Leprosy - Exclusion

This passage in Luke’s gospel is about Jesus healing a leper. Leprosy in the bible seems to cover a range of skin diseases that are potentially contagious and deadly. It is not necessarily linked to the disease we term leprosy today. The Old Testament law of Israel includes a process of quarantine. Although this is a rational approach the effect on the person is to be isolated, separated from society, family and friends, kept on the outside.

The positive element in the law is the inclusion of a cleansing process when someone has recovered and can enter society again, giving hope.

Leprosy becomes an illustration of sin, being unclean, separation from God's society is equated to separation from God. Miriam's sin results in her leprosy. King Uzziah's leprosy is another example of judgment because of sin. There was an unfair and unjustified leap at that time to assume that all lepers were therefore sinners and the well were not.

Luke deliberately places this passage here. Following Jesus' declaration to preach the Kingdom of God, Luke writes about a number of encounters as illustrations. The Kingdom of God is about people. Who are the people making up this kingdom? The first mentioned is Simon Peter, an example of a disciple. The next is the leper mentioned in this passage, someone seemingly excluded from God's kingdom when reading the Old Testament law.

Luke has already referred to Jesus mentioning leprosy. When the people from Nazareth where he grew up wanted him for themselves, thinking that as the people of Israel they were God's kingdom, Jesus counters this by referring to an episode where God favours one of their enemies who additionally was a leper. Clearly a sinner!

The passage Jesus mentions is the cleansing of Naaman, the captain of the enemies army, through Elisha. The link with sin is also there. The greed of Elisha's servant Gehazi results in his leprosy. Another passage in Elisha's time is recorded where the outcast and desperate lepers are the first to enjoy the rewards of God's victory.

There are a number of similarities between the leper's story and Peter's. The leper believed that Jesus could heal him and requested his help, as Peter had done about his mother-in-law’s sickness. He fell at his feet in worship, like Peter. He also showed amazing resolve and boldness. As a leper, he should not have been there at all. (For Peter’s story see Disciple Example 1).

As he was doing continually where he went, Jesus healed the leper. However, there is more that Luke is bringing to our attention here.

It turns the law on its head. Jesus touches the leper. By law, he then becomes unclean as well. Instead, by touching him he transmits his own cleanness into the leper. Jesus transcends the law by this action. Something greater is happening. Interestingly, he tells the leper to follow the law’s requirements and go to the priest to get signed off from being excluded. He is told to do this and not to tell everyone else about the miracle. Jesus was wanting those entrusted with the law to understand that God was fulfilling the law in their midst.

The link of leprosy with sin, because of the exclusion it causes, is a prelude to the next healing encounter. Jesus heals a paralysed man and says his sins are forgiven. Jesus is removing any barrier for people who want to be part of his new humanity, the Kingdom of God. Leprosy here represents anything that results in exclusion, being outside, separated from society. Jesus comes to bring release from anything that excludes.