Jul 23
30
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 61:1-3
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:1–3, ESV)
New Testament Reading: Luke 5:12-32
“While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, ‘Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.’ And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I will; be clean.’ And 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 Moses commanded, for a proof to them.’ But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said, ‘Man, your sins are forgiven you.’ And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, ‘Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, ‘Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—he said to the man who was paralyzed— ‘I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.’ And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, ‘We have seen extraordinary things today.’ After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ And Jesus answered them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.’” (Luke 5:12–32, ESV)
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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.
Introduction
The passage that I have just read can be divided into three parts. First, there is the story of the healing of the leper. Next, there is the story of the healing of the paralyzed man. And finally, there is the account of the calling of Levi the tax collector as a disciple of Jesus. Though each of these stories can stand alone, I have decided to take them all together. And here is why: it seems to me that Luke has grouped them together for a reason.
Please allow me to explain what I mean. In Luke chapters 5 and 6 we find three separate stories about Jesus calling disciples to himself. In Luke 5:10-11 we learned about the calling of Peter, James, and John. Here in Luke 5:27-32, we are told about the calling of Matthew. And finally, in Luke 6:12-16 we will learn of the calling of the twelve Apostles. So then, Luke is clearly wanting to tell us about the calling of Jesus’ disciples, or Apostles, in this portion of his Gospel. But notice that each of these accounts concerning the calling of disciples is preceded by stories about things that Jesus said and did. It seems to me that the stories are meant to communicate truth regarding the nature of the kingdom that Christ came to establish, the work that he came to do, and how he would go about accomplishing that work, namely, by his word and through these disciples of his.
Last Sunday we considered the calling of Peter, James, and John. Christ called them to follow him, saying, “‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.’ And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him” (Luke 5:10–11, ESV). Before Jesus called these three disciples, he performed a miracle involving a great catch of fish. The miracle was a sign. It signified truth concerning the kingdom that Christ came to establish. Christ would “catch” people from every tongue tribe and nation. He would drag them from the abyss through the preaching of the Gospel and bring them safely into the church, signified by Peter’s boat. All of that is review. And I give it to you because I want you to see that the miracle that Jesus performed communicated truth concerning what Peter, James, and John were called to do. They were called to follow Jesus and to take part in the building up of his kingdom by “fishing” for men through gospel preaching.
And I think that something similar is going on here with the call of Levi (who is also called Matthew). Levi is called to follow Jesus, but Luke presents the story of his calling in such a way that truth concerning Jesus’ kingdom and mission is also communicated. Let’s start with the account of the calling of Levi, and then work backward.
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Jesus Calls Levi
Levi’s calling is described in verses 27-28. The text simply says, “After this [Jesus] went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And leaving everything, he rose and followed him” (Luke 5:27–28, ESV).
You should know that tax collectors were despised by the Jews in Jesus’ day. Concerning the call of Levi the tax collector, John Calvin says, “The [tax]-house has usually been a place noted for plundering and for unjust exactions, and was at that time particularly infamous. In the choice of Matthew [or Levi] out of that place, not only to be admitted into the family of Christ, but even to be called to the office of Apostle, we have a striking instance of the grace of God. It was the intention of Christ to choose simple and ignorant persons to that rank, in order to cast down the wisdom of the world, (1 Cor. 2:6.) But this publican [tax collector], who followed an occupation little esteemed and involved in many abuses, was selected for additional reasons, that he might be an example of Christ’s undeserved goodness, and might show in his person that the calling of all of us depends, not on the merits of our own righteousness, but on his pure kindness (John Calvin, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke, vol. 1, 398–399). I think Calvin is right about Levi. And so it is not surprising to find this emphasis surrounding the call of Levi – namely, an emphasis upon Christ healing the sick and calling sinners to repentance.
Look with me at verse 29. “And Levi made [Jesus] a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes [religious leaders] grumbled at [Jesus’] disciples, saying, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ And Jesus answered them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:29–32, ESV).
