Luke 5: Jesus Heals Leper & Paralytic

Read Luke chapter 5

Introduction: Luke 5 shows us a series of miracles and teachings performed by Jesus Christ, which point to his divine authority and compassion for his creation. This chapter includes  the calling of the first disciples, the healing of a leper and a paralytic, and Jesus’s response to the Pharisees’ criticism of his association with sinners. Through these life events of Jesus, Luke show us the life changing power of Jesus’s ministry and how all is included in His call to believe in Him and follow him.

I. The Calling of the First Disciples (Luke 5:1-11)
Jesus teaches from Simon Peter’s boat and performs a miraculous catch of fish, leading Simon, James, and John to leave everything and follow him. These verses remind us of the calling of disciples in other Gospels, such as Matthew 4:18-22, where Jesus also calls fishermen to become “fishers of men.” The response of the disciples, leaving their livelihood without hesitation, teaches the radical commitment from people required that decides to follow Christ (Mark 1:17).

II. The Healing of a Leper (Luke 5:12-16)
Jesus heals a man with leprosy, displaying his willingness to touch and heal the outcasts of society. This healing brings to mind the compassion of God shown in the Old Testament, as in 2 Kings 5:1-14, where the prophet Elisha heals Naaman, the Syrian commander. Jesus’s command to the healed man to show himself to the priests and offer a sacrifice, as described in Leviticus 14:1-32, reaffirms that His ministry is in life with the Law of Moses.

III. The Healing of a Paralytic (Luke 5:17-26)
Friends bring a paralyzed man to Jesus, lowering him through the roof due to the crowded house. Jesus not only heals the man but also forgives his sins, showing his divine authority over sickness and disease. This action echoes Isaiah 35:5-6, which prophesies that the coming of the Lord will bring healing to the blind, deaf, and lame. The reaction of the witnesses, a mixture of awe and skepticism, reflects the varied responses to Jesus’s ministry throughout the Gospels.

IV. The Calling of Levi and the Feast with Sinners (Luke 5:27-32)
Jesus calls Levi (Matthew), a tax collector, to be his disciple and later dines with him and other sinners. This act brings to mind that God’s love and care includes all people, as can be seen in Hosea 6:6, where God desires mercy and obedience rather than sacrifice. Jesus’s statement that he came to call sinners, not the righteous, sheds light on his mission to save and redeem the lost, as expressed in Matthew 9:12-13.

V. The Question About Fasting (Luke 5:33-39)
The Pharisees question Jesus about his disciples’ lack of fasting compared to John the Baptist’s disciples. Jesus uses the analogy of the bridegroom and new wineskins to show the new covenant being established, which was his mission and ministry in the world, and cannot be limited by old rituals or rudiments. The idea a new covenant in God’s work can be found in Jeremiah 31:31-34, which speaks of a new covenant distinct from the old.

Conclusion: Luke 5 outlines several events in the life of Jesus that show His authority, compassion, and the world changing nature of his ministry. From calling fishermen to follow him to the radical inclusion of sinners and the challenge to religious traditions, Jesus’s actions demonstrate the advent of a new way of relating to God and one another. This chapter calls out to people to consider their own response to Jesus’s invitation to redemption and discipleship, as well as the transformative impact of embracing his teachings.