COMMENTARY ON MARK
LESSON NUMBER 17
JESUS HEALS A LEPER
“ Mark 1:40 And there came a leper to Him, beseeching Him, and kneeling down to Him, and saying unto Him, If Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean. 41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth His hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. 42 And as soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.” (Mark 1:40-42)
INTRODUCTION
We are covering the grand interim between the Old and the New Covenants. The Law and the Prophets were “until John” (Matt 11:13; Lk 16:16). Beginning with John God began doing a new thing. The thrust of the message was not what men should do – as with Moses and the Prophets. Rather, John delivered a marvelous announcement: “Repent ye: for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mk 3:2). When Jesus began preaching, He said the same thing: “Repent: for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mk 4:17). Thus the works of God were heralded, versus the works of men. While the Jews were within the kingdom of the Romans, the announcement of a superior kingdom was delivered to the people. This was not a philosophical kingdom, but one which the people would confront. They would behold the King of that kingdom, and receive some undeniable impressions of its superiority. In the midst of a region of darkness and the shadow of death, the “Kingdom,” which is over all, was announced. It would come within reach of the people, and they would be given to see its magnificent power. They would thus become more fully acquainted with God Himself, who, through this kingdom, would accomplish the salvation of a fallen race.
True preaching declares the One that is governing this world, saving, bringing many sons to glory, and keeping them from falling through His mighty power. The man who is sent from God, like John, does not major on what men can do for God, but what God will do for helpless men. Not only will we see this in the message preached by both John and Jesus, we will see it in the mighty works of Jesus, which dwarfed all works before Him.
THE LEPER CONFRONTS THE SAVIOR
“ 40 And there came a leper to Him, beseeching Him, and kneeling down to Him, and saying unto Him, If Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.”
It is said of John the Baptist, who was not excelled by any person before him (Matt 11:11), “John did no miracle” (John 10:41). The people did not bring their sick to John. Rather, John prepared them to receive and benefit from the Lord Jesus. Now, at this time, John has disappeared from the scene, being imprisoned by Herod (Matt 4:12; Mk 1:14).The attention is upon the Lord Jesus. Already He has cast an unclean spirit out of a man (1:25-26, raised Peter’s mother-in-law from a feverish bed (1:31), healed “many” with diverse diseases (1:33-34), and preached throughout the synagogues of Galilee, casting out demons (1:39). His reputation was growing as He “went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil” (Acts 10:38). Hope sprang up among the people, and conditions that could never before be resolved were being brought to Jesus in expectation.
THERE CAME A LEPER TO HIM. Luke says the man was “full of leprosy” who saw Jesus (Luke 5:12). The last mention of a leper during the Old Covenant relates to king Uzziah, who took upon himself to burn incense before the Lord. Leprosy “rose up in his forehead,” and he remained “a leper” until he died (2 Chron 26:23). That took place nearly 800 years before Jesus began preaching. Moses and the prophets record only two people who were ever healed of leprosy: Miriam, Moses sister (Num 12:13-14), and Naaman the Syrian (2 Kgs 5:8-14). Jesus said of those who were healed of leprosy, “And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus (Elisha) the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian” (Luke 4:27).
At the time of this text, Jesus had not yet healed a leper. No one of that time had heard of a leper being healed among them. There was no incident of a healed leper for hundreds of years – only a ceremony that was ordained for the handling of lepers (Lev 13-14). Yet, the report of this mighty prophet moved this leper to come to Jesus, persuaded that He could cleanse him from leprosy. Oh, I want you to see the faith of this man! He had no example to follow, no promise from God, and not the slightest hint that lepers could be so blessed. Yet he came to Jesus, and he will not be disappointed.
BESEECHING HIM. Other versions read “imploring,” NKJV “begged,” NIV and “pleaded.” NJB The word “beseech” means to call for help, to earnestly ask for something, and to do so with persistence. This frame of mind is reflected in Jesus’ parables of the importunate widow (Lk 18:3-8), and the man who earnestly sought “three loaves” from his friend at the midnight hour (Lk 11:5-8). This is precisely the spiritual posture of which Jesus spoke when He, following the latter parable, admonished, “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Lk 11:9).
Many prayers and supplications lack a sense of urgency. They are too casual and too ordinary, lacking inner compulsion, fervent longing, and a conviction of Divine ability and will. We are living in a time when such prayers do not handily fit into religion. “Beseeching” is not harmonious with the thrust of contemporary religion.
KNEELING DOWN TO HIM. Matthew says the leper “came and worshiped Him” (Matt 8:2). Luke says he “fell on his face” (Lk 5:12). Thus we see the picture of a man perceiving Jesus, coming to Him, and worshiping him while on his knees with his face on the ground. Those in the East still assume this posture in their religion. This man knew he was not before any ordinary Man, and thus rendered Him due homage.
