By stretching out His hand and touching the leper, Jesus was doing the unthinkable ( Leviticus 13). He probably did this to express His compassion for the man as well as to identify Himself beyond doubt as the source of his healing (cf. Exodus 4:4; Exodus 6:6; Exodus 14:16; Exodus 15:12; Jeremiah 17:5; Acts 4:30). Jesus" words offered him reassurance (cf. Luke 5:10). Jesus" authority extended to power over disease and ceremonial uncleanness. Doctor Luke again noted an immediate cure (cf. Luke 4:35; Luke 4:39). [source][source][source]
"The most significant lesson from the cleansing of the leper story is that even outsiders can experience God"s healing grace." [1][source]
Context Summary
Luke 5:12-26 - Cleansing, Power And Pardon
Jesus did not hesitate to touch the leper, because He could no more be polluted by uncleanness than could a ray of light by passing through a fetid atmosphere. The question is never in can or will, as applied to Christ, but whether we will trust Him and can believe.
The Mosaic offering was a pair of birds, one of which was killed over running water; while the other, having been dipped into this mingled blood and water, was freed to fly away in its native air. Is not this the meet emblem of the forgiven and cleansed soul? See Leviticus 14:2-32.
At first the bed bore the paralytic, but after the power of Jesus had entered into him, he bore the bed. So Jesus pours His energy into our anemic natures, and we master what had mastered us. The miracle in the physical sphere, which men could test, approved His power in the realm of the spiritual, where only the forgiven one could actually know.
Do not forget to withdraw from the crowd, however eager it is, that you may pray, Luke 5:16. [source]
Chapter Summary: Luke 5
1Jesus teaches the people out of Peter's ship; 4shows how he will make them fishers of men; 12cleanses the leper; 16prays in the desert; 17heals a paralytic; 27calls Matthew the tax collector; 29eats with sinners, as being the physician of souls; 33foretells the fasting and afflictions of the apostles after his ascension; 36and illustrates the matter by the parable of patches
Be thou clean [καθαρίσθητι] Rev., more accurately, gives the force of the passive voice, be thou made clean. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 5:13
Luke 5:12Full of leprosy [πληρης λεπρας] Mark 1:40 and Matthew 8:2 have simply “a leper.” Evidently a bad case full of sores and far advanced as Luke the physician notes. The law (Leviticus 13:12.) curiously treated advanced cases as less unclean than the earlier stages.Fell on his face (πεσων επι προσωπον pesōn epi prosōpon). Second aorist active participle of πιπτω piptō common verb. Mark 1:40 has “kneeling” (γονυπετων gonupetōn) and Matthew 8:2 “worshipped” (προσεκυνει prosekunei). All three attitudes were possible one after the other. All three Synoptics quote the identical language of the leper and the identical answer of Jesus. His condition of the third class turned on the “will” (τεληις thelēis) of Jesus who at once asserts his will (τηλω thēlō) and cleanses him. All three likewise mention the touch (ηπσατο hēpsato Luke 5:13) of Christ‘s hand on the unclean leper and the instantaneous cure. [source]
Luke 5:12Fell on his face [πεσων επι προσωπον] Second aorist active participle of πιπτω piptō common verb. Mark 1:40 has “kneeling” All three attitudes were possible one after the other. All three Synoptics quote the identical language of the leper and the identical answer of Jesus. His condition of the third class turned on the “will” (τεληις thelēis) of Jesus who at once asserts his will (τηλω thēlō) and cleanses him. All three likewise mention the touch (ηπσατο hēpsato Luke 5:13) of Christ‘s hand on the unclean leper and the instantaneous cure. [source]
What do the individual words in Luke 5:13 mean?
Andhaving stretched outthehandHe touchedhimsayingI am willingbe you cleansedimmediatelytheleprosydepartedfrom
Greek Commentary for Luke 5:13
See on Matthew 1:19. [source]
Rev., more accurately, gives the force of the passive voice, be thou made clean. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 5:13
Mark 1:40 and Matthew 8:2 have simply “a leper.” Evidently a bad case full of sores and far advanced as Luke the physician notes. The law (Leviticus 13:12.) curiously treated advanced cases as less unclean than the earlier stages.Fell on his face (πεσων επι προσωπον pesōn epi prosōpon). Second aorist active participle of πιπτω piptō common verb. Mark 1:40 has “kneeling” (γονυπετων gonupetōn) and Matthew 8:2 “worshipped” (προσεκυνει prosekunei). All three attitudes were possible one after the other. All three Synoptics quote the identical language of the leper and the identical answer of Jesus. His condition of the third class turned on the “will” (τεληις thelēis) of Jesus who at once asserts his will (τηλω thēlō) and cleanses him. All three likewise mention the touch (ηπσατο hēpsato Luke 5:13) of Christ‘s hand on the unclean leper and the instantaneous cure. [source]
Second aorist active participle of πιπτω piptō common verb. Mark 1:40 has “kneeling” All three attitudes were possible one after the other. All three Synoptics quote the identical language of the leper and the identical answer of Jesus. His condition of the third class turned on the “will” (τεληις thelēis) of Jesus who at once asserts his will (τηλω thēlō) and cleanses him. All three likewise mention the touch (ηπσατο hēpsato Luke 5:13) of Christ‘s hand on the unclean leper and the instantaneous cure. [source]