I am willing; be cleansed

 

 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 

When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him.  And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed."  Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.  And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go your way, who yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

 

- Matthew 7:28-8:4 

 

In our recent readings, we have been going through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7).  Yesterday we read Christ's final words in the Sermon: "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'  And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'  Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.  But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell.  And great was its fall."   

 

  And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.  These sayings refers to the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7), which Jesus has just completed, and which we have gone through in our recent readings (starting with the Beatitudes, in this reading).  Let us note a repeated theme in the Gospels, that the people are astonished at His teaching, because He teaches as one having authority.  This differs from the scribes who would speak by citing famous rabbis; but Christ (as representing His identity as Lord) speaks from His own authority.

When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him.  And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed."  Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.  And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go your way, who yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."  Here is Christ's first encounter following the Sermon on the Mount.  Let us note how it is concerned with the Law.  My study Bible points out that the biblical law concerning leprosy is found in Leviticus 13; 14.  Deuteronomy 24:8 describes the purification of lepers and leprous houses.  This was a duty which was entrusted to the priests.  My study Bible adds that leprosy was considered to be a direct punishment for sins, and as lepers were unclean, they weren't allowed to live in the community, or to worship in synagogues or the temple.  To touch the unclean was forbidden in the Law (Leviticus 7:21), but Jesus touched the leper.  This shows His compassion, and also that He is not subject to the Law but over it -- another indication that He is Lord, the Lawgiver.  To the clean, my stud Bible notes, nothing is unclean (see also Romans 14:14). 

Immediately after giving the Sermon on the Mount, Christ's "sayings" as He has called them in yesterday's reading (above), Jesus immediately expresses the authority which so astonishes the people.  In being asked to be healed by the leper, we're given many elements in today's reading that tell us about Jesus, and they tell us about God.  First of all, Jesus identity as Lord and Lawgiver is expressed in His response.  That He can touch the leper, although touching those considered unclean was forbidden in the Law, expresses that He is the Giver of the Law, He has that authority witnessed by His hearers in the Sermon on the Mount.  But Christ's violation of the Law -- or perhaps the new Law expressed by His touch -- does not come from a stern declaration or a powerful command.  It comes purely from compassion, and it is in the aim of healing.  Of course the Law given to Moses was made with the same aim, for community and for healing in God's perspective of what that means, and through compassion -- and all of this has to do with salvation in God's sight.  So this is one example of how Christ is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, as He declared in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:17).  What we observe is that through the way He lives, Christ will make His identity known.  So that we understand truly that He is the fulfillment of the Law (and not its destroyer), Jesus gives the command to follow the Law: 
"See that you tell no one; but go your way, who yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."  In John's Gospel, Jesus tells Philip, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9), and today's reading is just one example showing us that is true.  Salvation comes to the leper, one in the unclean state associated with sin in the Old Testament.  Christ is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, the fullness of God's salvation plan for us and for the life of the world.  His authority to do so is contained in a simple statement, "I am willing; be cleansed."

We have seen strange things today!

 

Byzantine fresco, Platytera Ton Ouranon, "More spacious than the heavens," 14th cent.  St. Demetrius Church, Patriarchate of Pec, Serbia

 And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed."  Immediately the leprosy left him.  And He charged him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.  However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.  So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem.  And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.  Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.  And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.  When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."  And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?"  But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" -- He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."  Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.  And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!"

 

- Luke 5:12-26 

 

 Yesterday we read that, so it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that Jesus stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.  Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land.  And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.  When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."  But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."  And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.  So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.  And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.  When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.  And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid.  From now on you will catch men."  So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

 

  And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."  My study Bible explains that leprosy was one of the most dreaded diseases of Jesus' time.  It brought great physical suffering, as well as total banishment and isolation from society.  So, the person would be cast out from community.  It is also a symbol of our sin.

Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed."  Immediately the leprosy left him.  And He charged him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded."   The priests were in charge of the care of lepers and leprous houses, including issuing a certificate of cleansing, so that the people could again participate in community (see Leviticus 13, 14).  My study Bible cites St. Cyril of Alexandria, who comments that Jesus gave the command to show yourself to the priest in order to convince the priests by a tangible miracle that He is superior to Moses.  The priests hold Moses to be greater than Christ, yet Christ heals a leper immediately and with His own divine authority.  However, when Miriam was struck with leprosy, Moses had to seek mercy from above, and still she was only healed after seven days (Numbers 12:10-15).  

