The Healing of a Leper (Luke 5:12-16)

The two stories following the call of Peter reflect Jesus’s authority over sickness and sin and continue to show that Jesus’s ministry is the fulfillment of the passage that Jesus read in the synagogue.

First, Jesus is approached by a leper. This brief story of five verses has many astounding elements.

Lepers in Jesus day were something similar to the picture we have of zombies in today’s popular culture. They didn’t go around eating people, but they were highly contagious and had to inspire fear. Their condition has been described as “living death.” They were ostracized and excluded from society, for fear of their sickness. That sickness was also seen as more than a natural thing. It was “uncleanness.” It had a spiritual dimension, or at the least it was a metaphor for sin.

So, when this leper approaches Jesus, it must have caused a stir. He does not boldly come to Jesus. He is aware that he is breaching more than social protocol. His approach towards healthy people breaks the law. He asks Jesus if He is willing to heal him. Jesus’s response is more than an affirmation. Jesus touches the leper! This is not just a faux pas. It is an additional disregard for the law, and a huge personal risk. Jesus is willing to heal. Jesus is compassionate and loving. Jesus acknowledges the man’s humanity.

Not only that, but his touch heals the man.

Jesus commands the man to fulfill the law’s requirements and to present himself to the priests to be declared clean. He also commands the man to remain silent. The crowds hear of the miracle anyway and Jesus’s fame grows even more.

Despite all of this, Jesus seeks to withdrawal. He is not seeking fame or renown.