Though Christ had commanded the leper to “tell no man,” His fame could not be hid, and it spread throughout all the countryside.  Having heard of the Galilean miracle-worker, the crowds flocked to Him to hear His teaching, and to have their sick healed.  Though Christ was ever willing to help the needy, He also saw importance in solitary communion with His Father, and so when an opportune moment arrived, He withdrew Himself into the wilderness for a time of prayer.  Never should we be so busy that we forego our personal communion with the Lord, for it is that which will give us strength for the service to which He has called us.

Luke moves the narrative ahead now, to a certain day when Jesus was teaching.  As usual, large multitudes were there, and among them were included much of Israel’s religious hierarchy: Pharisees and doctors of the law, and visitors not only from Galilee, but also from Jerusalem and Judea, which had heard of His fame.  The power of the Lord to heal was present there as our Lord taught, even as we pray His saving and edifying power will be present whenever we meet together in our assemblies of worship.

Probably there was more than one healing that took place that day, but there was a significant instance which was recorded by all the synoptic writers.  There was a palsied man, whose disease was so great that he was basically paralytic, unable to move himself.  But, he had good friends, who did the very best thing for him that a friend can ever do: they brought him to Christ.  Those are friends indeed who bring us to the One Who can heal all our infirmities!