The saying of Jesus, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick”, seems to be the point of this entire passage. It is an obviously true statement. Those who are sick need a physician, not those who are well. And Jesus is here claiming to be the physician. So, just as it would not be surprising to find a physician associating with sick people, and sick people associating with a physician, neither should it be surprising to find Jesus associating with sinners, and sinners with Jesus, for he came to heal them. You see, the scribes and Pharisees did not understand who Jesus was nor what he came to do. Were he a mere man – an ordinary individual – then it would be surprising to see him associating with sinners. But he is no ordinary man. He is the Lord’s Messiah. He is the great Physician and healer of our souls. It is no wonder, then, that he would sit with tax collectors and sinners. He sat with them, not to participate in their sin, but to minister to them, as doctor minsters to his patient.
So you can see that the scribes and Pharisees were perplexed concerning Jesus’ behavior, one, because they failed to understand his identity and mission – he is our physician who came to heal us spiritually – and two, they failed to understand the severity of their own condition. When Christ said, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance”, he did not mean that there are any who are righteous, for the scriptures are clear, “None is righteous, no, not one…” (Romans 3:10, ESV). What he means is that none are righteous. All are sinners. And if a person is to come to him, they must first know that they are an unrighteous sinner in need of healing. Stated negatively, just as those who think they are healthy will never call a physician, neither will those who think they are righteous ever come to Jesus. And this was the great difference between these scribes and Pharisees who criticized Jesus and those who happily followed him. Those who followed him knew that they were spiritually sick (even dead) and in need of a physician, and they knew Jesus was the only physician that could cure their mortal disease.
So then, how are the stories of the healing of the paralytic and leper related to this theme? Just as the miracle of the great catch of fish by Peter, James, and John signified that Christ would make them effective fishers of men in his kingdom, so too the miracles of the healing of the paralytic and leper signified that Christ is the great physician. He heals the souls of all who come to him by faith, and will heal their bodies perfectly on the last day when he returns to make all things new.
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After Healing a Paralytic
Let us now briefly consider the story of the healing of the paralytic.
Verse 17 says, “On one of those days, as [Jesus] was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus” (Luke 5:17–19, ESV). Can you imagine the scene? Can you imagine Jesus sitting there teaching Pharisees and teachers of the law and then the roof begins to open up?
In verse 20 we read, “And when [Jesus] saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you” (Luke 5:20, ESV). This is interesting. Clearly, these men brought their friend to be healed physically, but Jesus pronounced spiritual healing. What do you think the paralyzed man thought when he heard the words, “Man, your sins are forgiven you”? Do you think he was disappointed? The text does not say. I hope he was not disappointed. In fact, I suspect he was overjoyed given his faith. So let me ask you, what would you think if you were in his place? What is a greater blessing, in your estimation – to be healed of paralysis, or to have your sins forgiven by God through Christ? I hope you would agree that it is a greater blessing to have your sins forgiven. The blessing of physical healing would be enjoyed in this world for a time, whereas the blessing of spiritual healing would be enjoyed in this life and in the life to come for eternity! But the message was clear. Jesus claimed to have the authority to forgive sins.
The Pharisees and teachers of the law took notice of this. Verse 21: “And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Luke 5:21, ESV). They were not entirely wrong, were they? God alone can forgive sins, for we sin against him, ultimately. But again, they did not understand who Jesus was. Were he a mere man, then they would be right to charge him with blasphemy. But is no mere man. He is the Son of God incarnate. He is the Lord’s Messiah. He is the Savior that God has promised and provided. And for this reason, he can say, “Man, your sins are forgiven you”?
