Luke 5:12-15

     A leper saw Jesus and threw himself down before him, begging for help. Jesus reached out his hand and touched him. Jesus touched him. There is probably nothing that would match the shock of this statement for the original readers of Luke’s words. No one touched lepers, not voluntarily. They were considered unclean, the farthest end of unclean. People feared lepers, but also judged them as unfit for society.
     Any skin condition could be called leprosy. A wall, with mold or some other fungus might also be termed leprous and unclean. Since some skin conditions and disease did heal over time, there was a procedure and ritual by which a “leper” could be readmitted to society. Leprosy, such as we know it today, did not heal. Also known as Hansen’s disease, it was progressive, debilitating, painful and disfiguring. The causes were unknown and anyone suffering from it was shunned. To this day it carries a stigma; in Jesus’ lifetime, it was extreme. The leper who approached Jesus was most likely suffering from Hansen’s Disease.
      Lepers were loathsome, even to themselves. It must have taken tremendous faith in the power and personality of Jesus for this man to approach him and proclaim his faith in the ability of Jesus to cleanse him. Jesus was willing and the man was healed.
     Jesus told the man to tell no one. He was to show himself to the priest and bring the offering for the cleansing, according to the law, to show that he was cured.
     On a number of occasions, Jesus told people no to tell others about the healing (except for the appropriate priest on this occasion). As noted in another study, this probably seems strange in a time when publicity is craved and notoriety is often considered desirable. Why not get all the word-of-mouth advertising possible? Especially about miracles of healing that no one had ever been able to accomplish. Yet it’s plain that miracles did not always produce faith. The disciples, who saw more than anyone, still struggled and doubted. The compassion of Jesus led him to heal, yet his real mission has already been explained—to tell the good news of God. There were also charlatans who traveled the country-side promising healings they couldn’t deliver. Jesus certainly wouldn’t have wanted to be confused with any of these. He might also have been cautious about his central calling being lost in the reputation as a miracle worker.
      Despite his best efforts, Jesus was unable to keep a low profile. The word spread all the more. Crowds came to him to listen and to be healed. They sensed that he could make a genuine difference in their lives and in the life of the world.


Have you ever felt ‘unclean’ or otherwise unacceptable?
What kind of healing would you ask for from Jesus?
What difference do you believe Jesus can make in your life and that of the world?