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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2:17 Here he begins to treat of the latter clause of Php 1:22.Yea, and if I be offered - Literally, If I be poured out.Upon the sacrifice of your faith - The Philippians, as the other converted heathens, were a sacrifice to God through St. Paul's ministry, Rom 15:16. And as in sacrificing, wine was poured at the foot of the altar, so he was willing that his blood should be poured out. The expression well agrees with that kind of martyrdom by which he was afterwards offered up to God.
2:18 Congratulate me - When I am offered up.
2:19 When I know - Upon my return, that ye stand steadfast.
2:20 I have none - Of those who are now with me.
2:21 For all - But Timotheus. Seek their own - Ease, safety, pleasure, or profit. Amazing! In that golden age of the church, could St. Paul throughly approve of one only, among all the labourers that were with him? Php 1:14, Php 1:17. And how many do we think can now approve themselves to God? Not the things of Jesus Christ - They who seek these alone, will sadly experience this. They will find few helpers likeminded with themselves, willing naked to follow a naked Master.
2:22 As a son with his father - He uses an elegant peculiarity of phrase, speaking partly as of a son, partly as of a fellowlabourer.