#6 Top 40 New Testament Passages: Healing With Compassion (Mark 1:40-42)
A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. (Mark 1:40-42)
Jesus healed every kind of disease. (Matthew 4:23) He healed fevers, paralysis, deafness, blindness and muteness. He cleanse lepers of their infectious skin disease. He even raised the dead, Lazarus being the most famous incident. (John 11:38-44) I don't know why, but this simple and brief account of Jesus healing a leper moves me deeply. Perhaps it's my own need for wholeness, or perhaps it's the Lord's response, but this is one of the first stories I remember when I think of Jesus' healing ministry.
Leprosy or Hansen’s Disease is a horrifying disease in which boils and nerve damage occur from bacterial infection. If left untreated fingers and toes and other extremities may fall off. Faces may become disfigured. Leper colonies were established to keep the diseased persons isolated fro fear of contamination.
When Jesus met the leper, it could be any number of infectious skin conditions, not necessarily Hansen's Disease. The covenant Law of Moses for Israel includes instructions to the priesthood on how to handle skin diseases. If a skin rash or boil was determined to be "unclean" the person was isolated from the community until there were again pronounced clean by a priest. Leviticus chapters 13 and 14 cover skin infections and how the holiness code should respond to such conditions. In the Jewish mind such persons were cursed by God for some reason, likely their sin or the sin of their parents. It was up to God to cure them through acts of repentance, prayer and temple offerings.
The person who has the leprous disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head be disheveled; and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, “Unclean, unclean.” He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. (Leviticus 13:45-46)
The law prohibits priests touching anything considered unclean. If one touches a leper, they too are unclean and must go through a cleansing ritual. The priest who touches a leper is also barred from the temple until bathed and the sun sets. (Levicitus 22:4-7)
Jesus would have full knowledge of the uncleanness of the leper and how he may be infected himself through contact, yet he has compassion for the man. He is moved deep inside of his body, in the bowels, with pity for the leper and reaches out to touch him. What is most beautiful is Jesus' compassion. It is a deep concern like what a mother feels for her child.
The love of Christ depicted in this healing story reminds me of just how much God loves us. He is willing to touch the untouchable, to eat with prostitutes and known sinners, and to show kindness to hated Roman soldiers. Whatever sin or malady that makes me think I am unworthy of God's love, Christ convicts me with His compassion that He is willing to associate with me. He is willing to call me friend and brother. I need not fear. Like the leper, I too have hope that Christ can make me whole and restore me to health and community.
Jesus healed every kind of disease. (Matthew 4:23) He healed fevers, paralysis, deafness, blindness and muteness. He cleanse lepers of their infectious skin disease. He even raised the dead, Lazarus being the most famous incident. (John 11:38-44) I don't know why, but this simple and brief account of Jesus healing a leper moves me deeply. Perhaps it's my own need for wholeness, or perhaps it's the Lord's response, but this is one of the first stories I remember when I think of Jesus' healing ministry.
Leprosy or Hansen’s Disease is a horrifying disease in which boils and nerve damage occur from bacterial infection. If left untreated fingers and toes and other extremities may fall off. Faces may become disfigured. Leper colonies were established to keep the diseased persons isolated fro fear of contamination.
When Jesus met the leper, it could be any number of infectious skin conditions, not necessarily Hansen's Disease. The covenant Law of Moses for Israel includes instructions to the priesthood on how to handle skin diseases. If a skin rash or boil was determined to be "unclean" the person was isolated from the community until there were again pronounced clean by a priest. Leviticus chapters 13 and 14 cover skin infections and how the holiness code should respond to such conditions. In the Jewish mind such persons were cursed by God for some reason, likely their sin or the sin of their parents. It was up to God to cure them through acts of repentance, prayer and temple offerings.
The person who has the leprous disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head be disheveled; and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, “Unclean, unclean.” He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. (Leviticus 13:45-46)
The law prohibits priests touching anything considered unclean. If one touches a leper, they too are unclean and must go through a cleansing ritual. The priest who touches a leper is also barred from the temple until bathed and the sun sets. (Levicitus 22:4-7)
Jesus would have full knowledge of the uncleanness of the leper and how he may be infected himself through contact, yet he has compassion for the man. He is moved deep inside of his body, in the bowels, with pity for the leper and reaches out to touch him. What is most beautiful is Jesus' compassion. It is a deep concern like what a mother feels for her child.
The love of Christ depicted in this healing story reminds me of just how much God loves us. He is willing to touch the untouchable, to eat with prostitutes and known sinners, and to show kindness to hated Roman soldiers. Whatever sin or malady that makes me think I am unworthy of God's love, Christ convicts me with His compassion that He is willing to associate with me. He is willing to call me friend and brother. I need not fear. Like the leper, I too have hope that Christ can make me whole and restore me to health and community.
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