Day 13, The Case for Christ, Luke 5:12-26

Today’s passage records two miracles that are filled with the message of Jesus.  In the healing of the leper Jesus reminds us (and the cleansed man) that the Law included instructions about leprosy.  That disease is an amazing picture of sin.

·        Leprosy is for the most part hereditary.

·        Leprosy begins from deep within the body, often in the system for 3-12 years before showing itself.

·        The first visible signs of leprosy are often minute, not easily detected.

·        Leprosy is gradual in its development.

·        Leprosy is an exceedingly loathsome and offensive disease.

·        Leprosy isolated a person from the rest of society (as if condemned).

·        Leprosy had no known earthly cure.

·        Cleansing for leprosy must come from within, and be total.

The cleansing itself is a picture of Jesus’ ministry.  The words means to purify, to prepare an object for use in worship.  We can only clean the outside of the cup (Lk. 11:39); Jesus can cleanse the inside (cf. Heb. 9:14; 1 John 1:7-9); and He is willing!  Jesus will always receive those the Father gives to Him; he will never cast them out (John 6:37).  His love for the sinner is seen in His willingness to touch the leper.  He did not have to do that, something others would never do; He could have just commanded the disease to leave.

The paralytic presents another disease that illustrates the strong hold sin has on our lives.  It is a debilitating disease, rendering a person powerless to care for himself, as is seen in the men whose faith drove them to take their friend to Jesus.  (Cf. Rm. 7:18-24; 8:7-8; Ep. 2:1-3 on our inability to overcome sins effect in our lives.  If you read on in those passages, Rm. 7:25-8:4; 8:9-11 and Ep. 2:4-5, you will see that, like the paralytic, our healing is bound up in Jesus’ ministry.)

Jesus makes the connection between physical and spiritual healing when He did not simply tell the men to be healed but first said, Man, your sins are forgiven you.  The reason He did this may be because of the presence of leaders of Israel (v17), although everyone needs His object lesson: forgiveness without healing is a good day; healing without forgiveness is a sad day.  

Jesus healed the man.  The leaders understood correctly that only God could forgive sins.  Thus Jesus presented Himself God in the flesh!  The response of the crowd indicated they at least understood they were in the presence of greatness; they were amazed and glorified God; and they were filled with fear.  

Remember: when something fills you it controls you.  What did this fear do for these people?  Did it lead them to fall on their knees before Christ?  Or did it lead them to find a reason to reject Him?  They made a choice.  We must make a choice.  We were not there that day, but we have read the story.  We must answer: who is this Man?