The leper whose encounter with the Lord Jesus is recounted in today's passage from Luke's Gospel displays both boldness and humility. Under the law, he has no right not only to approach people, but even to...
The leper whose encounter with the Lord Jesus is recounted in today's passage from Luke's Gospel displays both boldness and humility. Under the law, he has no right not only to approach people, but even to enter settlements. Since leprosy is contagious, the law prescribed cutting off all contact between a leper and the rest of the world. Apart from the medical aspect, contact with a leper or even with his belongings was considered defilement, a source of ritual impurity. Yet he came into the town, despite the danger of being stoned, because meeting the Teacher from Nazareth was a matter of life and death for him. In essence, this was his only chance, his only hope, because no one knew how to cure leprosy; yet Israel's history knew of cases in which it had been healed through the prayers of prophets.
And so this leper makes his way through the town, trying not to attract attention, and finally reaches Jesus. Here there is no longer room for boldness: in the deepest possible act of reverence, he falls face down before Jesus and says, ‘If You will, You can make me clean.’ The precise meaning of the Greek phrase is ‘if You will, You have the power to make me clean.’ For this miraculous and incredible healing to take place, only Jesus' will, His desire, is needed—nothing more. In this way the leper confesses Jesus to be Someone greater than merely a teacher or a prophet: he confesses His omnipotence.
Apparently there were no witnesses to this scene other than the apostles; otherwise, a scandal would inevitably have broken out. The Saviour would have had to leave this little town in haste if any Pharisees had seen what He did: for any teacher, any rabbi, even speaking to a leper would have been defiling, and any Pharisee's first action would have been to drive him out of the town. That is precisely why the leper says ‘if You will’: he humbly acknowledges that his desperate action is unlawful. But Jesus bends down—the leper is still lying on the ground—and touches him with His hand! This gesture is a remarkably vivid icon of God's mercy. Like a drop of water, it reflects the whole revelation of the New Testament. And Jesus' words, so simple and ordinary in themselves, ‘I will; be clean’, sound at this moment like the commands of the Almighty in the first days of creation: ‘...for He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it came to be’ (Ps 33:9). And the leper's humility, trust and boldness become an image of our salvation.
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5:11 But if I still preach circumcision - As that troubler seems to have affirmed, probably taking occasion from his having circumcised Timothy.Why do I still suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased - The grand reason why the Jews were so offended at his preaching Christ crucified, and so bitterly persecuted him for it, was, that it implied the abolition of the law. Yet St. Paul did not condemn the conforming, out of condescension to the weakness of any one, even to the ceremonial law; but he did absolutely condemn those who taught it as necessary to justification.
5:12 I would they were even cut off - From your communion; cast out of your church, that thus trouble you.
5:13 Ye have been called to liberty - From sin and misery, as well as from the ceremonial law. Only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh - Take not occasion from hence to gratify corrupt nature. But by love serve one another - And hereby show that Christ has made you free.
5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself - inasmuch as none can do this without loving God, Jo1 4:12; and the love of God and man includes all perfection. Lev 19:18.
5:15 But if - On the contrary, in consequence of the divisions which those troublers have occasioned among you, ye bite one another by evil speaking. And devour one another - By railing and clamour. Take heed ye be not consumed one of another - By bitterness, strife, and contention, our health and strength, both of body and soul, are consumed, as well as our substance and reputation.
5:16 I say then - He now explains what he proposed, Gal 5:13.Walk by the Spirit - Follow his guidance in all things.And fulfil not - In anything.The desire of the flesh - Of corrupt nature.
5:17 For the flesh desireth against the Spirit - Nature desires what is quite contrary to the Spirit of God. But the Spirit against the flesh - - But the Holy Spirit on his part opposes your evil nature. These arecontrary to each other - The flesh and the Spirit; there can be no agreement between them. That ye may not do the things which ye would - - That, being thus strengthened by the Spirit, ye may not fulfil the desireof the flesh, as otherwise ye would do.
5:18 But if ye are led by the Spirit - Of liberty and love, into all holiness. Ye are not under the law - Not under the curse or bondage of it; not under the guilt or the power of sin.
5:19 Now the works of the flesh - By which that inward principle is discovered. Are manifest - Plain and undeniable. Works are mentioned in the plural because they are distinct from, and often inconsistent with, each other. But "the fruit of the Spirit" is mentioned in the singular, Gal 5:22, as being all consistent and connected together.Which are these - He enumerates those "works of the flesh" to which the Galatians were most inclined; and those parts of "the fruit of the Spirit" of which they stood in the greatest need. Lasciviousness - The Greek word means anything inward or outward that is contrary to chastity, and yet short of actual uncleanness.
5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft - That this means witchcraft, strictly speaking, (not poisoning,) appears from its being joined with the worship of devil - gods, and not with murder. This is frequently and solemnly forbidden in the Old Testament. To deny therefore that there is, or ever was, any such thing, is, by plain consequence, to deny the authority both of the Old and New Testament. Divisions - In domestic or civil matters.Heresies are divisions in religious communities.
5:21 Revellings - Luxurious entertainments. Some of the works here mentioned are wrought principally, if not entirely, in the mind; and yet they are called "works of the flesh." Hence it is clear, the apostle does not by "the flesh" mean the body, or sensual appetites and inclinations only, but the corruption of human nature, as it spreads through all the powers of the soul, as well as all the members of the body. Of which I tell you before - Before the event, I forewarn you.