Luke the physician shared how people in Nazareth, “wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of” Jesus' “mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? And he said unto them, You will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal yourself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in your country. And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land. But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow”, and in chapter four and verse twenty-seven of his book Luke shared how Jesus said there were, “many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus” where we read:
And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet;
and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
The verse reads, “And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet;” Luke began with the words, “and many lepers” or “and a lot or a great number of people who were affected with the scaly and rough disease of leprosy” “were in Israel” which means “existed and lived in Israel whose name means he shall be a prince of God and referred to the nation, family and descendants of Jacob” “in the time of Eliseus” or “within the time period pertaining to Elisha” “the prophet” which refers to “the one who was moved by the Spirit of God and hence his organ or spokesman who solemnly declared to men what he received by inspiration, especially concerning future events, and in particular such as relate to the cause and kingdom of God and to human salvation”. Luke shared how Jesus mentioned the great number of “lepers” who were living during the time of “Elisha the prophet”.
The verse goes on to say, “and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.” Luke added Jesus' words, “and none of them” which means “and not a single one of the lepers” “was cleansed” or “was made clean by curing, free from defilement and purified”, “saving Naaman the Syrian” which means “except for Naaman whose name means pleasantness and was the commander in chief of the army of Syria”. Luke shared how Jesus said “Naaman”, the commander in chief of the Syrians, was the only “leper” who lived during the time of “Elisha” who was “cured and purified”
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we see how Jesus gave another example of how God met the need of only one “leper” during “Elisha” the prophet's ministry. This man was a “Gentile” whom the Jews hated at the time Jesus spoke these words, and we will see how Jesus' words excited the crowd around Him. Both a “Jew”, the widow, and a “Gentile”, “Naaman”, were ministered to by the prophets Elijah and Elisha. This gives a specific example of how God desires to share His “good news of salvation” with both Jews and Gentiles who will believe and trust in His Son Jesus. God loves people, and He wants them to be in a relationship with Him. Jesus came to be the “intermediary between God and man” and He died for the sins of mankind which separates them from fellowship with His Father God. Those who yield their lives to Jesus receive “ministry and healing” like the “widow” and “Naaman” to whom God's prophets served for the purposes of God.
Next time Luke shares how, “all they in the synagogue … were filled with wrath”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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