5:12 Luke is not interested in telling us what town Jesus is in as he calls attention to a remarkable incident in Jesus’ ministry. A man approaches Jesus “full of leprosy”; most scholars agree that the disease is not technically leprosy (Hansen’s disease) but any one of various skin diseases described in Leviticus 13–14. In the particular case here the disease is especially virulent (“full of”). Those with skin diseases were to cry out that they were unclean and to stay away from others (cf. Lev. 13:2–3, 45–46); they were not allowed in the Lord’s camp (Num. 5:2–4). Given the OT background, most probably thought the man had a skin disease because of his sin (cf. Num. 12:1–15; Deut. 24:8, 9; 28:22, 27; 2 Sam. 3:29; 2 Kings 5:20–27; 2 Chron. 26:16–21).70 Still, the man gets on his face before Jesus (cf. Luke 8:41, 47; 17:16) and entreats Jesus to cleanse him, identifying him as “Lord”—which does not mean merely “Sir” here. The man with the skin disease recognizes that Jesus has authority over disease.

5:13 Jesus could have pronounced the word and the man would have been clean, just as he commanded demons, fevers, and even death to flee at his command (4:35–36, 39; 7:14). But in this case he reaches out to touch a person shunned by society, one who has to live outside the camp of Israel (cf. 18:15; 22:51; Lev. 13:46). If one touched an unclean person, one became unclean, especially if the person had a skin disease. Jesus shows his compassion and love (Mark 1:41) by touching him—and a remarkable thing happens. Jesus stretches out his hand to save, just as Yahweh stretches out his hand to save (Ex. 3:20; 6:8; 7:5; 15:12; Deut. 4:34; Neh. 9:15). The cleanness of Jesus is so powerful that it purifies those who are defiled; it as if his power radiates to the one he touches, transforming him. Another remarkable feature of the story is the will of Jesus (cf. Luke 5:12). It is his desire to touch and transform the one who is unclean, showing his compassion and love.

5:14 Jesus charges the man to keep the healing quiet (4:41; 8:56; 9:21). He knows that the wrong kind of enthusiasm could be whipped up, with the people having a wrong understanding of the nature of his ministry. The man is instructed to carry out the instructions of the law and to make the offering specified in the Torah (Lev. 13:19; 14:1–32). The offering is to be a testimony to the priests (cf. Luke 21:13). The priests are given evidence that something unusual is going on, that the Spirit rests on Jesus in a unique way. As the priests investigate what has happened and search their own hearts, they have the opportunity to consider whether Jesus is the Messiah. Many religious leaders in Israel reject Jesus, of course, but we also learn from Acts 6:7 that many priests conclude that Jesus is indeed God’s chosen one.

5:15–16 Luke does not say explicitly that the healed man spreads the news, but the notion is implicit. Mark writes that the man indeed tells others (Mark 1:45), and thus people in great numbers come to hear Jesus’ teaching and to be healed of their sicknesses (Luke 8:2). With his popularity rising, Jesus must keep his eyes focused on his mission. We have seen in 3:21 (cf. comment there) the centrality of prayer in Luke. Jesus often gets away from the crowds and finds deserted places in which he can pray. Jesus’ ministry is carried out in dependence upon God every step of the way. The ministry must advance in God’s way and with God’s power, not determined by human popularity—for the adulation of the crowd is fickle and unstable.