2 Kings 5:1, commentary and pictures

Naaman was a great, honourable and highly honoured Syrian commander, valiant and mighty in battle, through whom the Lord had given victory and deliverance to Syria, yet he was a leper. A captive Israelite girl in his household, prepared by her parents' faithful teaching, bore witness that he could be healed through God's power working through Elisha, showing God places people where needed help and guidance can be given. Though a heathen foreigner, he lived faithfully according to the light, opportunities and convictions he had, with a feeling heart and grasping faith that was ready and open for instruction, and so he received special grace, cleansing and knowledge of the true God. By contrast many lepers in Israel were passed by because of unbelief, hard-heartedness and abuse of greater privileges, showing that one who lives up to little light is more righteous and more favorably positioned before God than those with greater light who reject it, and that God's mercy is not limited by nationality. Jesus related this history at Nazareth as a severe rebuke of unbelief, that among many lepers in Israel Naaman alone was cleansed, because the people scorned him for coming in meekness and lowliness rather than riches and splendor.

Naaman's Standing and Witnesses

Naaman was captain of the Syrian host, a great and honourable man, highly honoured and held in honour by his master the king of Syria. He was valiant and courageous in battle, successful and mighty, a brave and capable commander whose victories were given through the Lord's working. By him the Lord had given deliverance and victory unto Syria. Yet with all that greatness, honour and might, he was a leper.

That leprosy was not beyond remedy, for healing could come through God's power working through Elisha the prophet. This was believed and borne witness to in Naaman's own household by a captive Israelite girl who served there. Her witness pointed the honoured commander to the prophet as the means of cure.

The Hebrew maid who thus witnessed had been taught about God by her parents, who did not know what future role she would fill. Their faithful home teaching had prepared her beforehand for that place. Because of it she was ready to honour God and bear witness to Him in the house of the Syrian captain.

Her service in helping Naaman shows that God sends particular persons to particular places to give needed help. Through her presence in that home, divine guidance reached the leprous commander.

Grace for Light Followed

Naaman was a heathen, a foreigner, and a Syrian nobleman, yet he followed the light he had received and lived faithfully according to his convictions of right. He lived up to his light, his opportunities and his privileges, and remained true to them. He recognized his need of help and was ready and willing and open to receive instruction. He had a heart that could feel and a faith that would grasp the evidences God gave.

Because of this readiness he received God's grace and favor and special favor. He was cleansed of leprosy, enlightened in divine truth, and came to know the true God. By contrast, many lepers in Israel were passed by and not cleansed. They had rejected God's warnings and lived in unbelief and hard-heartedness, and had abused and misused their greater privileges and blessings, so the prophets did not labor for their salvation.

One who lives up to little light is accounted more righteous and is more favorably positioned before God than God's chosen people and others with greater light and spiritual advantages when they turn from God and reject their light. This is true when those with greater light live contrary to their profession and sacrifice principle for convenience and worldly honor. God's favor and mercy and blessings are not limited by nationality and are not limited to Israel but reach beyond it. Those with hearts open to God's light are favored. God works for those who value the light they have received and respond to it, and people who follow the light they have can receive further help from God.

Christ's Lesson From Naaman

Jesus drew upon the account of the cleansing of Naaman the Syrian leper recorded in 2 Kings 5:1-14 to show that God's mercy reached beyond Israel. Many lepers lived in Israel, yet Naaman alone was cleansed, the only leper cleansed among them. Naaman, a Syrian leper, was cleansed by Elisha and received healing, showing that God's blessings were not limited to Israel but favored those with hearts open to God's light.

Christ related this history at Nazareth as a terribly severe rebuke that opened corrupt lives and struck home wicked unbelief. Naaman had a heart that could feel and a faith that would grasp the evidences God gave, while the prophets did not labor for the salvation of an unbelieving, hard-hearted Israel. The people scorned reverence for Him and refused Him because He came in meekness and lowliness, poverty and sorrow, as a common man. They would have no king without riches and splendor and a grand and imposing army.

Naaman, the Syrian commander, was healed of leprosy through Elisha, and since that time no leper had been cleansed. This history made the sufferers who heard of Jesus hesitate to expect healing. Yet it offered a precedent that God could cleanse a leper.