LEPROSY is a type of sin, and man is defiled thereby. But God interposed in Christ to cleanse him, therefore “Jesus... touched him.”
If, apart from Christ, God had touched man, it must have been in judgment, but He approached him in Jesus Christ.
A story is told of a soldier, about to depart on foreign service, coming in his uniform to embrace his little daughter who, seeing him, screamed and fled in alarm from his presence, not knowing who he was, until he removed his helmet and other accoutrements, for he could not depart without fondling his little one. Then when she saw him approach she was glad, for she knew him and allowed him to cover her with kisses, and she nestled on his breast.
A faint picture this of God’s grace. Man had fled from Him in Eden to hide among its trees, for already he had become alienated in heart. At a later date a privileged people quaked with terror at Sinai and begged that God keep concealed and speak no direct word. There was but one way to reach man, and that is by the “Daysman” (Job 9:3333Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. (Job 9:33)) who could “lay his hand” upon both. He is called the “mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,; who gave himself a ransom for all” (1 Tim. 2:5, 65For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2:5‑6)).
In incarnation He came to sinful man in the most winsome way, but at Calvary He touched the unclean so closely as to “bear our sins in his own body on the tree,” yea, becoming identified with us in our state of moral leprousness, being “made sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)). Oh, what grace!
The Lord’s accessibility offended some. He had allowed a sinner to touch Him. We have no doubt that the Lord’s disposition to that sinful woman was, from the outset, one of forgiveness, but to make it an eternal reality in her soul He allowed her to touch Him. Doubtless this was done physically, but it was also done spiritually, and the words, “Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace,” tell us it was by faith.
On another occasion when multitudes “thronged” the Lord on the way to Jairus’ daughter, a woman “touched” the border of His garment and was healed. But, her act being in faith, she touched not merely His clothes, but Himself. Hence He inquired, “Who touched ME?” And when she confessed He said, “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole, go in peace, and be whole of thy plague (Luke 8:43-4843And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 44Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. 45And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 46And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. 47And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. (Luke 8:43‑48)). She secured virtue from Him by faith.
But some may say, “How can Christ in heaven be touched’?” We reply “By faith.” Did man derive from Him simply by physical contact? Did those who “thronged” the Lord really “touch Him”? The Scriptures teach, and you also know, they did not. Then, as now, the need that applied to Him was met. Christ in glory today, no less than Christ on earth yesterday, knows when one exclaims―
“My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary.”
The presence or absence of this “look” it was that determined the difference between the friends and foes of Christ, and no less is it that will fix the gulf between them forever.
We recollect at this moment Charles Spurgeon’s account of how he first met the Lord. Entering a small Methodist chapel one stormy day, this lad of sixteen years trembled as he listened to the unvarnished discourse of the layman who preached: so much so, that the preacher said, “Young man, you look very miserable.” But then he shouted as only a Methodist can, “Look to Christ.” Afterwards when multitudes flocked to hear his burning words Spurgeon told them the result, saying, “I looked to Him, He looked on me, and we were one forever.” The dear youth, afterward so honored, by faith had “touched” Christ in glory, who perceiving this, gave him the Holy Ghost. Praise His name.
By its double negative this scripture teaches that in a spiritual sense believers touch Christ through their infirmities. Infirmities are not sins. Paul had an infirmity the Lord would not remove but which He left to help His servant. Thus he could say, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities; that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Cor. 12:99And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)). Christopher Wren, the architect of St Paul’s Cathedral, was on one occasion examining a work of art from a high scaffolding. So intent was he that carelessly he backed toward the edge of the platform and would have fallen, had not a workman, perceiving the danger, hurled a brush at the work under inspection. Instinctively Wren sprang forward at once to save the picture from ruin, but in so doing escaped a fearful death, although this was only discovered by him when the danger was past.
And we are persuaded the Lord often saves us similarly, although like the architect we may be unconscious of the need of intervention: so much so that His dealing may appear to us like the throwing of the brush at the painting, but it is to save us from a fall: it is an act of sympathy. Even Paul prayed three times to have his circumstances altered; but the Lord, as it were, said, “No, I leave you as you are to save you from falling by making Myself indispensable to you.”
This, reader, is the Saviour we know and commend. One of whom George Wigram said, “A Saviour who has saved me, who is saving me, and who will save me until there is nothing to save me from.” Do you know Him?
R. J. R.