Luke 5:12-16
Chapter 5
12
One day, in a different town, a man came to Jesus covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, the man bowed down to the ground and said:
“Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.”
13
Stretching out his hand, Jesus touched the man and said:
“Yes, I want to. Be clean.”
In an instant, the leprosy left him.
14
Then Jesus instructed him:
“Tell this to no one. But go and show yourself to the priest. Make an offering for your healing as Moses prescribed; that will serve as evidence for them.”
15
But the news about Jesus spread even more; large crowds gathered around him to listen and be healed of their illnesses.
16
As for Jesus, he often withdrew to solitary places to pray.
Commentaries
Cure of a Leper.
Jesus’ words and actions save the excluded, the marginalized, and bring them back into the community. In the new community, there can be no marginalized or excluded individuals, or it would go against Jesus’ mission, which is to rescue and restore everyone. Verse 16 shows us a Jesus who stays true to his decision not to turn his mission into an exalted messianism; despite his fame and the crowds that surround him, he withdraws to quiet places to pray.