The miracles of Jesus - Classical Christian Literature by Athleo.net

THE CLEANSING OF THE LEPER 12;
to be brought, but himself taking the initiative, he
came to Jesus, beseeching Him, and kneeling down
to Him (St Mark) and worshipping (St Matthew),
until at length he prostrated himself on his face
before Him with the cry, " Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou
canst make me clean."
The words are often quoted as indicating that the
man's faith in Christ's compassion was not equal to
his faith in His power. He was convinced that
Christ was able, but he was not so sure
that He was
willing to heal.* But this is to put an unnecessarily
harsh construction on the clause, " if Thou wilt." The
words may point with equal readiness to an entire
and implicit confidence which cast itself upon Christ,
knowing that He both could and would do the very
best to meet its need. Nor was it disappointed. The
triumphant faith was met with a triumphant reward.
Moved with compassion for the lonely outcast at His
feet, the Saviour "stretched forth His hand, and
touched him, saying, I
will, be thou made clean."
The " touch " of Jesus on this occasion is recalled
by all the three Evangelists. It was, perhaps, the
feature of the whole cleansing that most arrested at
the moment the attention of the onlookers, as it would
certainly go straight home to the heart of the leper
himself. Ever since his dire malady had seized him,
he had been wholly removed from contact with his
fellow-men. At that very moment the surrounding
spectators would be drawing hurriedly back, lest by
the mere touch of his garment they should be defiled.
* A suggestive contrast may be found in the attitude of the
father of the epileptic boy (Mark ix. 22), and in our Lord's
varied treatment of the two cases.