It seems that Jesus did not always want the fame of the healings He performed to spread throughout Palestine. Sometimes He works a miracle in such a way that the healing itself becomes a testimony to everyone who saw it, but at other times Jesus...
It seems that Jesus did not always want the fame of the healings He performed to spread throughout Palestine. Sometimes He works a miracle in such a way that the healing itself becomes a testimony to everyone who saw it, but at other times Jesus heals almost unnoticed, insofar as this is possible.
Moreover, He insists on strict observance of the prescriptions of the Torah, which requires anyone healed of leprosy to go to the priests so that they may attest that the disease has truly gone. This might seem an obviously excessive precaution: Jesus, after all, knows perfectly well whom He has healed, just as He knows that the disease has indeed disappeared. The man who has been healed is also certain of it. He certainly needs no other testimony; he trusts Jesus completely. He trusts Him so much that he is ready to go and tell everyone about Him, about the One who healed him. Jesus, on the contrary, stops him and directs this zeal for preaching into more traditional and restrained religious channels. What for? Why?
The simplest answer might be the one usually given: Jesus does not want to be regarded as the Messiah; He does not seek the fame that miracles and healings inevitably brought Him. In fact, throughout His earthly ministry Jesus never wanted to be a public figure, and if He nevertheless became one, it was only in those places and at those times when there was no possible alternative.
The proclamation had to be public, but every possible association that might arise in the popular religious consciousness had to be avoided as far as possible. This was not only because such associations were false, but also because they were by no means spiritually beneficial to the people themselves, nor to the man who had been healed and was ready to run and bear witness. In reality, he had not yet had any opportunity to come to know Jesus at all; he had not yet understood what this Man had brought into the world. For the moment he had nothing to testify to except one healing.
What can such a person tell? About a new miracle-worker, famous for healing every disease with a single movement of His hand? This is true, but such testimony can hardly be considered adequate to the mission entrusted to Jesus by His Father. Ordinary restraint within traditional bounds is better than such testimony. At least it leaves time to become aware of what has happened and to reflect on it, which certainly cannot be said of a turbulent, emotional but superficial proclamation.
7
7:1 Let us cleanse ourselves - This is the latter part of the exhortation, which was proposed, Co2 6:1, and resumed, Co2 6:14. From all pollution of the flesh - All outward sin.And of the spirit - All inward. Yet let us not rest in negative religion, but perfect holiness - Carrying it to the height in all its branches, and enduring to the end in the loving fear of God, the sure foundation of all holiness.
7:2 Receive us - The sum of what is said in this, as well as in the tenth and following chapters. We have hurt no man - In his person.We have corrupted no man - In his principles. We have defrauded no man - Of his property. In this he intimates likewise the good he had done them, but with the utmost modesty, as it were not looking upon it.
7:3 I speak not to condemn you - Not as if I accused you of laying this to my charge. I am so far from thinking so unkindly of you, that ye are in our hearts, to live and die with you - That is, I could rejoice to spend all my days with you.
7:4 I am filled with comfort - Of this he treats, Co2 7:6, etc ; of his joy, Co2 7:7, etc ; of both, Co2 7:13.
7:5 Our flesh - That is, we ourselves. Had no rest from without - From the heathens. Were fightings - Furious and cruel oppositions. From within - From our brethren. Were fears - Lest they should be seduced.
7:7 Your earnest desire - To rectify what had been amiss.Your grief - For what had offended God, and troubled me.
7:8 I did repent - That is, I felt a tender sorrow for having grieved you, till I saw the happy effect of it.
7:10 The sorrow of the world - Sorrow that arises from worldly considerations. Worketh death - Naturally tends to work or occasion death, temporal, spiritual, and eternal.