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The Desire of Ages
disease. However unwilling they might be to perform this service, they
could not evade an examination and decision of the case.
The words of Scripture show with what urgency Christ enjoined
upon the man the necessity of silence and prompt action. “He straitly
charged him, and forthwith sent him away; and saith unto him, See
thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, show thyself to the priest,
and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for
a testimony unto them.” Had the priests known the facts concerning the
healing of the leper, their hatred of Christ might have led them to render
a dishonest sentence. Jesus desired the man to present himself at the
temple before any rumors concerning the miracle had reached them.
Thus an impartial decision could be secured, and the restored leper
would be permitted to unite once more with his family and friends.
There were other objects which Christ had in view in enjoining
silence on the man. The Saviour knew that His enemies were ever
seeking to limit His work, and to turn the people from Him. He knew
that if the healing of the leper were noised abroad, other sufferers from
this terrible disease would crowd about Him, and the cry would be
raised that the people would be contaminated by contact with them.
Many of the lepers would not so use the gift of health as to make it a
blessing to themselves or to others. And by drawing the lepers about
Him, He would give occasion for the charge that He was breaking
down the restrictions of the ritual law. Thus His work in preaching the
gospel would be hindered.
The event justified Christ’s warning. A multitude of people had
witnessed the healing of the leper, and they were eager to learn of
the priests’ decision. When the man returned to his friends, there
was great excitement. Notwithstanding the caution of Jesus, the man
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made no further effort to conceal the fact of his cure. It would indeed
have been impossible to conceal it, but the leper published the matter
abroad. Conceiving that it was only the modesty of Jesus which laid
this restriction upon him, he went about proclaiming the power of this
Great Healer. He did not understand that every such manifestation
made the priests and elders more determined to destroy Jesus. The
restored man felt that the boon of health was very precious. He rejoiced
in the vigor of manhood, and in his restoration to his family and society,
and felt it impossible to refrain from giving glory to the Physician who
had made him whole. But his act in blazing abroad the matter resulted