When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.—Matthew 8:1-3
I am including quotes from several commentators on the BLB here, because I tend to gloss over leprosy. I mean who wants to think about it. In order to understand this story, however, I think it is important to really try to identify with the plight of this leper. If we are honest, all of us have a tendency (rightly so) to not want to think about pain, isolation, rejection, sickness, suffering and death. We avoid it and tragically we avoid even the people who are facing it. The sick and dying are often, for all practical purposes, abandoned out of fear into the care of strangers, volunteers or medical personnel. Their loved ones that remain faithful are likewise also left alone during this time of great trial and need. The rejection and the isolation of the ancient leper was far worse and it was sanctioned by the religious authorities. Here are the quotes...
i. “Leprosy might begin with the loss of all sensation in some part of the body; the nerve trunks are affected; the muscles waste away; the tendons contract until the hands are like claws. There follows ulceration of the hands and feet. Then comes the progressive loss of fingers and toes, until in the end a whole hand or a whole foot may drop off. The duration of that kind of leprosy is anything from twenty to thirty years. It is a kind of terrible progressive death in which a man dies by inches.” (Barclay)
ii. According to Jewish law and customs, one had to keep 6 feet (2 meters) from a leper. If the wind was blowing toward a person from a leper, they had to keep 150 feet (45 meters) away. The only thing more defiling than contact with a leper was contact with a dead body.
iii. “In the middle ages, if a man became a leper, the priest donned his stole and took his crucifix, and brought the man into the church, and read the burial service over him. For all human purposes the man was dead.” (Barclay)
iv. For all these reasons, the condition of leprosy is a model of sin and its effects. It is a contagious, debilitating disease that corrupts its victim and makes him essentially dead while alive; and it followed that almost universally, society and religious people scorned lepers. Rabbis especially despised lepers, and saw them as people under the special judgment of God, deserving no pity or mercy.
v. In Jesus’ time, rabbis sometimes boasted about how badly they treated lepers. One bragged that he refused to buy even an egg on a street where he saw a leper; another boasted that he threw rocks at lepers upon seeing them.
With no hope of improvement and DESPITE all of the sanctioned isolation and rejection, this leper came to Jesus. He came to Him alone (who would take him) in desperation and in great need. He came to Him and he worshipped Him. Now if I am in desperate need and bring my heart to my God, worship is not and would not be my first go to...asking for healing might. But this leper humbly got on his knees to worship the One who was kind...the One who understood and cared for those rejected or forgotten by the world. He honored Him as the One, who if He was willing, could meet his impossible need. He came to Him, called Him Lord and worshipped Him saying, “Lord, if you are willing, You can make me clean.” He didn’t demand, He left his heart, his life and his fate in the hands of Jesus.
Oh Father! Would that I would do this in everything! How much simpler my life would be and oh, how blessed!
Mark 1:41 says when Jesus looked, He was moved with compassion. What was it like for the leper to look into the face of compassion itself. Even if Jesus chose not to heal him, how wonderful that we, like this leper can pour hearts out to our LordJesus who cares for us and gives us the grace to get through all He brings our way.
2Co 12:7-10 NKJV - 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You hold me by my right hand.
24 You will guide me with Your counsel,
And afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
26 My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.—Psalm 76:23-26
