Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 5:12-26 "THE FULFILMENT OF PROPHECY"
Day 59 – Luke 5
Text: Luke 5:12-26
THE FULFILMENT OF PROPHECY
As we study the Gospels, we will come across many instances when the Lord Jesus healed people. Why were separate incidents recorded? Luke had already noted that the Lord Jesus healed many people. Why then the attention given to specific instances?
Once again, we must remember the “authorial intention” of Luke when he wrote his Gospel narrative. His purpose was clear. He wanted to present Jesus in His fullness. From His inception, Luke recorded the announcement of the Angel Gabriel. Let’s recall what had been prophesied concerning the life and ministry of Jesus:-
1. “(You) shall call His name Jesus,
He will be great,
And will be called the Son of the Highest…” The Angel Gabriel, Luke 1:31-32
2. “He has visited and redeemed His people,
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us…” Zechariah, Luke 1:69
3. “My eyes have seen Your salvation (Saviour)…” Simeon, Luke 2:30
4. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives…” Luke 4:18 (Isaiah 61:1-2)
In Luke’s account of the life and ministry of Jesus, look out for the way in which Luke carefully notes how Jesus fulfilled all that had been prophesied of Him. In all that Jesus did, Luke sought to bring out the fact that he reveled in the “greatness” of Jesus. He also sought, and correctly so, to portray Him as “The Son of the Highest”, and to reveal Him as “Saviour”.
CAN WE “CLAIM” HEALING?
It is popular in some circles that we may “claim” healing from God. Is this true? Did the people who came to Jesus for healing claim that they have a right to be healed? Did Jesus heal the sick, because they suddenly realized that they had a claim on Jesus?
In this study of how a leper came to Jesus for healing, we find some very important clues as to how we ought to view healing. Let’s look at healing from the perspective of the leper.
“LORD, IF YOU ARE WILLING, YOU CAN MAKE ME CLEAN” Luke 5:12
Let us take a closer look at the text. Luke recorded carefully how the leper came to Jesus.
“A man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus;
and he fell on his face and implored Him…” Luke 5:12
The words and the act of the leper as he knelt before Jesus do not reveal a person who barged into the Presence of Jesus demanding his rights! His action and his words reveal a person who is conscious of his total unworthiness.
His approach was one of total and abject humility. He BEGGED Jesus for His help. He prostrated himself before Jesus!
We must take time to note the way he spoke to the Lord Jesus Christ:-
“Lord, (the same word that Peter used when he recognized who Jesus really was – Luke 5:8) if You are willing, You can make me clean…” Luke 5:12
The language used by the leper is most significant! The “if” word that he used was not one of arrogance. He was not expressing any sense of certainty that Jesus would heal him at all. He laid NO CLAIM at all on the Lord Jesus! He knew that if Jesus wished, He could heal him from his leprosy! However, he knew that he had NO RIGHTS to claim anything from Jesus at all!
“I AM WILLING… ” Luke 5:13-14
Was the need of the man any less met when he approached Jesus on his knees? Jesus saw his needs, and tenderly He reached forth His hand to touch the leper. He could have just said a word, and the leper would have been instantly made clean. Instead, He touched the leper and did something more than just heal him of his dreaded disease. He gave him a touch. A human touch was something that lepers would not experience the moment they are confirmed to have leprosy. They are shunned by society. Their own family members would turn them away. They are condemned to live in lepers’ colonies, until they die, unloved and untouched by “normal” human beings. What did the touch of Jesus mean to the leper that day?
A RETURN TO NORMAL LIFE
Before a leper can be readmitted to the mainstream of life, he must satisfy strict Levitical medical standards. Was he really healed? He must show himself to the Priests in the Temple. He must be thoroughly examined before his claim to a miracle healing can be certified true! He would also have to honour Levitical laws concerning “an offering for cleansing” (Luke 5:14) then would he be able to return to normal life.
This was a miracle worth recording from the standpoint of Luke as a physician. He knew of no known cure for this dreaded disease in his time. This would be a true miracle. The medical examination by authorities would confirm that a true miracle had indeed taken place.
“HE CHARGED HIM TO TELL NO ONE…” Luke 5:14
That the healing ministry was only a secondary ministry is confirmed when Jesus strictly told the leper that he was not to tell people about his healing. The primary ministry of Jesus was not to heal, but to “proclaim the Gospel” (Luke 4:18).