01.21. The Healing of the Outcast
The Healing of the Outcast
Image the following scene. A man comes into the house after working and has a rash on his had. He attempts to treat it with some salve but it only grows worse. He goes to the priest who puts him in isolation for seven days and when he is reexamined the rash is worse. He is declared to have leprosy. He cannot go home to his family but must become an outcast from society. He must cry out when someone comes near, "unclean, unclean" before they touch him. He cannot touch his wife nor wrap his arms around his children again. Society don’t want him, it seems that God has cursed him. We look in on a heart-wrenching scene as his children bring some food to their father who is out in the woods. They set the food down and then walk away. Just as they are almost out of sight the father emerges from the woods. The children look back longingly at their father. Dad stands and watches the disappear feeling so empty because he cannot put his arms around them and hold them on his lap for a story. In the Jewish though of the day of Jesus the curing of a leper was considered to be as difficult as the raising of someone from the dead. Leprosy was a very common disease of the day. The Old Testament records the healing of a leper by the name of Haaman. There are only twelve cases recorded in the New Testament. These twelve were to fit the purpose of God. The root word for leprosy meant stroked and the Jews called Leprosy "the finger of God" thereby indicating that it was a punishment of God. The Leper: this miracle of the healing of the leper is recorded in three gospels. This leper knew that he was violating the custom of the day and would be driven away shortly. Luke 5:12 a says, "a man full of leprosy…" As we have already stated leprosy was a disease that isolated. This was only part of the problem. The killer leprosy would advance slowly eating away the fingers the toes and the facial features. This would produce ugly scabs and running sores. The voice of the leper would break and crack. In odor and appearance leprosy had neither equal nor even a competitor. It was this type of individual, desperate that came to Jesus. Jesus had just given the Sermon on the Mount and has returning to Capernaum. Perhaps this leper had stood afar and heard Jesus speak. Notice he did not ask for healing, only for cleansing. The Law: To understand this request we must look at the law concerning leprosy. Leviticus 13:1-14 covers this topic. As we have stated he was to be isolated for seven days, if the sore had a scab he was declared leprosy Leviticus 13:4-6 . Leviticus 13:45-46 declares he should live alone and cry unclean. The law was very strict concerning this. The greatest thing was that he became ceremonially unclean and could not go to the temple and worship. The law also gave the process whereby a leper could be proclaimed clean. Leviticus 14:2 says he was to again be brought to the priest. He was to offer two living birds, one was to be killed and burned and the other set free. Leviticus 14:5-6 The Faith: Luke 5:12 b The leper comes to Jesus and falls at his feet. He comes and worships Him. He was the only hope of this man.
Please notice that the man did not question if Jesus could clean him only if He would. This leper seemed to be willing to accept the fact that Jesus might not want to heal him. This man knew He could but would He? Yes, He would. The Touch: Mark 1:41 says, "Jesus, moved with compassion…" Jesus seeing this mans faith and situation did not pull away and run in disgust but was moved in His heart toward the situation of the man. As we have stated this man probably had not been touched for years. For Jesus to touch him would carry social implications for Jesus. Still the giver of health and wholeness reaches out and touches the man. The untouchable had been touched, the incurable had been healed. The faith of the man met the love of Almighty God. The implication of this healing was tremendous. Herbert Lockyer says, "As this is the first instance of an Israelitish leper cleansed since the instructions given nearly 1,500 years before (Leviticus 13:34 ), the presence of a cleansed leper at the altar with his two birds would testify that God had come to His people and was meeting men’s needs altogether from priestly ministrations and ordinances." (All the Miracles of the Bible, p. 173) The Praise: Beyond a doubt there were many lepers healed during the ministry of Jesus. We know of the ten lepers and of Simon the leper, which prove the divinity of Christ. The request that Jesus give this man is that he tell no one but show himself to the priest. Mark 1:45 says, "But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter." This man wanted the world to know so he told them after Jesus told him not to. The Application: Allow me to offer a few thoughts for our application to life.
Reverse Psychology: Jesus told the man not to tell and he did. He told us to tell and we don’t. When we get excited about being made clean we will tell.
Justice called and mercy answered: This man was an outcast of society that needed the Master. We treat people as outcast when they have diseases for other colors of skin. Would Jesus. In this story justice called but the mercy of God answered back.
He will make us whole: We need not ask if He will make us whole. He came and died to clean us up and make us fit for heaven.