Reflecting on Luke 5:12-16
"Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest." (Luke 5:14)In the Moses Law there was an complicated process to be declared clean.
This process is described in the Moses Law, in Leviticus 14:1-32.
“The first day, the man would need to show himself to the priest outside the Israelite camp, make a brush from cedarwood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop, kill one clean bird and drain the blood, dip the brush and a live bird in the blood, be sprinkled by the priest with the blood-covered brush seven times, let the live bird go, and shave all his hair and wash himself and his clothes in water. On the second day, he would live outside his home. On the seventh day, he would have to shave off all his hair from his head, his beard, and his eyebrows and wash his clothes and himself in water. Finally, on the eighth day, he would offer two male lambs, one ewe lamb, and a grain offering with oil, then be consecrated by the priest through some of the blood and oil.”
Does Jesus say this because this is God’s will for all time?
As I see it, Jesus is being pragmatic, not dogmatic.
He is doing what He can to keep the peace, to avoid trouble.
The problem is the perception of the people.
Jesus was being hindered by the mistaken views of the people.
As the news spread, the crowds got bigger, and the authorities more agitated.
Jesus urged silence because He wanted to avoid problems.
Jesus does not want to agitate the religious leaders either.
He urges keeping the Moses Law as a testimony to them, not to the man.
Jesus did not come to renew or enforce the Moses Law.
But this was a time of transition between the old covenant and the new covenant.
He lived under the Law for a season, to set us free from that Law.
The Moses Law was a book of shadows, not God’s perfect reality (Colossians 2:17).
It was put in place for a time, until the Messiah would come (Galatians 3:23-25).
It was an old wineskin that had served its purpose, but would soon be replaced.
Yet in this time of transition, Jesus wanted to avoid unhelpful agitation.
He was not leading a revolution, nor instigating trouble for Rome or Jerusalem.
His was the path of humility, grace, submission and servanthood.
What He did was meant to be a testimony to the people and the leaders.
To show them how God worked, not by military force or by religious control.
Those who saw the results could see the supremacy of God’s way.
We need to focus on Jesus and the Jesus Way, which is God’s way.
We are not to cause unnecessary trouble, even as we live out the Jesus Way.
We should be known for our goodness and kindness, not by our trouble-making.
If goodness and kindness cause trouble for some, that is unavoidable.
But our goal and purpose is goodness, kindness and peace, not trouble-making.
As much as possible, we need to keep the peace as we follow the Jesus Way.
This is what Jesus was doing.
This is what Paul encourages too:
“Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:17-18)
We are not bound by the Moses Law, nor are we bound by the Canada Law.
But we are bound to Christ’s Law, the Law of love, joy, peace, patience, etc.
We submit to our governing authorities as much as possible, for Jesus’s sake.
Again, as Paul says:
“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)
We are free from the Law, but not free to do whatever we want.
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” (Galatians 5:13)
Humility and gracious love… this is what drives us.
Winning people to Jesus through humility and grace.
This is what Jesus was doing, and did until He died.
This is what Jesus calls us to do, until the day we die.
This is the kind of life that God will resurrect!
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, You are not urging us to become slaves to human laws, but to submit ourselves as servants to whatever authorities there are, to be examples of humility, grace, love, joy and peace, so that they may be drawn by grace too. Thank you for setting me free from legalistic obedience.