Luke 5:12-16

1. Jesus’ cleansing of a leprous Jew 5:12-16 (cf. Matthew 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-45)

This miracle was to be a "testimony" to others about Jesus’ person (Luke 5:14). It authenticated His person and His teaching. It also shows the blessings that Jesus brought to people, specifically the spiritual cleansing of those whom sin has polluted (cf. Luke 4:18).

"Like sin, leprosy ["a defiling skin disease" TNIV] is deeper than the skin (Leviticus 13:3) and cannot be helped by mere ’surface’ measures (see Jeremiah 6:14). Like sin, leprosy spreads (Leviticus 13:7-8); and as it spreads, it defiles (Leviticus 13:44-45). Because of his defilement, a leprous person had to be isolated outside the camp (Leviticus 13:46), and lost sinners one day will be isolated in hell. People with leprosy were looked on as ’dead’ (Numbers 12:12), and garments infected with leprosy were fit only for the fire (Leviticus 13:52)." [Note: Wiersbe, 1:186.]