the desire of ages-第59章

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He　is　a　loathsome　spectacle。　The　disease　has　made　frightful　inroads；　and　his　decaying　body　is　horrible　to　look　upon。　At　sight　of　him　the　people　fall　back　in　terror。　They　crowd　upon　one　another　in　their　eagerness　to　escape　from　contact　with　him。　Some　try　to　prevent　him　from　approaching　Jesus；　but　in　vain。　He　neither　sees　nor　hears　them。　Their　expressions　of　loathing　are　lost　upon　him。　He　sees　only　the　Son　of　God。　He　hears　only　the　voice　that　speaks　life　to　the　dying。　Pressing　to　Jesus；　he　casts　himself　at　His　feet　with　the　cry；　〃Lord；　if　Thou　wilt；　Thou　canst　make　me　clean。〃

Jesus　replied；　〃I　will；　be　thou　made　clean；〃　and　laid　His　hand　upon　him。　Matt。　8：3；　R。　V。

Immediately　a　change　passed　over　the　leper。　His　flesh　became　healthy；　the　nerves　sensitive；　the　muscles　firm。　The　rough；　scaly　surface　peculiar　to　leprosy　disappeared；　and　a　soft　glow；　like　that　upon　the　skin　of　a　healthy　child；　took　its　place。

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Jesus　charged　the　man　not　to　make　known　the　work　that　had　been　wrought；　but　straightway　to　present　himself　with　an　offering　at　the　temple。　Such　an　offering　could　not　be　accepted　until　the　priests　had　made　examination　and　pronounced　the　man　wholly　free　from　the　disease。　However　unwilling　they　might　be　to　perform　this　service；　they　could　not　evade　an　examination　and　decision　of　the　case。

The　words　of　Scripture　show　with　what　urgency　Christ　enjoined　upon　the　man　the　necessity　of　silence　and　prompt　action。　〃He　straitly　charged　him；　and　forthwith　sent　him　away；　and　saith　unto　him；　See　thou　say　nothing　to　any　man：　but　go　thy　way；　show　thyself　to　the　priest；　and　offer　for　thy　cleansing　those　things　which　Moses　commanded；　for　a　testimony　unto　them。〃　Had　the　priests　known　the　facts　concerning　the　healing　of　the　leper；　their　hatred　of　Christ　might　have　led　them　to　render　a　dishonest　sentence。　Jesus　desired　the　man　to　present　himself　at　the　temple　before　any　rumors　concerning　the　miracle　had　reached　them。　Thus　an　impartial　decision　could　be　secured；　and　the　restored　leper　would　be　permitted　to　unite　once　more　with　his　family　and　friends。

There　were　other　objects　which　Christ　had　in　view　in　enjoining　silence　on　the　man。　The　Saviour　knew　that　His　enemies　were　ever　seeking　to　limit　His　work；　and　to　turn　the　people　from　Him。　He　knew　that　if　the　healing　of　the　leper　were　noised　abroad；　other　sufferers　from　this　terrible　disease　would　crowd　about　Him；　and　the　cry　would　be　raised　that　the　people　would　be　contaminated　by　contact　with　them。　Many　of　the　lepers　would　not　so　use　the　gift　of　health　as　to　make　it　a　blessing　to　themselves　or　to　others。　And　by　drawing　the　lepers　about　Him；　He　would　give　occasion　for　the　charge　that　He　was　breaking　down　the　restrictions　of　the　ritual　law。　Thus　His　work　in　preaching　the　gospel　would　be　hindered。

The　event　justified　Christ's　warning。　A　multitude　of　people　had　witnessed　the　healing　of　the　leper；　and　they　were　eager　to　learn　of　the　priests'　decision。　When　the　man　returned　to　his　friends；　there　was　great

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excitement。　Notwithstanding　the　caution　of　Jesus；　the　man　made　no　further　effort　to　conceal　the　fact　of　his　cure。　It　would　indeed　have　been　impossible　to　conceal　it；　but　the　leper　published　the　matter　abroad。　Conceiving　that　it　was　only　the　modesty　of　Jesus　which　laid　this　restriction　upon　him；　he　went　about　proclaiming　the　power　of　this　Great　Healer。　He　did　not　understand　that　every　such　manifestation　made　the　priests　and　elders　more　determined　to　destroy　Jesus。　The　restored　man　felt　that　the　boon　of　health　was　very　precious。　He　rejoiced　in　the　vigor　of　manhood；　and　in　his　restoration　to　his　family　and　society；　and　felt　it　impossible　to　refrain　from　giving　glory　to　the　Physician　who　had　made　him　whole。　But　his　act　in　blazing　abroad　the　matter　resulted　in　hindering　the　Saviour's　work。　It　caused　the　people　to　flock　to　Him　in　such　multitudes　that　He　was　forced　for　a　time　to　cease　His　labors。

Every　act　of　Christ's　ministry　was　far…reaching　in　its　purpose。　It　comprehended　more　than　appeared　in　the　act　itself。　So　in　the　case　of　the　leper。　While　Jesus　ministered　to　all　who　came　unto　Him；　He　yearned　to　bless　those　who　came　not。　While　He　drew　the　publicans；　the　heathen；　and　the　Samaritans；　He　longed　to　reach　the　priests　and　teachers　who　were　shut　in　by　prejudice　and　tradition。　He　left　untried　no　means　by　which　they　might　be　reached。　In　sending　the　healed　leper　to　the　priests；　He　gave　them　a　testimony　calculated　to　disarm　their　prejudices。

