When God Says …
“And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” (Luke 5:14 KJV).
After healing the man with leprosy, the Lord Jesus gave him two instructions. First, He forbid the man to tell anyone about the miracle. This seems surprising-why the Lord wouldn’t want others to know about such an incredible healing? The reason is bound in His’ purpose. He wasn’t just performing miracles for attention or fame. His miracles are signs from heaven for those who seek Him to see. His mission was to reveal God’s kingdom, and He doesn't want being profiled merely as a miracle worker. Publicity distracts from His teaching, and cause unnecessary obstacles to the fullness of His mission.
Second, the Lord Jesus tells the man to show himself to the priest and offer the sacrifices prescribed in the Law of Moses (Leviticus 14). According to Jewish law, a person healed from leprosy had to be examined by a priest to certify the healing. This was not an added rule be the religious priests. This was a crucial step to normalcy of living prescribed by Mosaic law. It allowed the healed person to be officially restored to his family, community, and to their worship congregation and social life. He wanted the man to follow the proper steps, not just for his own benefit, but as a testimony to the religious leaders that something miraculous had happened.
Historically, in the first-century Jewish society, leprosy wasn’t just viewed as a physical disease. It was a condition that made a person ritually unclean. According to the Law of Moses, someone with leprosy had to live outside the community and was cut off from family, social life and prayer assembly. They are exiled to live in the camp of lepers. When some believed they had been healed, they had to go through a thorough examination by a priest and perform specific rituals involving sacrifices (Leviticus 14:1-32) to be officially declared clean.
The Lord’s instruction to follow this process affirms His respect of the Mosaic Law. He came to fulfill the law for us! He didn’t come to abolish the law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). By sending the man to the priest, He demonstrates that His miracles are in harmony with God’s established law and that His mission is part of God’s greater redemptive plan.
The command to “not tell anyone” reflects the Lord’s concern about how His miracles could be misunderstood. If people saw Him only as a healer, they might miss His greater purpose: to bring spiritual salvation and the kingdom of God to the world. The Lord Jesus declares, as it is written: “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”” (Mark 1:14-15 ESV).
And I say, AMEN!
Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries
When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
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