“HE FREQUENTLY WITHDREW!”

 Luke 5: 12-16                 (Berean Study Bible)

The Leper’s Prayer

“12 While JESUS was in one of the towns, a man came along who was COVERED WITH LEPROSY. When he saw JESUS, he fell facedown and begged HIM, “LORD, if YOU are willing, YOU can make me clean.”

13 JESUS reached out HIS hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” HE said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.

14 “Do not tell anyone,” JESUS instructed him. “But go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, AS. A TESTIMONY TO THEM.”

15 But the news about JESUS spread all the more, and great crowds came to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 

16 Yet “HE FREQUENTLY WITHDREW” to the wilderness TO PRAY.”

Having never been exposed to leprosy, all I can do is read about the hideous caused by this nearly extinct disease.  In Biblical times, lepers were made to announce themselves as “unclean” when their paths crossed with others as it was believed to be highly contagious.  JESUS had just healed a man with leprosy and instructed him “Do not tell anyone”, but he had just been cleansed of a severe impurity in his life and there is little doubt that keeping this miracle to himself wasn’t on his “to do” list??

JESUS says in John 10:30 “I and the FATHER are ONE.”  With that being the case, why did JESUS have to FREQUENTLY WITHDRAW to be able TO PRAY to HIS FATHER?  The Divinity of JESUS would mean that HE never sinned, therefore HE never needed to come to HIS FATHER requesting forgiveness?  Why, then, does Scripture state in Luke 5:16 “HE FREQUENTLY WITHDREW” to the wilderness TO PRAY?  

Philippians 2:8-9 says JESUS HUMBLED HIMSELF, JESUS willingly pour HIMSELF out for mankind for that IMPUTATION was the ONLY WAY for someone as vile and wicked as me to enter eternity with HIM!  While it is true that I once had SPIRITUAL LEPROSY, the righteousness and Holiness of JESUS is what GOD sees when HE looks at me!  The miracle of healing the leper was something that was never forgotten BY THE PERSON HEALED.  It might be that the reason “HE FREQUENTLY WITHDREW” was to make sure there was NO OTHER WAY to save a wretch like me???