Luke 5:12, commentary and pictures

A man whose body was permeated with leprosy in its worst and most advanced form came to Jesus as his only hope, though as a leper he was pronounced unclean and shut out from home and society as one already dead. Having seen Jesus heal others he believed none who sought His help were turned away, so he pressed through the fearful crowd that fell back from him and fell on his face before the Saviour thinking only of healing. His brief plea expressed desperate need with full confidence that Jesus had power to make him clean while leaving the decision to His will. Jesus did not recoil but laid His hand upon him without receiving defilement, and His touch at once changed the diseased body to healthy flesh so he could return to family and community. That bodily cleansing pictures the leprosy of sin as deep-rooted and incurable by human power, and whoever falls at His feet in faith asking to be made clean receives His willing touch that cleanses heart and soul.

The Leper's Condition

Leprosy was the most dreaded of all diseases known in the East, incurable and contagious and horrible in its effect, filling even the bravest with fear. Among the Jews it was regarded as a judgment on account of sin, called the stroke, the finger of God.

By the ritual law the leper was pronounced unclean, and like one already dead he was shut out from the habitations of men. He lived under perpetual isolation from cities, cut off from family, from the congregation of Israel, and from society, doomed to associate only with those similarly afflicted. Whatever he touched was unclean, and the air was polluted by his breath.

One suspected of the disease had to present himself to the priests, who examined and decided his case, and if pronounced a leper he was isolated from his family, cut off from Israel, and doomed to associate only with those similarly afflicted. The law was inflexible, so that even kings and rulers were not exempt, and a monarch attacked by the disease had to yield up the scepter and flee from society. Away from friends and kindred he had to bear the curse of his malady alone, publishing his own calamity, rending his garments, and sounding the alarm warning all to flee from his contaminating presence by crying in mournful tones, Unclean, unclean.

The man in the verse was full of leprosy, meaning its deadly poison permeated his whole body in its worst, most advanced and incurable form. His disease had been judged so by the priest, and he suffered from the worst and most isolating form, with no human hope of cure. He had once held a high position, but was now exiled from home, family, friends and society, as though condemned to a living death. His body was decaying with frightful inroads of disease, a loathsome spectacle horrible to look upon.

The Plea and Its Answer

At the news of Jesus faith sprang up in the leper's heart, for not one who had sought His help had been turned away, and he determined to find the Saviour as his only hope. He feared Jesus might curse him and warn him to flee as the Pharisees and physicians did, and he planned to cross His path in some byway along the mountain roads or to find Him teaching outside the towns and outside the city. Standing afar off he caught a few words from the Saviour's lips and saw Him laying His hands upon the sick.

He saw the lame, the blind, the paralytic, and those dying of various maladies rising up in health and praising God for deliverance, and having seen Jesus heal others he became convinced that Jesus was the promised Saviour authorized by God. His faith strengthened, his hope overcame fear, and nearer and yet nearer he approached the listening throng thinking only of the blessed hope of healing. Forgetting the restrictions laid upon him, the safety of the people, and the fear with which all regarded him, he pressed through despite the barriers.

At sight of him the people fell back in terror, crowding upon one another to escape contact, and tried in vain to prevent him from approaching Jesus. He neither saw nor heard them, and their expressions of loathing were lost upon him, for he saw only the Son of God and heard only the voice that speaks life to the dying. Seeing Jesus he fell on his face before Him and besought Him with a brief plea to be made clean.

The plea expressed his great and desperate need, his confidence that Jesus had power to free him and restore him to life and health, and his trust that left the decision to Jesus' will. Jesus did not recoil from his approach, but though by law he who touched a leper became himself unclean, and though the disciples sought to prevent the touch, He drew near and laid His hand upon him. He received no defilement, and His command and touch answered the request and at once changed the diseased body into healthy flesh, restoring health and making return to family and community possible.

The healing that followed led to examination by the priests and restoration to family and society, for Jesus directed him to show himself to the priest and make the offering required by Moses' law. That direction demonstrated respect for the law and gave evidence of His power to heal. The priests' public certification that he was free made the cure public and made him a continuing witness, providing testimony to divine power and opportunity to recognize the truth, though they still refused to acknowledge Him as Messiah.

Jesus also ordered silence because publicity could draw crowds of lepers, invite accusations that He violated ritual restrictions, and obstruct His preaching by drawing crowds seeking healing. The man's public announcement did bring such crowds that Jesus had to pause His work. His conduct toward the hostile leaders showed love for enemies and bore witness to His love for humanity.

Cleansing Sin's Leprosy

Bodily leprosy is a picture of the leprosy of sin as deep-rooted, ineradicable and deadly, a defilement impossible to be cleansed by human power. It leaves the whole head sick and the whole heart faint, with no soundness from foot to head but wounds and sores. In coming to dwell in humanity Jesus receives no pollution, and His presence is healing power for the sinner.

Whoever falls at His feet in faith asking to be made clean receives His willing cleansing. He is the great Physician who can cleanse the soul from the leprosy of sin as He cleansed the leper. The leper's request is the prayer for inward cleansing of heart and mind, and coming to Christ with it brings His touch and His cleansing answer.

The verse shows Christ's compassion and gives encouragement about the touch of faith. Even people with loathsome leprosy could come into His presence, find access, and be healed, for He turned no one away. His healing of one who had lost all hope of recovery, sinful and helpless, proved that He does not refuse to heal even when disease follows a sinful life.

That hope was given to the helpless, encouraging the paralytic at Capernaum in the same hopeless condition to believe he too might be cured if he could be carried to the Saviour. It also gave hope to his friends that Jesus might relieve him. The missionary who relieves physical suffering leads the sinner to Jesus for that soul cleansing, and God speaks and comforts the sick, the unfortunate and those possessed of evil spirits through human servants.