Prayer-for-the-Sick: A Leper

The first mention of leprosy in the Bible is in Leviticus 13:2-3 [show] "When a person has on the skin of his body a swelling or an eruption or a spot, and it turns into a case of leprous disease on the skin of his body, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests, and the priest shall examine the diseased area on the skin of his body. And if the hair in the diseased area has turned white and the disease appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a case of leprous disease. When the priest has examined him, he shall pronounce him unclean. (ESV)
. The symtoms were to be examined by the priest and conduct for the leper was set forth in Leviticus 13:45 [show] "The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, 'Unclean, unclean.' (ESV)
. Throughout chapters 13 and 14 instructions are given for dealing with the disease, including ministering from the priest, cleansing, and burning of everthing that had been touched by the infection, and banishment from the camp. It was a dire matter of sanitation and not only prayer for the sick.

It is understandable then, that Elisha refused to receive Naaman when he appeared to seek healing, then refused to accept any of his goods after the miracle.  But hope sprang forth again in this case of  the leper with Jesus – Mark 1:40-45 [show] And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, "I will; be clean." And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them." But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter. (ESV)
. Note that Jesus respected the commands that remained to be met. He sent him to the priest.

Matthew Henry comments:

It teaches us to apply to the Savior with great humility, and with full submission to his will. . . without any doubt of Christ’s readiness to help the distressed. . . according to our faith it shall be to us. The poor leper said, ‘If thou wilt.’ Christ readily wills favors to those who readily refer themselves to his will. Christ would have nothing done that looked like seeking praise of the people. But no reasons now exist why we should hesitate to spread the praises of Christ.

In contrast to this, we find Jesus later at the home of one referred to as a leper (Mark 14:3 [show] And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. (ESV)
), undoubtedly healed by now. And in Luke 5:12-13 [show] While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean." And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." And immediately the leprosy left him. (ESV)
, Jesus actually touches the leper.

Also, it seems Jesus heals those who are simply in his presence. As he sends ten lepers to the priest to be examined for their healing – no touch, no word, Luke 17:12-19 [show] And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" And he said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well." (ESV)
says, as they went they were healed. Another case of faith and obedience.

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