Among the simplest and most beautiful of the Bible records of so-called miracles performed by the Prophet of Galilee was the healing of the leper. The story of the cleansing of this leper is given in two short verses in the eighth chapter of Matthew: "Behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed." That was all. Now the question is, Was it faith alone that healed the leper? It would so appear from the confidence of the man; for the words, "If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean," were not an appeal, but a statement of assured faith.
It is a natural conclusion that the leper's faith in the healing power manifested by Jesus of Nazareth was the means of his instantaneous cure. If, however, we accept the evidence that faith alone was the medium through which the leper secured his freedom, what shall be said of the healing of the lame beggar "at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful"? The element of faith which appeared to be instrumental in the healing of the leper was, in the case of the beggar, apparently absent. Not alone was this the case but there was seemingly a total ignorance of the existence of a healing and saving power. No appeal for deliverance was made; yet in both cases the healing was immediate.
It will be remembered that the healing of the leper was performed by Jesus, but the beggar was healed by Peter, who was accosted by a man lame from his birth when he and John were about to enter the temple at Jerusalem. This man, who it would seem knew nothing of the healing power possessed by the disciples, sought only alms of them. This was his usual custom. He was brought to the temple daily for that purpose, and apparently was recognized as one of those unfortunates whom in these days we term a professional beggar. Christian Science teaches that it was Peter's discernment of the spiritual need of the man, and his understanding that in spite of physical evidence man is always God's image and lacks nothing, which healed the man. But Christian Science also teaches that Peter possessed something above and beyond faith in order to obtain results which caused the beggar to stand upon feet and ankle bones that had never before supported his body, and gave him strength to rise and enter the temple "walking and leaping, and praising God"!
