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The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Healing a Leper (Part Three)

Bible Study by Martin G. Collins

In the healing of the leper, Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand, touched him, and said, 'I am willing; be cleansed.' Through this act, the physical cleansing of the leper emerged from God's grace, power, and faithful word. Christ's love and mercy shone in His compassion and touch, demonstrating His tenderness and the immediacy of His power. His touch, though seen as defiling under older laws, revealed God's power as the leprosy was cleansed instantly upon contact. The Word of God played a vital role in this cleansing, actively present and essential in God's work. After the healing, Jesus strictly commanded the leper to say nothing to anyone, but to show himself to the priest and offer the required gift as a witness. Yet, the leper, in his zeal, spread the news, impeding Christ's work as crowds pursued Him, forcing Him to remain outside in deserted places.

The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Healing a Leper (Part Two)

Bible Study by Martin G. Collins

The leper who approached Jesus Christ was in a dire state due to his advanced disease, yet he sought out the unique, godly Man upon hearing His message of hope. With sincerity, the leper implored Him, overcoming the obstacles of the crowd and the horror of his condition to plead earnestly for resolution. His reverence was evident as he bowed before Him, worshipping and kneeling in humble honor, as recorded across the accounts. Demonstrating faithfulness, the leper expressed confidence in His power, submitting to His will with the words, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean," never doubting His ability to heal. In truthfulness, he openly confessed his uncleanness, asking to be cleansed, acknowledging the severity of his condition without minimization. Exhibiting wisdom, the leper chose the right Person for help, recognizing that only Christ could cleanse him, a decision reflecting true understanding. Jesus' compassionate response, "I will," and the immediate disappearance of the leprosy, restored the man to full health, affirming His readiness to heal.

The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Ten Lepers Healed

Bible Study by Martin G. Collins

During His journey from Galilee through Samaria to Jerusalem, Jesus encountered ten lepers as He entered a village. These lepers, nine Jews and one Samaritan, approached Him but kept their distance to avoid spreading their disease, appearing pitiful with ragged clothes, messy hair, slumped shoulders, and drooping heads. United by their shared suffering, they overlooked ethnic differences. Leprosy, a dreaded and incurable disease that disfigures and rots the body, required them to maintain a legal distance of 100 paces, illustrating the separation and contamination akin to sin, which starts small but grows to condemn the whole person to death. Responding to their plea, Jesus commanded them to go and show themselves to the priests. As they obeyed, they were cleansed of their leprosy. This cleansing, often termed as healing, marked the first blessing of obedience, purifying them from their unclean state. The second blessing was the cancellation of their social restrictions, granting them freedom to reunite with family, work, and associate freely, demonstrating that following God's instruction liberates rather than restricts. One of the healed lepers, upon seeing his healing, returned with a loud voice to glorify God, showing zeal and unashamed honor in public by falling at His feet in thanks. This act of returning required effort and sacrifice, emphasizing the completeness of his healing, as leprosy often affects the voice. Jesus then informed him that his faith had made him whole, bringing not only physical healing but also an added blessing of spiritual healing. This faith, which first sent him to Christ for healing, also brought him back to praise and thank Him, revealing that obedience to God's will leads to purposeful turns in life for our benefit and service to Him.

The Gift of a Leper

Article by Staff

Matthew recounts the story of a leper approaching Jesus amidst a great multitude, an act of faith demonstrating his belief that only Christ could cleanse him and grant him a fresh start. This leper, embodying humility, understood the profound abilities of Jesus, despite being completely defiled under Old Testament law, forced to live alone and warn others of his uncleanness. His condition, a slow and gruesome progression of disease deeply seated in bones and joints, marked by spots growing to cover the body and parts eventually falling off, left him in indescribable misery, facing a hopeless predicament without divine intervention. As the crowd parted, Jesus reached out to touch the leper, showcasing His willingness and power to heal. He commanded the leper to be cleansed, revealing God in action as the Eternal-Who-Heals, ensuring the leper's uncleanness did not transfer to Him initially. The cleansing required a price, ultimately paid through Jesus' actions, transforming the leper's state to one of purity and holiness. On the eighth day after initial rituals, the former leper and the priest offered specific offerings, including a trespass offering with blood and oil applied to the right ear, thumb, and big toe, symbolizing the cleansing and anointing of his hearing, works, and walk in life. These restored tools enabled him to hear and apply knowledge for an abundant life, reflecting how the effects of his condition had once cut him off from society and service to God and neighbor. Through Jesus Christ, the leper was restored, illustrating the power to overcome the deep-rooted effects of his ailment and return to fellowship with God and man.

Spiritual Leprosy in the End-Time Church

Sermonette by Bill Onisick

There are parallels in the purification ritual in Leviticus and our cleansing from sin, which we could compare to spiritual leprosy.