In verse 22 we read, “When Jesus perceived [the thoughts of the scribes and Pharisees], he answered them, ‘Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?” (Luke 5:22–23, ESV). The answer is that it is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven you”. Why? Because there is no visible result. And so Jesus, in verse 24, says, “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—he said to the man who was paralyzed—’I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.’ And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, ‘We have seen extraordinary things today’” (Luke 5:24–26, ESV). You see, the miracle of the physical healing of the paralyzed man was done by Jesus to prove that he – the Son of Man – does indeed have the authority to forgive sins.
You should know that the title, “Son of Man”, that Jesus applied to himself is very, very important. The Jews would have immediately known what was meant by this title. It is drawn from the prophecy of Daniel 7:13-14, which is a prophecy concerning the coming Messiah. Daniel was shown a vision at night “and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13–14, ESV). When Jesus said, “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…”, everyone in the room understood what he meant. He was, in this moment, claiming to be the “Son of Man” of Daniel 7. He is the one that Daniel saw standing before the Ancient of Days, that is to say, God Almighty. And he is the one who would be given “dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him”. When Jesus healed the paralytic he was proving himself to be the Son of Man of Daniel 7, and to have authority to forgive sins on earth. By the way, this is the first time that the title “Son of Man” appears in Luke’s Gospel. It will appear 24 times after this, and always on the lips of Jesus.
Now, if this is who Jesus is, and if this is the purpose for which he came, then the scribes and Pharisees should not have been surprised to see him eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners, for he came to heal and save sinners and to bring them into his eternal kingdom. Or to use the language of Luke 19:10, “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10, ESV). It would be these – who, by the grace of God, knew themselves to be sinners in need of a Savior — that he would call unto himself. But those who think that they are righteous will never come, “for those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” Christ is the great physician of body and soul. He came to heal us in the most thorough and profound way.
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And After Healing a Leper
Let us return now briefly to the story of the healing of the leper. Leprosy is a serious skin condition characterized by a variety of symptoms, the most outwardly noticeable being the discoloration of the skin in patches. One important thing to remember is that under the Old Covenant, those with leprosy were to be declared unclean and removed from the camp of God’s people. So, those with a leprous disease did not only suffer physically but were affected socially and spiritually. They were set off from the camp of God’s people, and they were, therefore, barred from the temple of the Lord. If you wish to read the laws concerning the leprous, you may go to Leviticus 13.
In Luke 5:12 we read, “While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, ‘Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” (Luke 5:12, ESV). Notice the faith of this man. He knew that Christ was able. And notice also his humility. He fell on his face and begged, saying, ‘Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”
Christ was willing and he proved that he was able. Verse 13: “And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I will; be clean.’ And immediately the leprosy left him” (Luke 5:13, ESV).
In verse 14: “And he charged him to tell no one, but ‘go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them’” (Luke 5:14, ESV). This is interesting.
One, notice that Christ did not disregard the law of Moses. Christ lived under the Old Mosaic Covenant, remember, and so he was bound to keep the law of Moses. He himself kept the law of Moses – not only the moral laws, but the civil and ceremonial ones too – and he commanded that others do the same. If you wish to read the Old Covenant laws concerning the offerings required for cleansing after a leprous disease, you may go to Leviticus 14.
Two, the phrase “for a proof to them”, is also interesting. Some translations say, “as a testimony to them”. A testimony to what? I think this was meant to be a testimony that one greater than Moses, one greater than the old priesthood, and one greater than the old law, was here. The Law of Moses provided gave instructions for what to do with one who became leperous. They were to be declared unclean. They were to be put out of the camp. And the law of Moses gave instructions for declaring a person to be clean again should the disease clear. But neither the law of Moses nor the priests of old possessed the power to make one clean. But Christ does. And the New Covenant that he mediates does. He is the great Prophet, Priest, and King of this New Covenant, and he possesses all power to heal his people and make them whole, body and soul. When Christ healed this Leper it was a demonstration of this power. When Christ sent this healed man to the priest, it was both an honoring of the law of Moses and a testimony that one greater than Moses had arrived.
