Obeying Jesus When it Doesn't Make Sense to Us

[Jesus] went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons. And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, and He said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere.

Mark 1:39-45

In the past, when I've read about Jesus healing the man with leprosy -- warning him not to tell anyone but rather "offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded" -- it has always seemed perfectly understandable, and perhaps even virtuous, that the man did the opposite of what Jesus warned, and spread the news all over the city. Even yesterday as I was reading I was perplexed as to why Jesus would tell him not to tell. But today I've had new thoughts, based on the text and on the background in Leviticus to which Jesus referred.

First of all, as I write this, I am reminded it can never be virtuous to choose that which is opposed to what our Lord commands. Jesus did not say it casually: "He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away (v. 43)."

And what is this offering Moses commanded? Leviticus 14:1-32 details the order of events to take place for one who has received healing from leprosy, involving several stages of offerings with a priest, and a gradual reintroduction into public life. This is meant for a person's wholeness and freedom (among other things), as we see from the live bird which has been dipped in the blood of the bird which was slain...the priest "shall pronounce [the man] clean, and shall let the live bird go free over the open field (v. 7)."

So...the (formerly) leprous man who came to Jesus to be healed -- and was healed, for Jesus was "moved with compassion," and was willing -- was acting in disobedience both to Jesus' direct command as well as the established written command from Scripture. The result of his disobedience? "But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere (v. 45)."

How could a man healed by Jesus be expected to keep it quiet? Wouldn't that be dishonoring to Him? Great blessing is found in obedience, even if we can't always see how at the outset. Jesus told the man his offering -- and his obedience -- would be "a testimony to them (v. 44)." We would expect the man's freely proclaiming his healing by Jesus to be his testimony. Jesus said acting in obedience to His word would be his testimony.

Jesus finished His work; He accomplished what He came to do. So it is easy to discount the significance of this incident. But I wonder...what would things have been like if this man had obeyed? If Jesus hadn't been driven from the public places at this time? We won't know this side of heaven.