Examples of Faith in the New Testament

Here are examples of remarkable faith in the New Testament:

Centurion - A centurion whose servant was lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented pleaded with Jesus and Jesus told him that He will come and heal the man (servant)

The centurion's response was that he wasn't worthy that Jesus should come under his roof and that all Jesus had to do was to speak a word and his servant would be healed.  He told Jesus that he was a man under authority and had soldiers under him.  When he commands one to go, he goes and another comes when he tells him to come.  And his servant obeys him when he says to him, "Do this".

Jesus when He heard this, He marveled and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel" (Matthew 8:5-10).

This faith is found in a Gentile whom the Jews called "unclean".

Jairus - And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name.  And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death.  Come and lay your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live" (Mark 5:22, 23).

Sick woman - She was a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years who suffered many things from many physicians spending all she had but wasn't getting better.  Rather, she was getting worse.

When she heard about Jesus she went behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment for she believed that if she touched His clothes she would be made well.  Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.

Jesus knew in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched My clothes?"  And His disciples wondered that He would ask such a question since the crowd was about Him, thronging Him.

Jesus looked around to see the woman who had touched Him and she, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.  And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well.  Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction" (Mark 5:25-34).

Like Jairus, this woman had faith that Jesus could heal her.  Jesus knew that this touch was different and that's why He asked, "Who touched Me?"  As a result, the woman came forward and shared her story.  Jesus assured her that her faith had made her well and that she was healed.  After twelve years of suffering, she had peace.

Syro-Phoenician woman - When Jesus was in the region of Tyre and Sidon, He went into a house, not desiring that anyone should know that He was there but He could not be hidden.  A woman who had a young daughter with an unclean spirit heard about Him and came and fell at His feet.  She was Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth.

She kept asking Jesus to cast the demon out of her daughter but He said to her, "Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."

Her answer was, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs."

Jesus said to her, "For this saying, go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter."

When the woman returned home, she found that the demon had gone out and her daughter was lying on the bed (Mark 7:24-30).  That mother's faith must have deepened and she must have shared with her daughter that it was Jesus who had cast the demon out.

This woman had unshakable faith that Jesus could help her daughter.  It was a persistent faith.  It kept pushing until her need was answered.  It is the kind of faith which pleases God.

Bartimaeus - As Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus, a blind man who sat on the road begging heard that Jesus of Nazareth was there.  He began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Those in the crowd warned him to be quiet but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.  The crowd told the blind man to be of good cheer and to rise for Jesus was calling him.

Bartimaeus threw aside his garment and went to Jesus who asked him, "What do you want to do for you?"

The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight."

Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way, your faith has made you well."  And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

Bartimaeus had a faith which could not or refused to be silenced.  The crowd told him to be quiet but he cried out even louder until Jesus hear him and responded.

Sinful woman - When Jesus was having dinner at a Pharisee's home, a sinful woman of the city heard (knew) that He was there and she brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil.  Weeping, she washed His feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  She kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.

When the Pharisee saw that, he said to himself that if Jesus were a prophet, He would know what kind of woman was touching Him. Jesus used this as an opportunity to tell the parable of the two debtors.  A creditor had two debtors who owed him money.  One owed much more than the other.  When neither of them had anything to repay him, he freely forgave them both.  Jesus' question to Simon, the Pharisee, was, "Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?"

Simon said that it would be the one whom the creditor forgave more (the one with the larger debt).

After telling Simon that he had answered correctly, Jesus proceeded to point out that when He entered his house, he didn't give Him any water to wash His feet but the woman washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  Simon gave Him no kiss but the woman had not stopped kissing His feet since the time He went into the house.  Simon didn't anoint His head with oil but she anointed His feet with fragrant oil.

"Therefore, I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.  But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."

And Jesus said to the woman, "Your sins are forgiven."

Those who sat at the table with Him asked among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you.  Go in peace" (Luke 7:36-50).

Genesis 18:4 - Abraham said to three visitors when they were standing by him, "Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree."

Genesis 19:2 - Lot said to the two angels, "Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant's house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way."

Genesis 24:32 - Laban provided Abraham's servant straw and feed for the camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.

Genesis 43:24 - Joseph's brothers were brought into his house where they were given water to wash their feet.

It was the custom for guests to be given water to wash their feet but Simon neglected to do this even though Jesus was his Guest.  He did not meet Him with a kiss (Romans 16:16) nor anoint Him with oil.  These are all acts of hospitality which Simon neglected to do.

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