In verse 15 we read, “But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray” (Luke 5:15–16, ESV). We should remember that Christ was truly man. The eternal Son of God ministered to these sick and needy people through the human nature he assumed. Where did Christ draw his power and strength from? He drew it from the Father through prayer. As he ministered to others it was his practice to “withdraw to desolate places and pray.”
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Contemplations
I would like to move this sermon towards a conclusion by offering a few contemplations.
First of all, let us be careful to avoid the error that so many have made concerning the interpretation of these miraculous healings performed by Jesus. Did Jesus heal many of physical ailments? Yes, he did! But that fact must be interpreted. What did the miracles mean? Two things. One, Christ has the power to heal us in the body. And two, he has the power to heal us in the soul. But this does not mean that it is always the will of Christ to heal us bodily now. He will bodily heal all who are united to him by faith on the last day at the resurrection. The passage that we have considered today makes all of this clear. That Christ has the power to heal our bodies is plain enough. The request of the leperous man, “if you will, you can make me clean”, clarifies that it may not always be the will of the Lord to heal us now. And his request to be made clean shows that his primary concern was spiritual. The leper did not merely desire to be made well – he desired to be made clean. And the account of the healing of the paralytic is most instructive. Jesus healed the man so that all who saw it would know for certain that “the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” These miracles must be interpreted. And to think that God’s will is to make his people healthy, wealthy, and prosperous now is a misinterpretation. He forgives the sins of all who have faith in him now. And he will raise these up on the last day bodily and give thim life incorruptible in the new heavens and earth, thanks be to God.
Secondly, these things that happened must be understood as a demonstration of the power of Christ’s kingdom and the blessing of Christ’s covenant. Christ came preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and these things were a demonstration of the power of his kingly rule. As king of his kingdom, Christ has power over sin, sickness, and death. And the covenant he mediates offers true cleansing in the soul and the eternal healing of the body to all who believe in Christ.
Thirdly, as we consider the things that Christ has done, we should think also of who he is. He is the Son of Man of Daniel 7. He is the Messiah, the Lord’s Anointed. He is the eternal Son of God come in the flesh. In Christ, the person of the eternal Son took to himself a true human nature – a human body and a human soul. And why did he assume a human nature, body, and soul? Answer: so that he might redeem his people and heal his people, body and soul. These miracles that Jesus performed were a demonstration of his ability to heal those who come to him in faith, body and soul. And he was able to accomplish these things because of who he is.
Fourthly, as we consider these things that Christ has done, let us think soberly concerning our own neediness so that we might run to Christ with humility and faith. Men and women in sin do tend to think of themselves as self-righteous and self-sufficient. It’s insane, really. It’s foolishness for sure. For all of the evidence points in another direction. We are sinners. Even those who do not have access to or regard for the Ten Commandments should be able to see this plainly. We are sinners. We are sick in the soul. Our minds are darkened, our affections are disordered, and we will to do that which is contrary to God’s moral and natural law. We need a physician. Christ is the only soul physician who can heal us. He is the only one who can make those who are spiritually dead, live. And we are clearly not self-sufficient in the body. Our bodily existence depends on many things external to us. We could not live for a moment apart from this world that God has made. It is God who upholds us and provides for our every need. And what about physical death? Who will deliver us from that? Only Christ can, for he is the one who lived, died, and rose again. Christ is the only physician who can heal us and sustain us bodily for eternity. Let us be sober concerning our great need, and let us run to Christ, who has redeemed us and heals us, body and soul, provided that we trust in him.
Fifthly and lastly, let us not be surprised (as the scribes and Pharisees were) when Christ calls sinners to repentance and invites them to commune with him at his table, for “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick”, and he has “not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” May we be faithful to cast the nets of the gospel far and wide, trusting that Christ will rescue his people from the kingdom of darkness and bring them into the kingdom of light according to his will? And may we be faithful to welcome into the church and to teach them to observe all that Christ has commanded? Lord, have mercy on this world and strengthen us for this work.
