2 Kings 5:13
And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
Naaman's servants came near and respectfully pressed him to lay aside his anger and pride and obey the prophet by washing and being clean, and their counsel led him to do it. Their plea was that if he would have done some great, hard thing to be healed, he should much more obey a simple, easy washing rather than despise it for being ordinary. He had at first refused in mortified pride and rage, expecting Elisha to come out and call on God and wave his hand over him, and preferring the grand rivers Abana and Pharpar where washing would have cost him no humility over the humble Jordan. Humbling himself to wash where directed tested his faith and called for humility and repentance, and it brought him cleansing, wholeness and rich blessing that refusal would have forfeited. As a Syrian who lived by the light he had and opened his heart to instruction, he was cleansed and came to know the true God, while many lepers in Israel stayed uncleansed through unbelief and rejection of God's messengers, a history Jesus cited to show God's power reaching a receptive Gentile to the anger of Nazareth.
Servants Urge Humble Obedience
The servants came near and respectfully pressed Naaman to lay aside his anger and pride and obey the prophet's direction to wash and be clean, and their counsel moved him to follow it. Their plea was that he would readily have undertaken some great, difficult or impressive task if it had been required for his healing. How much more, then, should he wash and be cleansed when told to do so, rather than rejecting a simple and easy command because it seemed too ordinary.
He had at first refused in mortification, disappointment, passion and rage, because merely washing stumbled him as beneath his dignity. He had expected Elisha to come out to him and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God and strike his hand over the place and recover the leper. He preferred Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus beautified by trees and groves where idols were placed and multitudes went to worship, where washing would have cost him no humility, unlike going to the humble river Jordan.
The required washing tested his faith while pride resisted the prophet's directions, and it called for humility and repentance. By humbling himself to follow the specific directions to wash in the Jordan he obtained the healing he sought. That obedience made him whole and brought a rich, holy blessing, whereas refusing altogether would have cost him that blessing.
Receptive Foreigner Receives Grace
Naaman was a Syrian, a heathen nobleman and captain who had lived faithfully by the convictions of right and the light he had received. He recognized his need of help, opened his heart to instruction, became humble and willing to receive help, and acted on the light he had, and this made him ready to receive grace. In response he was cleansed of leprosy and enlightened in divine truth, coming to know the true God.
In contrast, many lepers in Israel remained uncleansed because unbelief, misuse of privileges, rebellion, backsliding, and rejection of God's messengers kept them from receiving God's help and power. This remained true even when they professed godliness while living contrary to it and putting convenience and worldly honor before principle. His experience shows that God's blessings are received by those who respond faithfully to the light they have, not simply by belonging to Israel. Those who live up to the light are more righteous and in a more favorable position before God than people given great light and spiritual advantages who do not live accordingly.
God's power displayed through faithful prophets, men chosen by God to do a special and important work, is given especially to those who have hearts that can feel and faith that will grasp the evidences God is pleased to give. It is not given for the salvation of an unbelieving, hard-hearted people.
Echoes in Christ's Ministry
Jesus cited this history to show that though many lepers were in Israel, Elisha cleansed Naaman the Syrian. His cleansing stands as an example of God's favor and power reaching beyond Israel to a receptive Gentile. While many in Israel received no such blessing because they rejected God's messengers, Naaman received it because he was receptive to the prophet. The power displayed through faithful prophets, men chosen by God to do a special and important work, is given especially to those who have hearts that can feel and faith that will grasp the evidences God is pleased to give, and not for the salvation of an unbelieving, hard-hearted people.
His mention of it angered the people of Nazareth. It met questionings about His coming in meekness and lowliness, in poverty and sorrow, as a common man. It served as a terribly severe rebuke opening corrupt lives and striking home the truth of wicked unbelief upon those who would have no one as king unless attended by riches and splendor and a grand and imposing army.
Naaman's cleansing from leprosy through Elisha was the only earlier instance of such a healing. No such work had been known since Elisha's day, which explains why the lepers who heard of Jesus did not dare expect Him to cleanse them. The wider account shows God sending the little Israelite maiden to the help of Naaman the Syrian captain as His representative to one in need of divine help and guidance.
God has reasons for directing feet to a particular place, because at that very place there may be someone in need of the help that person can give. He still sends men and women and youth today in the same way. Following the specified directions of God humbles the proud and lofty spirit, and willing obedience brings the desired result, for Naaman washed and was made whole. This applies to condescending to be faithful in the littles in order to perfect Christian character.