SAYING UNTO HIM. These are the words of his beseechment. This is how he articulated his implorement. This is the manner in which he begged. How we frame our petitions can have very much to do with whether they are honored or not. I am not speaking of a formulae in prayer, but of a holy recognition of, and acquaintance with, the Lord of glory. Jesus had not yet been revealed in full measure, but this man had drawn all of the right conclusions from what he had seen and heard.
IF THOU WILT, THOU CANST MAKE ME CLEAN. Other versions read, “If you are willing,” “If it is your pleasure,” BBE and “If you want to.” NLT Here is a remarkable insight into the power, or authority, of the Lord. This poor leper was not relying on a procedure provided in the Law of Moses. He was not hoping for a miracle like wicked Herod did (Lk 23:8). His brief exposure to the Savior had convinced him He could do anything He wanted. He made no demand, but appealed to the will of the Savior, for he knew that all that is necessary for a work to be done, is for the Lord to want to do it. He knew what Nebuchadnezzar learned with great difficulty, that “He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth” (Dan 4:35).
THE RESPONSIVE SAVIOR
“ 41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth His hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.”
JESUS, MOVED WITH COMPASSION. Other versions read, “filled with compassion,” NIV “moved with pity,” NRSV and “being moved with pity and sympathy.” AMPLIFIED Compassion is said to come from the “bowels,” which, to the soul, are depicted as the seat of love and pity. Thus John writes of “bowels of compassion” (1 John 3:17). Here we are not faced with a mere surface reaction – like seeing some poor soul in distress, yet beyond the ability of our help. Jesus was stirred deep within by this man. And, what is it that so moved him? Was it the sight of a man “full of leprosy,” ordinarily to be excluded from society (Lev 13:46; Num 5:2)? Or, was it the strong beseeching of the man? It was both, for Jesus is moved by both what He sees and what He hears! In ancient times, holy men and women knew this. David knew that if the Lord looked upon his “affliction,” He would do something about it (2 Sam 16:12). He cried out, “Look Thou upon me and be merciful to me” (Psa 119:132).
Jesus was not merely “moved” emotionally, but was “moved,” or provoked deep within, to do something. The expression “moved with compassion” comes from a single word that means to be compelled from deep within. This man’s condition and supplication touched the heart of Jesus. This is something of what is involved in the Savior’s present High Priestly ministry. He is able “to be touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Heb 4:15). The Gospels record three occasions when Jesus was “moved with compassion” (Matt 9:36; 14:14; Mk 1:41). The first two have to do with multitudes, our text focuses on a single man. In the first, He was moved with compassion because the multitudes were without a shepherd. It was at that point that He urged His disciples to prayer that laborers would be sent into the harvest, then He sent them (Matt 9:36-10:1). In the second, He was moved with compassion and “healed their sick” (Matt 14:14). In all three cases, He did something about the condition. As you can see, Jesus is primarily motivated by His own character. This gives a special advantage to those who “know Him,” and is one of the reasons why Paul was so zealous to obtain that knowledge: “That I may know Him” (Phil 3:10).
PUT FORTH HIS HAND AND TOUCHED HIM. Under the Law, a leper was not to be touched. If such a person was touched, the one who touched the leper was unclean until the evening, when the sun had gone down: and then had to wash with water (Lev 22:4-7). Matthew and Luke also make a point of Jesus touching this man (Matt 8:3; Luke 5:13).
In commenting on Christ’s healing ministry, Matthew declares it fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning the Messiah bearing our infirmities. “and [He] healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses” (Matt 8:16-17). This indicates that Jesus did not heal by merely dismissing diseases, but that He Himself bare the sicknesses that He removed. This He did without becoming sick, just as surely as He bore our sins without becoming a sinner.
I WILL! Other versions say, “I am willing,” NKJV “I do choose,” NRSV “it is My pleasure,” BBE “I do will it,” NAB and “I want to.” NLT There is something inherent in this expression that must be seen. In this case, for the Savior to “will” something is all that is necessary for it to be accomplished. There is a level of the Divine will that must be seen in this way. Well did the sweet Psalmist affirm, “But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased” (Psa 115:3). Thus did an enlightened Nebuchadnezzar say of Him, “He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto him, What doest Thou?” (Dan 4:35). Faith needs a word like this. It cannot rest upon mere possibilities, but must be convinced that nothing can contravene the settled will of God. Thus God says of Himself, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure”(Isa 46:10). That truth will now be made known in this hopeless leper!
