spiritualism provides the key to this, as well as to many other words hitherto incomprehensible; he teaches us, from the law of multiple existences, that the sicknesses and sufferings of life are for the most part redemptions of the past, and that we suffer in real life the consequence of wrongdoings committed in a former life, different existences are related to one another until we have paid all the debts of our imperfections.
If the man's illness was a punishment for the evil he might have committed, then to say to him: "Your sins are forgiven" was like saying: "You have paid your debts; the cause of your illness has been blotted out by your real faith; therefore, you deserve to be delivered from your illness." That is why Christ said to the scribes: "Which is easier to say: your sins are forgiven you, or, get up, take up your bed and walk?"; if the cause has ceased, then the effect must also cease. This is the same as saying to a prisoner: "You have atoned for your crime and are forgiven," or: "You can get out of prison."

ten lepers

§475."Going to Jerusalem, He passed between Samaria and Galilee. And when He entered one village, ten lepers met Him, who stopped afar off and said with a loud voice: Jesus the Teacher, have mercy on us! Seeing them, He said to them: go, show yourself the priests. And as they were going, they were cleansed. One of them, seeing that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him, and he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus said, Were not ten cleansed? Where but nine? How did they not return to give glory to God, except for this foreigner? And he said to him, Get up, go; your faith has saved you." ("The Gospel of Luke", ch.17, vv.11-19.)
§476. The Samaritans were schismatics, as approximately Protestants in relation to the Catholics, and despised by the Jews as heretics. Jesus, in healing the Samaritans and Jews without distinction, gave at the same time a lesson and an example of tolerance; by pretending that only the Samaritan returned to give glory to God, he showed that he had more true faith and feelings of gratitude than those who called themselves orthodox. By adding "your faith has saved you," he wants to show that God looks to the depths of the heart, and not to outer shape reverence for him. Nevertheless, others were healed, for the lesson he wanted to teach and at the same time show their ingratitude; but how to know what could come out of it and whether they took advantage of the grace that was bestowed on them? By saying to the Samaritan, "your faith has saved you," Christ makes it clear that this will not be the case with others.

Sukhorukiy

§477."And he came again into the synagogue, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they watched Him, whether he would be healed on the Sabbath, in order to accuse Him. And he said to the man who had a withered hand: stand in the middle. on the Sabbath to do good, or to do evil, to save the soul, or to destroy? But they were silent. And looking at them with anger, grieving for the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man: Stretch out your hand. He stretched out, and his hand became healthy, as The Pharisees immediately went out and took counsel with the Herodians against Him, how to destroy Him. around Tire and Sidon, when they heard what He was doing, they came to Him in great numbers." ("The Gospel of Mark", ch.3, vv.1-8.)