The healing of the leper is thick with deep truths!
verse 3 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
verse 4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.
And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him: The touching happens before Jesus speaks. This is the gospel. God reaches out. He enters the man’s life where he is at. A holy God touches sinners, outcasts, the lonely, the hurting, and the down and out. Jesus does not have to touch the man. But He does. This is our God!
Jesus violates the law in touching the man. Jesus is now unclean. This is like the cross, which was shameful and unholy, reserved for the worst of the worst sinner. Jesus takes upon Himself our sin and shame.
saying, “I will; be clean: Jesus says the words the man most needed to hear. Along with the touch, Jesus is saying , I am here for you. I truly want to do this. I will take care of you. You will be made well. You will no longer be unclean.” What Jesus did for the leper He does for our sin. He heals us!
and immediately his leprosy was cleansed: All the sores, all the wounds, all the ugliness of his leprosy disappeared in an instant. These kinds of miracles had to be stunning. It’s an act of creation to restore the man’s skin, and most likely parts of his body. This too is the gospel. As his leprosy disappeared, so do our sins when we ask for forgiveness.
See that you say nothing to anyone: This is humility and modesty. Jesus doesn’t use the miracle to draw crowds or prestige or power or popularity. Jesus is also being submissive to the Judaism, the law, and to the priests.
go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them: It’s been said Jesus didn’t storm Israel with power and might, be humbly and quietly one leper, one lame person, one demon-possessed person at a time. The priests had to decide on their own, the validity of Jesus and his miracles. This too is the gospel. God is proactively at work seeking to save the lost. Unaware, the priest will have the former leper land on their doorstep. They don’t see him coming, but they will have to spiritually process what they are seeing and hearing.
The Men's Bible Reading Idea 