BE THOU CLEAN. For the leper, the only question was whether or not the Savior was willing to make him clean. The Savior confirms this is what He wants to do. Now, it only takes His word to bring it to pass, for “His word was with power” (Lk 4:32). A Savior who wills, but cannot bring it to pass, is of no comfort to helpless people. Under the Law, the cleansing of a leper required investigation (Lev 13:3), a pronouncement of uncleanness, not being clean (Lev 13:4), sequestering the leper for evaluation (Lev 13:5), the pronouncement of clean if the leprosy was gone (not healed, Lev 13:6), further pronouncing of uncleanness if the leprosy remained (Lev 13:7-8), etc. But this was not so with Jesus. He was introducing a new era, and the time of the First Covenant was passing away. He simply spoke the condition away – “Be thou clean.” Thus the people were being weaned from procedures, and being cultured for faith, the engine of the New Covenant.
THE AUTHORITATIVE WILL AND WORD
“ 42 And as soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.”
How powerful is Christ? The effect of His word will tell the story. A person who cannot effect, or bring to pass what he declares, has no power. Just as surely, a personality who can want something, yet cannot bring it to pass, is without power. How will the Lord Jesus stand up under such criteria?
AS SOON AS HE HAD SPOKEN. “And as He spoke,” DARBY and “having spoken.” YLT The idea is that Divine power came with His word, accompanying the very sound of His voice. The Psalmist spoke of this kind of power: “He sent His word, and healed them”(Psa 107:20). On the one hand, all the Lord has to do is “will” it, and it will be brought to pass. On the other hand, all He has to do is “speak” it, and it is done.
The human condition demands that such a word be spoken – a word that can cause the desired condition to take place. Thus, when speaking of Israel’s sudden turnaround, the Lord said, “And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live” (Ezek 16:6). Speaking of this powerful word the Psalmist wrote, “For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psa 33:9).
IMMEDIATELY. Other versions read, “straightway,” ASV “at once,” NJB and “instantly.” NLT Although the leprosy had filled this man, doing its wretched work over a period of time, the response to Jesus’ word was immediate.
This aspect of the Divine nature – namely the power of His word – was revealed more fully in the Person of Christ Jesus. As He went about among men, they were exposed to Divine utterance – a word that does precisely what it is sent to do – nothing less! God spoke of this through Isaiah. Although it was veiled at that time, yet Jesus brought it into full view. “So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isa 55:11). This should not surprise us, nor should we seek to mitigate it with some form of stilted theology. The days of creation are described in words that complement this doctrine. Upon the utterance of a word, we read of the sure response: “And there was . . . And it was so . . . ” (Gen 1:3,7,9,11,15,24,30).
THE LEPROSY DEPARTED. We know from Matthew’s account that the leprosy did not merely depart into the air. Rather, Jesus Himself “carried,” or “bore,” those “diseases” (Matt 8:17). This may introduce some doctrinal difficulties for some, but there is no need for this to happen. We only need to take God at His word, and the matter will be clear to the heart, even if our minds lag behind.
All of this was done before Jesus was “highly exalted” to the right hand of God, “angels and authorities and powers being made subject to Him” (1 Pet 3:22).
HE WAS CLEANSED. Both Mark and Luke say the “leprosy departed from him” (Lk 5:13). Matthew reads, “his leprosy was cleansed” (Matt 8:3). The point is that the thing that caused the man to be unclean was removed from him, thereby making him clean. Just as the man in the synagogue was freed from uncleanness when the unclean spirit was cast out of him, so this leper was no longer a leper, and thus “was cleansed.” He was physically clean, and thus, according to the Law, was ceremonially clean as well. He did not have to be sequestered, as the Law specified, in order to see if the disease would take its course or not. This was not a mere case of human infirmity, but one in which the Creator of humanity was involved. His presence superceded the presence of the leprosy, and His will was superior to the power and tenacity of that leprosy.
This whole thing was driven by Christ’s “will.” He willed it, then spoke it, and it came to pass immediately. This is another strong reason for appealing to the will of the Lord, as Jesus taught us: “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10). This is not an appeal for men to do God’s will, although that is involved, but for Him to do it! Just as insight and devotion are the environ in which God’s will is done “in heaven,” so we are to pray that such an environment will be found upon earth.
From this perspective, this leper came to Jesus within the framework in which God works. He saw something in Jesus to which He was attracted. He came to Him in full recognition of His superiority, worshiping before Him. He was convinced that what the Lord willed, He could do. He resigned Himself the will of the Lord. All of those are traits of faith, which causes one to be pleasing unto the Lord, and without which “it is impossible to please Him” (Heb 11:6). We too can be convinced of Christ’s power, or ability.