The　Pharisees　had　asserted　that　Christ's　teaching　was　opposed　to　the　law　which　God　had　given　through　Moses；　but　His　direction　to　the　cleansed　leper　to　present　an　offering　according　to　the　law　disproved　this　charge。　It　was　sufficient　testimony　for　all　who　were　willing　to　be　convinced。

The　leaders　at　Jerusalem　had　sent　out　spies　to　find　some　pretext　for　putting　Christ　to　death。　He　responded　by　giving　them　an　evidence　of　His　love　for　humanity；　His　respect　for　the　law；　and　His　power　to　deliver　from　sin　and　death。　Thus　He　bore　witness　of　them：　〃They　have　rewarded　Me　evil　for　good；　and　hatred　for　My　love。〃　Ps。　109：5。　He　who　on　the　mount　gave　the　precept；　〃Love　your　enemies；〃　Himself　exemplified　the　principle；　not　rendering　〃evil　for　evil；　or　railing　for　railing：　but　contrariwise　blessing。〃　Matt。　5：44；　1　Peter　3：9。

The　same　priests　who　condemned　the　leper　to　banishment　certified　his　cure。　This　sentence；　publicly　pronounced　and　registered；　was　a　standing　testimony　for　Christ。　And　as　the　healed　man　was　reinstated　in　the　congregation　of　Israel；　upon　the　priests'　own　assurance　that　there

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was　not　a　taint　of　the　disease　upon　him；　he　himself　was　a　living　witness　for　his　Benefactor。　Joyfully　he　presented　his　offering；　and　magnified　the　name　of　Jesus。　The　priests　were　convinced　of　the　divine　power　of　the　Saviour。　Opportunity　was　granted　them　to　know　the　truth　and　to　be　profited　by　the　light。　Rejected；　it　would　pass　away；　never　to　return。　By　many　the　light　was　rejected；　yet　it　was　not　given　in　vain。　Many　hearts　were　moved　that　for　a　time　made　no　sign。　During　the　Saviour's　life；　His　mission　seemed　to　call　forth　little　response　of　love　from　the　priests　and　teachers；　but　after　His　ascension　〃a　great　company　of　the　priests　were　obedient　to　the　faith。〃　Acts　6：7。

The　work　of　Christ　in　cleansing　the　leper　from　his　terrible　disease　is　an　illustration　of　His　work　in　cleansing　the　soul　from　sin。　The　man　who　came　to　Jesus　was　〃full　of　leprosy。〃　Its　deadly　poison　permeated　his　whole　body。　The　disciples　sought　to　prevent　their　Master　from　touching　him；　for　he　who　touched　a　leper　became　himself　unclean。　But　in　laying　His　hand　upon　the　leper；　Jesus　received　no　defilement。　His　touch　imparted　life…giving　power。　The　leprosy　was　cleansed。　Thus　it　is　with　the　leprosy　of　sin；deep…rooted；　deadly；　and　impossible　to　be　cleansed　by　human　power。　〃The　whole　head　is　sick；　and　the　whole　heart　faint。　From　the　sole　of　the　foot　even　unto　the　head　there　is　no　soundness　in　it；　but　wounds；　and　bruises；　and　putrefying　sores。〃　Isa。　1：5；　6。　But　Jesus；　coming　to　dwell　in　humanity；　receives　no　pollution。　His　presence　has　healing　virtue　for　the　sinner。　Whoever　will　fall　at　His　feet；　saying　in　faith；　〃Lord；　if　Thou　wilt；　Thou　canst　make　me　clean；〃　shall　hear　the　answer；　〃I　will；　be　thou　made　clean。〃　Matt。　8：2；　3；　R。　V。

In　some　instances　of　healing；　Jesus　did　not　at　once　grant　the　blessing　sought。　But　in　the　case　of　leprosy；　no　sooner　was　the　appeal　made　than　it　was　granted。　When　we　pray　for　earthly　blessings；　the　answer　to　our　prayer　may　be　delayed；　or　God　may　give　us　something　other　than　we　ask；　but　not　so　when　we　ask　for　deliverance　from　sin。　It　is　His　will　to　cleanse　us　from　sin；　to　make　us　His　children；　and　to　enable　us　to　live　a　holy　life。　Christ　〃gave　Himself　for　our　sins；　that　He　might　deliver　us　from　this　present　evil　world；　according　to　the　will　of　God　and　our　Father。〃　Gal。　1：4。　And　〃this　is　the　confidence　that　we　have　in　Him；　that；　if　we　ask　anything　according　to　His　will；　He　heareth　us：　and　if　we　know　that　He　hear　us；　whatsoever　we　ask；　we　know　that　we　have　the　petitions　that　we　desired　of　Him。〃　1　John　5：14；　15。　〃If　we　confess　our　sins；　He　is　faithful　and　just　to　forgive　us　our　sins；　and　to　cleanse　us　fro