However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.  So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.  Let us note that even Christ needs regular time for withdrawal in solitude in order to pray.

Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem.  And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.   Here the text introduces us to members of the ruling establishment of the Jews, and they have come from all over Israel.  They will be witness to what happens, and are no doubt present to observe the ministry of Jesus, which by now is well-known.

 

 Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.  And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.  When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."   And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?"  But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" -- He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."  Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.  And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!"  My study Bible comments that, as shown by the healing of the paralytic, faith is an indispensable condition for salvation.  Faith is collective as well as personal, for, as we can see, the faith of the paralytic's friends helped in his healing.  There are there signs of Christ's divinity that are manifest here.  First, that He knows the secrets of hearts (see 1 Samuel 16:7; 2 Chronicles 6:30).  Second, Christ forgives sins, which is a power that belongs to God alone.  Finally, Jesus heals by the power of His word.

It's quite interesting to begin to observe the responses of the scribes and Pharisees to Christ.  The good news of forgiveness is met with indignance.  "Who is this who speaks blasphemies?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?"  Well, I suppose it is a reasonable theological objection, although by now everyone must be aware that Christ is no ordinary Man.  But Jesus Himself responds to this criticism seemingly as if He understands how it seems reasonable to them, and within their own "bailiwick" of regulating the faith and training and instructing the people.  So He responds with a deeper challenge, plunging right into His own way of responding with the truth.  "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" -- He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."  We can simply imagine the response of the religious leaders.  One imagines they were simply stupefied and unprepared for what they saw, possibly responding with the rest of the people, "We have seen strange things today!"  That word that is translated as "strange" (in strange things) is παράδοξος/paradoxos in Greek.  And yes, that is the root of the word we use in English, "paradox."  In Greek the form is plural, as in strange or remarkable things, but "strange" and "remarkable" don't quite get the full impact of paradox.  What they've seen are things that are totally unexpected and out of the ordinary, as if right smack into the middle of normal life is something so inexplicable as to be seemingly contrary to all we think we know.  That's what it's like to witness one of the miracles or signs of Christ.  And the word is significant, because for the early Christian Church, there was nothing which so defined the divine, and especially the workings of the Trinity, especially the signs of God working among us, as paradox.  In the Eastern Church, hymns are filled with paradoxical images in order to open to us the things of God.  One of the names for the Virgin Mary, for example, is Platytera.   It is the name of a particular icon as well.  It means "wider" or "more spacious."  But because she held the Creator of the Universe in her womb, she is called Platytera ton ouranon, meaning "More spacious than the heavens."  The ultimate paradox, of course, is Crucifixion and Resurrection.  They are inseparable enough so that the Cross means for us Resurrection, and all that this entails, including the banishing of the evil one.  The Eastern Orthodox hymn in the Resurrection service of Easter declares, "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, granting life to those in the tombs."   How can we understand this in purely human terms or from worldly expectation?  We can't.  And yet it is true, by dying on the Cross, He trampled death ("the last enemy" - 1 Corinthians 15:26).  And this is not so only for those who would come, but for those "in the tombs" awaiting their own liberation.  What we see on the Cross, which looks like horrific shameful defeat in human terms, is truly the greatest victory of all over the most lethal weapons of the enemy and accuser.  So powerful is the notion of paradox, and so central to our faith it is, that this is the way the early Church found to express the deepest wonders of God, and to open up to us what is ultimately unknowable in its fullness.  But that is precisely what Christ has brought to us -- the strange, unexpected, paradoxical reality we cannot just blink away or rationalize in some odd kind of "reasonable" explanation.  In Shakespeare's "Hamlet," Hamlet is told by his father's ghost of the treachery of his mother and uncle.  His friend from the University of Wittenberg (which was known for the shift from theology to humanism), Horatio, responds with words which might be taken right out of our text, calling this encounter "wondrous strange."  Hamlet responds, "And therefore as a stranger give it welcome. There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."  Paradox is the one way to describe the surprising work of God, even in our midst, which surpasses our expectations and defies all categories and limitations.  For just as Christ is both God and man (another extraordinary paradox), so even we carry the kingdom of heaven within us and among us (Luke 17:20-21).