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    Luke 5:12-26
    Lesson 114

    Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

    In this lesson: 
     
    Leprosy and paralyses. 
    Jesus heals the leper.
    Study Tip:
     
    Remember to click on the links for more information. 
    Who were the -
     
    Pharisees -
    One of four Jewish religious sects, along with the Sadducees, Zealots, and Essenes.  Pharisee is a Hebrew word meaning "the separated ones."  They were a legalistic party of religious leaders who avoided anything non-Jewish to study and live by the Torah (the Mosaic Law).  They strictly, but often hypocritically, kept the Law of Moses and the "tradition of the elders (Matthew 15:2).  They were a dominant force in Jewish society, and all religious ceremonies, prayers, and sacrifices were performed according to their decrees.  The Pharisees believed in God, the authority of the Scriptures, the resurrection of the dead (Daniel 12:2), angels, and spirits (Acts 23:8), but they placed their own religious rules above God's.  They continually added more and more of  their own burdensome religious dictates on their followers to the point where true faith in God was lost.  They righty anticipated the Messiah's arrival but expected him to be a great military/political leader.  The Pharisees were so caught up in following the minute details of Jewish law that when Christ arrived, they didn't recognize Him as the Savior.  Even though they knew Jesus performed "many miracles" (John 11:47) and even witnessed some firsthand (Matthew 12:9-14; 21:14-15; Mark 3:1-6; Luke 5:24-26; 6:6-11; Luke 14:2-4).  They were good at spinning the truth and finding fault in others.  They considered themselves more devout than other Jews and fasted twice a week (Luke 18:10-12).  Yet, few Pharisees were truly religious, and Jesus called them hypocrites on many occasions (Matthew15:7-8; 22:18; 23:23-35; Luke 12:1).  Their jealousy, pride, and anger towards Jesus turned to hatred, and their hatred led them to call for the crucifixion of the very Messiah they had been waiting for.  To rid themselves of Jesus, the anti-Roman Pharisees even "took counsel with their bitter foes and pro-Roman Herodians" (Mark 3:6).  In Jesus' time, there were approximately six thousand Pharisees' in Palestine.
     
     
    Doctors of the law - 
    "Teachers of the law," usually called scribes or "lawyers" (Matthew 22:35; Luke 7:30; 10:25).  Scribes were experts on Mosaic Law and the Old Testament prophecies.  Predominantly Pharisees (one of four Jewish sects), they interpreted Mosaic Law, taught Judaism, and helped settle religious disputes.  They were highly regarded in Jewish society, to the point where "If a man's father and teacher have lost anything, the teacher's loss should have the precedence - i.e., he must first be assisted in recovering it - the burden of a teacher is to be born in preference to that of a father, a teacher must be ransomed from captivity before one's own father."  (From "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; page 981).  Because scribes hindered people in their religious journey, burdened them with unnecessary religious legalisms, and tried to entrap Jesus (Luke 11:52-54), He condemned them as hypocrites (Luke 11:44).

    The Gospel According to St. Luke

    The King James Bible    ​

    Luke 5:12-26
    Miracles

    12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
     
    13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

    14 And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

    15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.

    16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

    17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

    18 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.

    19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

    20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

    21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

    22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?

    23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?

    24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.

    25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

    26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.
    ​Margin notes: 
     
    "A certain city." (5:12) - Jesus was in Capernaum (Mark 2:1).
     
    "Leprosy." (5:12) - A highly contagious skin and nerve disease that disfigures its victims.  There are several forms of leprosy, some more contagious than others.  With its open sores, leprosy is transmitted through personal contact and can incubate for up to thirty years.  Few people recovered from leprosy, and it often lead to paralysis, gangrene, amputation, and death.  In Jesus' day, Jews believed leprosy was a punishment from God and often treated lepers cruelly.  Banished from society (Leviticus 13:46; Numbers 5:2-3), lepers were kept at a distance, and people would have been shocked to see Jesus touch one (Luke 5:13).  Today, leprosy is commonly called Hansen's disease. 
     
    "Besought him." (5:12) - "Begged Him."
     
    "Charged him." (5:14) - Means "instructed him."
     
