Luke Week 13: Luke 5:12-16

Do you like to be Alone? What are the good and bad things about being alone?

When you hear the Term Leprosy what immediately comes to Mind?

Hansen’s disease (also known as leprosy) is an infection caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. These bacteria grow very slowly and it may take up to 20 years to develop signs of the infection.

The disease can affect the nerves, skin, eyes, and lining of the nose (nasal mucosa). The bacteria attack the nerves, which can become swollen under the skin. This can cause the affected areas to lose the ability to sense touch and pain, which can lead to injuries, like cuts and burns. Usually, the affected skin changes color and either becomes:

lighter or darker, often dry or flaky, with loss of feeling, orreddish due to inflammation of the skin.

If left untreated, the nerve damage can result in paralysis of hands and feet. In very advanced cases, the person may have multiple injuries due to lack of sensation, and eventually the body may reabsorb the affected digits over time, resulting in the apparent loss of toes and fingers. Corneal ulcers and blindness can also occur if facial nerves are affected. Other signs of advanced Hansen’s disease may include loss of eyebrows and saddle-nose deformity resulting from damage to the nasal septum.

Early diagnosis and treatment usually prevent disability that can result from the disease, and people with Hansen’s disease can continue to work and lead an active life. Once treatment is started, the person is no longer contagious. However, it is very important to finish the entire course of treatment as directed by the doctor.

Each year, about 150 people in the United States and 250,000 around the world get the illness. In the past, Hansen’s disease was feared as a highly contagious, devastating disease, but now we know that it’s hard to spread and it’s easily treatable once recognized. Still, a lot of stigma and prejudice remains about the disease, and those suffering from it are isolated and discriminated against in many places where the disease is seen. Continued commitment to fighting the stigma through education and improving access to treatment will lead to a world free of this completely treatable disease.

Read Luke 5:12-16

Luke 5:12–16 NIV

12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” 13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

When we read this passage we need to understand that the term “leprosy” is not always what we would define today as Hansen’s Disease. Leprosy can be a variety of skin afflictions. It comes with a lot of social and religious implications as well.

A leper had to walk around shouting Unclean Unclean as they went because they were both physically and ritually unclean. They lived in isolation and faced a lot of challenges in life.

Think back to our discussion of being alone. We all face times of being alone, some of us more than others.

For Lepers Isolation was incredibly difficult. They had to live outside the city. They could not see their family or really get close to anyone. Depending on the severity of the disease they were in physical pain and experiencing the psychological pain of isolation taken to the extreme.

It was not uncommon that lepers would come to hate themselves and enter into a state of despair because of their condition. In all sense of the word it was extreme isolation. No family, no friends, no contact with anyone, no church, no work, no even going to the mall and just being around people.

What are some afflictions or issues in our Culture that we treat like Leprosy?

It is hard because we are still guilty of treating people like the lepers were. Given no one has to run around shouting unclean but there are still people that many Christians don’t want to associate with this. This has created a divide for us in the world between the church and the world.

What did the Leper ask Jesus to do?

He asked him to make him clean. At first reading many might assume this means to heal him of his disease. However, the word that is used here fro cleanse, or purify is used in reference to spiritual impurities not necessarily physical impurities. The Man saw his affliction not only as physical but as a result of a deeper impurity.

While in the OT Leprosy was connected to sin (Num 12:1-16; 2 Sam 3:29; 2 Kgs 5:27; 2 Chr 26:19)

This wasn’t the case if the New Testament. It isn’t that it went away as much as it wasn’t the view or focus of record. These lines were blurred though and was still seen as a connection and the leper in this story saw those blurred lines.

Jesus healed him of both the spiritual impurities and the physical in this mans life even though that was not asked. This helps us see the humbleness of the man.

Why did Jesus tell him to go see the priest?

There was still an importance of the Ritual cleansing. He still needed to go through the normal prescribed routine for cleansing.

Barclay says “It is when human skill combines with God’s Grace that wonders happen”

It is a reminder that healing and cleansing happens still today. That healing and understanding of what healing is is not only a miraculous moment but can be shown and amplified in human hands. Think of cancer disappearing.

When Jesus healed this man What was the most powerful thing that he did?

He touched him.