The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 131

moment's pnu~!l when a leper cried to him." "If thou wilt." "I will." And the touch. To touch a leper was an infmction of law, He had to withdraw into the wilderness i111mediately afterwards. He did not wish to provoke any violent oppaiition. But be bruke the ceremonial law at the demanrl of a higher law-the law whose source is the Di,·ine compassion, and whose agent is the power present to hel\l, The foul body could not pollute the hand; but the hand of the Infinite Purity could cleanse the foul body. " Be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him." How wonderfully this strange thing brings out what is characteristic of the Saviour in his though ta and ways to the sinner I None is beyond the reach of the love that could bid away at once and for evflr that leprosy. No cry can escape the ear of a love that baa the answering "I will" ready for the praying "If thou wilt." We have a High Priest who has touched our sin in its exceeding sinfulness. For ever and ever there stands the pledge of the world's Healer " I will : be thou clean." II. But see THE SAME WORK REALIZED IN .. TIIE lllAN THAT WAS PALSil!:D." The time is" one of those days that he was teaching." A crowd has gathered so great that "there is no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door." In this crowd there are Pharisees and doctors of the Law sitting by. Significantly it is added, " The power of the Lord was present to hen.I." A notable instance of this power is supplied; its occasion being the letting down of the pallet-bed, on which was laid the paralytic, through the tiles into the midst of the crowd before Jesus. There is no resisting of such faith. Seeing it, the Healer says-what? "Man, thy sins are forgiven thee." Now, as to this fulfilment of the imperial "I will," which proceeds from the compassion of the Lord, remark : 1. The work which represents the supreme Savio'lllr- blessing. " That ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins." He will listen to the app!lal made in behalf of the palsied man; but there is a palsy hidden and spiritual with which first he must deal, for until it is dealt with there can be no effectual healing. Yes; the true healing begins within. "Create a clean heart." And the point at which the Redeemer lays hold of us is the need of forgiveness. This action of Christ is the first in which he makes himself fully known, the first in which his spiritual authority is declared. And from this moment the organized oppo- sition of scribe and Pharisee dates. "His kingdom ruleth over all." All agencies of relief and kindness are his, and are to be used in his name; but bis kingdom is the kingdom of heaven to all believers, because the Son of man bas power on earth to for- give sins. 2. The condition on which the power of Ghrist is realized, " When he saw their faith." Observe, not his faith. No one, it is true, can stand proxy for another as to sal-vation. There must be the personal touch of Christ; and the narrative, when attentively regarded, shows tLa.t Jesus secured this from the sufferer. He helped out the sick man's trustfulness; he established a relation with himself. And then and thus he did exceed.ina abundantly above all that could be asked. But he does attach value to faith in frie~ds for another friend. in the loving for the loved, in those who have salvation for those who have not. Think of the four bearing the weak and want- ing man, seeking the means to realize the blessing for him, their interest _wholly ~nsel- fish, and unresting until the doure man is really brought to Jesus. Oh, lS not this the miniature of the Church of Christ in its intercession and labour for heathendom, for the sick and perishin"' through lack of knowledge? Should it not indicate the truth to be exemplified in the anxiety of parents as to their children? Should it not remind us of the highest aim of all relatives of friendship or confidence? Jesus does" perceive" this faith. It is the security of blessing unspeakable; for " So the whole round earth is every wo.y Bound by gold chains a.bout the feet of God." Were there more of this faith, there would be more abundant sign of" the power of the Lord present tu.heal." 3. The hindrana and limitation of the power of the Lord. "Phari- sees o.nd doctors uf the Law sitting by,'' and the power present. It is always present with the word of his grace. We never need to seek it as if it were sometimes here and some- times there. But these Pharisees and doctors are not healed. The grace is present for them too but they do not realize it. They sit by as spectators, critics, censors, watching for gro~nds of reproach and accusati?n· " The word of hearing did n?t profi.~ t~em_, beca_use they were not united by faith with them that heard.n la not thlB the lumtat1on at1ll? OH, v. l-89.) TUE GOSPEL ACCOUDING TO ST. LUKE. 123