    "Show thyself to the priest." (5:14) - According to the law of Moses, victims were not considered cured of leprosy until a priest verified that they were free of the disease (Leviticus 13:1-46; 14:2-32; 14:48; Luke 5:13-14).  Jesus didn't want the leper to tell anyone he was healed until the priest had verified that he was cured.  That way, the Pharisees couldn't say the miracle was a hoax.
     
    "But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him." (5:15) - By now, Jesus was famous, and people were flocking to see Him (Matthew 4:24). 
     
    "Men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy." (5:18) - "Men brought in a paralyzed man on a bed."
     
    "Let him down through the tiling." (5:19) - "Lowered him down through the roof."   Many homes  had outside staircases that led to flat roofs made with wooden cross beams and covered with brush and a mixture of clay.  There, people could sit comfortably above the noise of the house to relax and catch a cool breeze.  It would have been relatively easy for the men to carry their paralyzed friend up the outside stairs then make an opening in the rudimentary roof to lower him down to Jesus, bed and all.
     
    "Blasphemies." (5:21) - Insults to God.  To blasphemy is to slander or speak irreverently of God, His authority, or grandeur.  Jews considered blasphemy a horrible sin, punishable by death (Leviticus 24:16).  The New Testament calls blasphemy the unforgivable sin (Matthew 12:31-32; Mark 3:28-29; Luke 12:10).  Unforgiveable, because the sinner will never ask for forgiveness.
     
    "Jesus perceived their thoughts." (5:22) - Means Jesus read their minds, more proof of Jesus' divine nature.  See also Matthew 9:4 and Luke 6:8.
     
    "Whether is easier." (5:23) - Jesus is asking, "what is easier, to say your sins are forgiven or to make a paralyzed man walk."  Anyone can say, "your sins are forgiven."  But who besides Christ can heal diseases? 
     
    "That ye may know." (5:24) - The Pharisees saw with their own eyes Jesus' miraculous healings.  This should have ended their hostility, instead, they plotted all the more against the Messiah. ​
    You can also find the story of the leper in Matthew 8:2-4 (lesson 14) and Mark 1:40-44 (lesson 65).  The paralyzed man can also be found in Mark 2:1-12 (lesson 66).


                                                  New Living Translation 
     

    Luke 5:12-26
    Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy
     
    12 In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. "Lord," he said, "if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean."
     
    13 Jesus reached out and touched him. "I am willing," he said. "Be healed!" And instantly the leprosy disappeared.

    14 Then Jesus instructed him not to tell anyone what had happened. He said, "Go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed." 
     
    15 But despite Jesus' instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases.

    16 But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.
     
    Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man
     
    17 One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of religious law were sitting nearby. (It seemed that these men showed up from every village in all Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem.) And the Lord's healing power was strongly with Jesus.
     
    18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus,

    19 but they couldn't reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

    20 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, "Young man, your sins are forgiven."
     
    21 But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, "Who does he think he is? That's blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!"
     
    22 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why do you question this in your hearts?

    23 Is it easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up and walk'?

    24 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!"
     
    25 And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God.

    26 Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, "We have seen amazing things today!"     
    ​    ​
    This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible.  However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
    Today's Question:
     
    1. Why did Jesus pray? (5:16)      
         


    Forward this lesson to others. 
    Answer: (Do you agree?) 
    ​​
    1. Despite the chaos and the demands put on Jesus by the growing crowds, He frequently spent time praying.  Even though He is the Son of God, Jesus was completely human with human limitations and knew the importance of living a life dependent on God.  You will see Jesus pray time and again in the "Gospel According to ST. Luke."  His example taught the disciples (and us) to replenish themselves with Godly power via prayer.  After all, a person can't give something unless they receive it first, and the disciples couldn't be fruitful in their ministries unless they depended on God.  In our own hectic lives, it is equally essential that we renew ourselves spiritually by finding time to pray.
    ​

                    
     Application thought for the day:
    ​     
    Can God see your faith? (5:20)  How much time each day do you devote to prayer?
    Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress Books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; "The Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies"; "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible".  All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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