But he withdrew himself in the deserts and prayed (αυτος δε ην υποχωρων εν ταις ερημοις κα προσευχομενος). Periphrastic imperfects…

A man full of leprosy.—See Notes on Matthew 8:2-4. The precise description is peculiar to, and characteristic of, Saint Luke, as i…

And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

That is just what you and I would probably not have done under such circum…

St. Ambrose of Milan: The fourth miracle after Jesus came to Capernaum was the healing of a leprous man. But since He illumi…

If the command to silence is part of a pattern in the Gospels, so is the failure to obey it. The immediate effect of the healing is Jesus’ increase…

And he withdrew himself into the wilderne
Into a desert place, that he might have rest from the fatigues of preachi…

This man is said to be full of leprosy. He had that disease to a high degree, which represents our natural pollution by sin. Indeed, we are full of…