The Crusades

19: Betrayal Foretold & Lepers Healed

When Jesus had said this, Peter answered: ‘O teacher, behold we have felt all to follow thee, what shall become of us?’

Jesus answered: ‘Verily ye in the day of judgment shall sit beside me, giving testimony against the twelve tribes of Israel.’

And having said this Jesus sighed, saying: ‘O Lord, what thing is this? for I have chosen twelve, and one of them is a
devil.’

The disciples were sore grieved at this word; whereupon he who writeth secretly questioned Jesus with tears, saying:
‘O master, will Satan deceive me, and shall I then become reprobate?’
 
Jesus answered: “Be not sore grieved, Barnabas; for those whom God hath chosen before the creation of the world shall not perish. Rejoice, for thy name is written in the book of life.’
 
Jesus comforted his disciples, saying: ‘Fear not, for he who shall hate me is not grieved at my saying, because in him is not the divine feeling.’

At his words the chosen were comforted. Jesus made his prayers, and his disciples said: ‘Amen, so be it, Lord God almighty and merciful.’
 
Having finished his devotions, Jesus came down from the mountain with his disciples, and met ten lepers, who from afar off cried out: ‘Jesus, son of David, have mercy on us!’
 
Jesus called them near to him, and said unto them: ‘What will ye of me, O brethren?’
 
They all cried out: ‘Give us health!’
 
Jesus answered: ‘Ah, wretched that ye are, have ye so lost  your reason for that ye say: “Give us health?” See ye not me to be a man like yourselves. Call unto our God that hath created you: and he that is almighty and merciful will heal you.
 
With tears the lepers answered: ‘We know that thou art man like us, but yet an holy one of God and a prophet of the Lord; wherefore pray thou to God, and he will heal us.
 
Thereupon the disciples prayed Jesus, saying: ‘Lord, have mercy upon them.’ Then groaned Jesus and prayed to God, saying: ‘Lord God almighty and merciful, have mercy and hearken to the words of thy servant: and for love of Abraham our father and for thy holy covenant have mercy on the request of these men, and grant them health.’ Whereupon Jesus, having said this, turned himself to the lepers and said: ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests according to the law of God.’

The lepers departed and on the way were cleansed. Whereupon one of them. seeing that he was healed, returned to find Jesus, and he was an Ishmaelite. And having found Jesus he bowed himself, doing reverence unto him, and saying: ‘Verily thou art an holy one of God’ and with thanks he prayed him
that he would receive him for servant. Jesus answered: ‘Ten have been cleansed; where are the nine?’ And he said to him that was cleansed: ‘I am not come to be served, but to serve: wherefore go to shine home, and recount how much God hath done in thee, in order that they may know that the promises made to Abraham and his son, with the kingdom of God, are
drawing nigh.’ The cleansed leper departed, and having arrived in his own neighbourhood recounted how much God through Jesus had wrought in him.
  

 

An Islamic Perspective and Commentary

by
Ishaq Zahid

The miracles of Jesus (peace be on him) were by the commands of God.   The Holy Quran affirms the assertion:

Behold! the angels said: “O Mary! God hath chosen thee and purified thee- chosen thee above the women of all nations.
“O Mary! worship Thy Lord devoutly: Prostrate thyself, and bow down (in prayer) with those who bow down.”
This is part of the tidings of the things unseen, which We reveal unto thee (O Apostle!) by inspiration: Thou wast not with them when they cast lots with arrows, as to which of them should be charged with the care of Mary: Nor wast thou with them when they disputed (the point).

Behold! the angels said: “O Mary! God giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to God;
“He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be (of the company) of the righteous.”
She said: “O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?” He said: “Even so: God createth what He willeth: When He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, ‘Be,’ and it is!

“And God will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel,
“And (appoint him) an apostle to the Children of Israel, (with this message):

“‘I have come to you, with a Sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by God’s leave: And I heal those born blind, and the lepers, and I quicken the dead, by God’s
leave; and I declare to you what ye eat, and what ye store in your houses. Surely therein is a Sign for you if ye did believe;
“‘(I have come to you), to attest the Law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was (Before) forbidden to you; I have come to you with a Sign from your Lord. So fear God, and obey me.
“‘It is God Who is my Lord and your Lord; then worship Him. This is a Way that is straight.’” (The Holy Quran, 3:42-51)