Jesus Touched The Leper And Healed Him

A hospital visitor saw a nurse tending to the sores of a leprosy patient, and said, “I’d never do that for a million dollars!” The nurse answered, “Neither would I. But I do it for Jesus for nothing.” (Lou Nicholes - Missionary/Author). … More

Leprosy

Keep in mind that lepers were considered unclean by the Jews and were required to keep a safe distance so they would not contaminate them (Lev. 13 & 14). A person with leprosy becomes a walking mess of foul- smelling ulcerated growths whose face louses human appearance.  The average course of the disease is nine years and ends in mental decay, coma and ultimately death. He had to wear a black garment and everywhere he went he must give warning with the cry “unclean, unclean"! Some people even threw rocks at lepers to keep them at a safe distance. No disease in the Bible pictures the devastating results of sin in a life as leprosy does.

This man came boldly right to Jesus believing He had the power to heal him. Jesus, with compassion, reached out and touched him (which constituted ceremonial defilement in the eyes of the Pharisees and Sadducees) and the leper was instantly healed. To the pious Jew, so conscious of the ritual of uncleanness of the leper, this miracle must have been staggering. Seeking to avoid publicity because a healing emphasis would have hindered His evangelistic ministry, He charged the man not to tell anyone except the priests.

Keep in mind that disobedience to the express command of Christ, even if done from the best possible motives can lead only to a hindering of Christ`s work. The reason Jesus told him to go to the priest was that if ever a leper was cured (and real leprosy was incurable) he had to undergo a complicated ceremony of restoration as described in Leviticus 14. Here we see Jesus fulfilling the human law that Moses had commanded. No person is too disgusting for God’s touch. In a sense we are all people with leprosy because we have all been deformed by the ugliness of sin. But God, by sending His Son Jesus has touched us, giving us the opportunity to be healed. When you feel repulsed by someone, stop and remember how God feels about that person and about you.

Application

It is so easy to develop a circle of Christian friends and never reach out and get to know the people in the community in which we live. I need to be on the lookout for who the “lepers” are in my community (the people others are afraid to touch)? What am I doing to reach these people?

Mark 1:40-45 (English Standard Version)


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