Second Presbyterian Church

"Naaman Learns a Lesson"
February 16, 2003

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Sermons Homepage » Sermons for 2003 » Sermons for February 2003

6^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
by The Rev. Daniel E. Hale, D. Min.

• 2 Kings 5: 1-19a
• 1 Corinthians 9: 24-27
• Mark 1: 40-45

Sometimes I get worried about how we read passages in the Bible.Some people, I fear don't read them at all.Others who do tend to read them so "reverently" that they miss the humor and drama involved.And when they miss the humor and drama involved they tend to miss the richness of the point intended by the writer.What am I talking about? Well, the rest of the sermon is my answer.

This is a story about a miracle of the LORD through Elisha.Here is the context.Israel had split, quite a while back, into the Northern Kingdom, Israel and the Southern Kingdom, Judah.To the east of the Israel was Syria.South of Syria and east of Judah was Moab.All these little nations and others were scrapping with one another.They would form alliances and attack each other.

Well, Naaman was the commander of the army of the King of Syrian.Our lesson states that he was a successful commander due to the LORD.In other words, Naaman was a powerful, important man.He was second only to the King.Well, this important mover and shaker had a problem; he had leprosy, a skin disease that could lead to social ostracism and eventually death.One day his wife's girl servant told her that there was a prophet in Israel that could cure her husband.How would this maidservant know? She was from Israel and had been taken captive during one of the raids made by her master into Israel.

So, Naaman asked and received permission to travel to Israel and to visit this prophet.The king of Syria sent 750 pounds of silver (around $60,000 today's worth), 150 pounds of gold (around $725,000 today's worth) and 10 sets of garments (!).These were not cheap gifts, though I am not sure about the ten suits.

Naaman leaves Syria and travels to Israel (or Samaria) with the entourage of servants, nearly ½ ton of precious medal and ten expensive Sunday suits.He goes to the King of Israel, proper protocol and presents to the king the letter from the king of Syria.It reads, "When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy." Did you hear that? The way that the letter was read, it was as if the king of Syria expected the king of Israel to cure Naaman! The king of Israel tore his clothes (a sign of grief and doom, a sign of disaster).

"Whom does this king of Syrian think I am, a god? Does he think that somehow I have the authority to kill and make alive? I know what he is doing! He is setting me up! The King of Syria is setting me up so that he can have an excuse to attack and make war with me!"

This is understandable paranoia when we remember that these petit nations were almost constantly scrapping with and raiding one another.

Elisha approaches the king.He finds out about how he had torn his clothes.How? Probably the same way he knew about his servant's deception (2 Kings 5: 25 -27).

He approached the king and said, "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him (re. Naaman) come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel."

Naaman and his entourage of peoples, ½ ton of precious metals, 10 suits of clothes, and all the mules that it takes to carry all this stuff and headed out where Elisha resided.This mighty, this important commander of the army of Syria reigned up his entourage in front of the door of Elisha's house.

Elisha sent out his servant who told Naaman to go and wash in the Jordan seven times and he would be cured of his leprosy.

He expected to meet Elisha.He expected Elisha to come out and greet him.He expected Elisha to call upon the LORD, wave his hands around in the air and over the place and thus cure him (Naaman).Naaman was mad.His pride had been hurt.Elisha had snubbed him and discounted his stature and importance.

In his rage, Naaman left in a huff, muttering a few choice phrases about how the rivers of Syria (Abana and Pharpar) are much nicer than the rivers of Israel, especially the muddy Jordan! He would have nothing to do with this so-called prophet.

A servant of Naaman came to him and said, "Father, the prophet has spoken a great word to you; he has instructed you about how to be healed. If the prophet had asked you to do something difficult, you would have done it without hesitation."

Naaman calmed down, washed himself seven times in the Jordan and his leprosy was completely cured.In fact his skin looked like the skin of a little child.

Naaman is filled with joy and gratitude.He returns to Elisha's house and proclaims, "Now I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel." Naaman offered Elisha the gifts of nearly a ½ ton of precious metal, and ten suits.Elisha refused the offer.

Then Naaman had a second request.He asked Elisha if he could have two mule's load of dirt.Why, you might wonder? It does seem strange to us.The belief is that you cannot worship the God of Israel unless you kneel on the ground of Israel.For Naaman to do that in Syria, he had to take a little Israel dirt with him, upon which he could kneel and worship the LORD.Naaman receives further assurance that it is okay if he assists the King of Syria to kneel and worship that God.And Elisha assured him that that was okay.

So that is the delightful, humorous story of Naaman the Syrian (Gentile) commander who is healed of leprosy by Elisha the Jewish prophet.Please note a couple things.Note how human importance and stature are basically useless.Naaman in all his importance has to follow the advice of a servant girl in his household and a humble prophet who instructs him through his servant.The King of Israel was useless.He knew not what to do.The King of Syria was wrong; the king of Israel was not the one who could cure.And the pride of Naaman almost cost him his cure; he almost left, in a huff, without being healed.

The theology of this passage is instructive for us.Our help comes from God.He is the One who heals.He is the One who redeems us.Our passage in the Gospel also speaks of a leper being healed.A story that demonstrates the compassion that Jesus had for those who were outcast and left on the fringes of society.

We constantly need to be reminded how the power of God, comes through those people and times that seem the opposite of human understanding of power.Our Lord constantly reminds us to reach out to those whom we deem less than ourselves, not just for their sakes, but also for ours.You never know, it may be that through that person you encounter the healing love and power of God.

At the beginning I expressed concern about the way we read the Bible.I hope that you experienced this passage: its profound points, its drama, and its humor.When we experience these aspects of scripture, we actually end up with a more profound sense of its meaning and purpose.There are passages like this throughout the Bible.Amen.