Mark 1:40 And a leper came to Him, entreating Him and falling on his knees and saying to Him, If You are willing, You can cleanse me. 41 And He was moved with compassion, and stretching out His hand, He touched him and said to him, I am willing; be cleansed! 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.
A leper portrays a typical sinner. Leprosy is the most contaminating and damaging disease, much more serious than fever (v. 30), isolating its victim both from God and from men. According to the law, a leper should be excluded from the people because of his uncleanness. No one could touch him (Lev. 13:45-46) According to the scriptural examples, leprosy comes from rebellion and disobedience. Miriam became leprous because of her rebellion against God's deputy authority (Num. 12:1-10). Naaman's leprosy was cleansed because of his obedience (2 Kings 5:1, 9-14). All fallen human beings have become leprous in the sight of God because of their rebellion. Because leprosy isolated its victim from both God and man, to cleanse the leper signifies to recover the sinner to fellowship with God and with men. This was the consummating part of the Slave-Savior's gospel service according to the record of this chapter. The Lord Jesus was moved with compassion. The Slave-Savior's compassion and willingness issuing from His love were dear and precious to the hopeless leper. The Lord stretched out His hand and touched the leper. This showed His sympathy and intimacy with the miserable leper, whom no one dared to touch. According to verse 42, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. This verse says that the leper was not only healed, but also cleansed. Leprosy not only requires healing as do other diseases; it also requires cleansing, like sin (1 John 1:7), because of its filthy and contaminating nature. (c) Living Stream Ministry.
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Witness Lee, Life-study of Mark, pp. 56-57. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA. Please visit us at www.emanna.com. Send comments to: [email protected].
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