Luk 5:13 | KingComments | STEP | Acknowledgment of sins, as we have seen with Peter in the previous history, is not enough. It is the first necessary step, but it must be followed by something else. There must also be knowledge of cleansing. We learn this in the healing of the leper. Therefore, the first thing the disciples experience in following the Lord is the encounter with “a man covered with leprosy”. Leprosy is a picture of the sins in which man lives. The man is covered with leprosy. He has come to the point that there is nothing clean on him. In this condition he can be declared clean ( ). In the picture he is the sinner who no longer seeks excuse for his sins. He acknowledges that he is hopelessly lost. The only thing he can hope for is the Lord’s grace. The law can only diagnose leprosy and set the conditions for someone who has been cleansed of leprosy. It is impossible for the law to cleanse a leper from his leprosy. That is the great power of grace that is present in Christ. When the leper sees Him, he falls on his face and begs Him to make him clean. The leper is convinced that the Lord can do it, but he does not know if He is willing to do it. The man does not appeal to His grace in vain. The Lord touches him and speaks with Divine authority: “I am willing; be cleansed.” On this command the leprosy immediately leaves him. Here grace works cleansing, as first with Peter the conviction of sin ( ). Thus, the Lord is able to solve the problem of sins in the life of every human being and to cleanse him of his sins. Therefore He has accomplished the work on the cross. In the offering the man has to make for his cleansing, he gives testimony of this. He may not give publicity to his healing. However, the Lord wants a testimony of cleansing to be given to the religious leaders. Therefore He sends the man to the priests. The priests will have to acknowledge what happened to the leper. In so doing, they will have to acknowledge the intervention of God, that is to say, that the Lord Jesus is God. After all, who can cleanse leprosy but God alone ( )? In the offering the man has to make, he also honors God for the cleansing. The healing of the leper will not have gone unnoticed. Anyone who knew him will have seen him healed. As a result, the Lord is spoken of in an ever wider environment. Many want to hear Him and be healed by Him of their diseases. Grace attracts people. Grace also flows generously from Him. The Lord, as the dependent Man, also takes time for fellowship with God in prayer. To do so, He withdraws into loneliness. After that, He will serve man again.

‏ Luke 5:13

Cleansing of a Leper

Acknowledgment of sins, as we have seen with Peter in the previous history, is not enough. It is the first necessary step, but it must be followed by something else. There must also be knowledge of cleansing. We learn this in the healing of the leper. Therefore, the first thing the disciples experience in following the Lord is the encounter with “a man covered with leprosy”. Leprosy is a picture of the sins in which man lives. The man is covered with leprosy. He has come to the point that there is nothing clean on him. In this condition he can be declared clean (Lev 13:12-13).

In the picture he is the sinner who no longer seeks excuse for his sins. He acknowledges that he is hopelessly lost. The only thing he can hope for is the Lord’s grace. The law can only diagnose leprosy and set the conditions for someone who has been cleansed of leprosy. It is impossible for the law to cleanse a leper from his leprosy. That is the great power of grace that is present in Christ.

When the leper sees Him, he falls on his face and begs Him to make him clean. The leper is convinced that the Lord can do it, but he does not know if He is willing to do it. The man does not appeal to His grace in vain. The Lord touches him and speaks with Divine authority: “I am willing; be cleansed.” On this command the leprosy immediately leaves him. Here grace works cleansing, as first with Peter the conviction of sin (Lk 5:8). Thus, the Lord is able to solve the problem of sins in the life of every human being and to cleanse him of his sins. Therefore He has accomplished the work on the cross.

In the offering the man has to make for his cleansing, he gives testimony of this. He may not give publicity to his healing. However, the Lord wants a testimony of cleansing to be given to the religious leaders. Therefore He sends the man to the priests. The priests will have to acknowledge what happened to the leper. In so doing, they will have to acknowledge the intervention of God, that is to say, that the Lord Jesus is God. After all, who can cleanse leprosy but God alone (2Kgs 5:7)? In the offering the man has to make, he also honors God for the cleansing.

The healing of the leper will not have gone unnoticed. Anyone who knew him will have seen him healed. As a result, the Lord is spoken of in an ever wider environment. Many want to hear Him and be healed by Him of their diseases. Grace attracts people. Grace also flows generously from Him.

The Lord, as the dependent Man, also takes time for fellowship with God in prayer. To do so, He withdraws into loneliness. After that, He will serve man again.