12 And it happened when He was in a certain city,
that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his
face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me
clean.” 13 Then He
put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am
willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And He charged him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering
for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.” 15 However, the report went around concerning
Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed
by Him of their infirmities. 16 So
He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
Having healed the leprous man, Jesus now commands him to tell no one what He has just done for him, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.” (vs. 14) Jesus then was not wanting to make a public display of this man to the people of that city, rather Jesus wanted him to bear witness to the priest of it, that he had been healed of his leprosy by the hand of God! Therefore, Jesus tells him to go to him and show himself to him; because it would have been that very same priest who would’ve seen his leprosy at its worst and pronounced him unclean in the first place (see Lev. 13). And having known the man to be utterly unclean to see him now completely healed of it, and coming with the offering that Moses commanded to be offered if one was healed of their leprosy (something that did not often occur) would have completely marveled the priest as to how such a thing could’ve occurred to him so late in his leprosy. Jesus then would be a Man that the priests would now be aware of as doing some very incredible things, things that only God can do. Now though Jesus wanted the man to tell no one what had happened, the report of what Jesus had done went out all the more, and so with it, great multitudes came to hear (but not necessarily to hear Jesus) but to hear what had occurred, and to likewise be healed of their infirmities (vs. 15). And so it was because of the multitudes of people seeking that Jesus often withdrew inti the wilderness and prayed, for it was there away from crowds and noise and distractions that He could find Himself alone with His Father (vs. 16).
Scripture Quotations
New King James Version. (1982): Thomas Nelson
Commentary
Now as Jesus was
in a certain city there was a man there full of leprosy, (thus not just a mark,
or beginnings of leprosy and it sores, but the man was full of leprosy, and
thus he would have been an utter outcast in the greater community, not allowed
to come into contact, or the near presence of anyone, see Lev.13:45-46).
However, when this leprous man saw Jesus, he knew that Jesus was the Lord,
therefore he hastened to Him and he fell before Him with his face down to the
ground and implored Jesus to heal him, (even though in doing so he was risking
punishment by the community for coming into their presence when he was in that
very unclean state). Having then come to Jesus and having fallen before Him
with his face to the ground, the leprous man implores Jesus to heal him, saying
to Him, “Lord,
if You are willing, You can make me clean.” (Vs. 12) Notice that the man does
not presume upon Jesus to do anything for him, but rather he says to Him, “Lord
if you are willing, You can make me clean.” Thus, showing both contriteness,
and most importantly faith in Jesus’ ability to do this very thing for him. Now
with the leprous man’s request, Jesus puts out His hand and touches him and
says to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And
with that the man is immediately healed of his leprosy. Now the significance of
Jesus putting out His hand to touch this severely leprous man to heal him shows
not just a concern for this particular mans, physical and emotional wellbeing, but
for everyone who is likewise ceremonially defiled by the sin in their lives,
and thus are also outcasts to God’s Person and Presence and Community by it,
because in doing so Jesus is demonstrating not only His concern for him, but He is demonstrating His willingness and His
ability to heal and bring back even the most defiled sinner from the brink, and
restore us all to healed and holy state again with God! Having healed the leprous man, Jesus now commands him to tell no one what He has just done for him, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.” (vs. 14) Jesus then was not wanting to make a public display of this man to the people of that city, rather Jesus wanted him to bear witness to the priest of it, that he had been healed of his leprosy by the hand of God! Therefore, Jesus tells him to go to him and show himself to him; because it would have been that very same priest who would’ve seen his leprosy at its worst and pronounced him unclean in the first place (see Lev. 13). And having known the man to be utterly unclean to see him now completely healed of it, and coming with the offering that Moses commanded to be offered if one was healed of their leprosy (something that did not often occur) would have completely marveled the priest as to how such a thing could’ve occurred to him so late in his leprosy. Jesus then would be a Man that the priests would now be aware of as doing some very incredible things, things that only God can do. Now though Jesus wanted the man to tell no one what had happened, the report of what Jesus had done went out all the more, and so with it, great multitudes came to hear (but not necessarily to hear Jesus) but to hear what had occurred, and to likewise be healed of their infirmities (vs. 15). And so it was because of the multitudes of people seeking that Jesus often withdrew inti the wilderness and prayed, for it was there away from crowds and noise and distractions that He could find Himself alone with His Father (vs. 16).
Scripture Quotations
New King James Version. (1982): Thomas Nelson
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