THE COMPASSIONATE KING (Mark 1:40-45)
INTRODUCTION:
Mark’s Gospel highlights for us the miracles that Jesus Christ did that validated the gospel message that He preached. Mark records more of Jesus Christ’s miracles than His sermons. But the miracles that Mark records for us teach us spiritual truths that visibly portray for us the Spirit’s work among mankind. For example, when Jesus healed the blind, this portrayed His illumination of darkened hearts, that He is the Light of the world. When He calmed the storm, this teaches that Jesus Christ has the power to bring peace to troubled hearts. When He raised the dead, this portrayed His life-giving power and that He is the life. When He fed the five thousand it spoke of Him being the Bread of life. Just because Mark does not record a lot of Jesus Christ’s sermons, it is still a book of deep spiritual truth.
This morning, we are going to look at the last six verses of Mark 1. I debated and prayed about doing a Palm Sunday message, but I felt the Lord leading me to finish up Mark one before entering into the Easter weekend. In these last six verses of chapter one we will see another miracle, the healing of a leper. Leprosy has always been an illustration of sin, and the healing of it is the illustration of deliverance from sin. The nature of leprosy, with its subtle beginnings, its slow progress, its destructive power, and the ultimate ruin that it brings makes it a powerful symbol of moral depravity, of the sin nature that each of us possesses. If our spiritual eyes were opened, we would see that apart from the work of Christ we would be decaying forms of walking death. With this in mind, let’s pray and then turn to our passage for this morning.
--PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles to Mark 1:40-45. We will finish up chapter one this morning then next week we will be looking at the death and resurrection of our Lord on Friday evening and Sunday morning. Please, if you are able, stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word and follow along as I read.
Mark 1:40-45,
“And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, and He said to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’ But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere.” (Mark 1:40–45, NASB95)[1]
THE PLEA (Mark 1:40)
Mark summarized for us in the final verse of last week’s passage Jesus’ teaching ministry throughout Galilee. Jesus was going from town to town throughout Galilee and preaching the gospel in their synagogues and driving out demons and healing the sick. The news about this miracle worker spread far and wide. It finally reached even the isolated huts of the lepers who lived outside the cities alone. The ability of this miracle worker to heal disease gave hope to one leper. If he could just get close to Jesus maybe He would heal him. Luke tells us that this took place in one of the cities that Jesus was visiting. Now lepers were not allowed to be out in public, they were to live their lives isolated from people. This man determined to see Jesus went against the cultural norm and sought out Jesus. Mark tells us that he knelt before Jesus, Luke says that when he arrived, he fell on his face before Jesus, a mass of rotting flesh. Luke the physician goes on in his account to tell us that this man was “covered” or “full of leprosy.” The disease had run its course. This man’s appearance is not described for us, but if you have ever seen a picture of someone full of leprosy, that one picture is enough.
It is important to understand that leprosy, or Hansen’s disease as it is better known today, is not a rotting infection as is commonly thought, nor are its horrible outward physical deformities caused by the disease. Dr. Paul Brand in his research of Hansen’s disease in India along with other physicians and researchers have proven that the disfigurement connected to leprosy comes only because the body’s warning system of pain is destroyed. The disease acts as an anesthetic, bringing numbness to the extremities as well as to the ears, eyes, and nose. The devastation that follows as Dr. Brand has observed comes from such instances as reaching one’s hand into a charcoal fire to retrieve a dropped potato, or washing one’s face with scalding water, or gripping a tool so tightly that the hands become traumatized and eventually become stumplike. In leprosy colonies in third world countries sometimes vermin chew on sleeping lepers and they wake to find a finger or toe or parts of their ears or noses chewed off. Dr. Brand calls the disease a “painless hell” and that is what it truly is. The man in our passage this morning had not been able to feel for years since he was “full of leprosy.” His condition left him mutilated from head to foot, rotten, stinking, repulsive.
This man had no illusions about his miserable condition. If he did, all he had to do was lift an infected stump before his browless eyes and all illusion would vanish. If that was not enough, the rest of the world was there to remind him of his condition. The law said this concerning lepers in Leviticus 13:45-46, “As for the leper who has the infection, his clothes shall be torn, and the hair of his head shall be uncovered, and he shall cover his mustache and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ He shall remain unclean all the days during which he has the infection; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.” (Leviticus 13:45–46, NASB95)[2] We can hardly imagine the humiliation and isolation of the leper’s life in Israel. He was banished from society because it was thought at that time that leprosy was highly contagious (which it is not). He had to go about in an unkempt appearance and cry out “unclean, unclean” when people came near to him. By Jesus time, the rabbinical teaching, with the strict rules and regulations that were absolutely absurd at times had made matters worse. If a leper stuck his head inside a house, it was pronounced unclean. It was illegal to even greet a leper. If a leper was upwind from you, he had to maintain a distance of at least 100 cubits (about 150 feet), if he was downwind he could be as close to you as 4 cubits (about 6 feet). Josephus, the Jewish historian, wrote in summary that lepers were treated “as if they were, in effect, dead men.”[3] There was no illusion in this leper’s life as to who he was and what his condition was.
The spiritual reality for all of us is that we are spiritual lepers. This is the spiritual truth that can be drawn out of the image of this man. But unlike the leper, we are often unconscious of our sin and the pervasiveness of our sinful condition. This is why preaching and sharing the gospel needs to be our primary duty so that we alert people to their condition.
The leper knew how bad off he was, but he also had hope and confidence in Christ, his plea was, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” (Mark 1:40b, NASB95)[4] This leper believed that Jesus Christ could cure him. His theology was simple, “If He can do this for others, He can do it for me.”
We do see a little hesitation in the plea of the leper to Jesus when he says, “If you will…” This leper knew that Jesus could heal him, he did not know if Jesus would heal him. We can see this hesitation because this man did not know Jesus, just what he had heard. He did not know what motivated the heart of our Lord. Where this leper had hesitation, we have certainty. We know the gospel. We know the heart of Jesus. Mark will later write in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45, NASB95)[5] Nothing is more in line with God’s will than this, to serve and give His life a ransom for many. Listen to what God’s Word says concerning His will. 2nd Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9, NASB95)[6] Paul in his first letter to Timothy wrote in 1st Timothy 2:3-4, “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3–4, NASB95)[7] Because we know God’s will we cannot come to Christ and say to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Instead, we must say, “Since I know you are willing, wash me and I will be clean.” This poor leper was flat on his face before the Lord, humbling bowing before the only One who could cure him. He was fully aware of his hopeless condition as a leper, and yet he believed that Jesus Christ could heal him.
THE MIRACLE (Mark 1:41-42)
Jesus Christ, the messianic King responds to this man in three ways, in His compassion, in His touch, and in His word. First, we see the compassion of the King. Notice verse 41 says that Jesus was moved with compassion. This describes a gut reaction on the part of Jesus. Jesus felt within Himself the suffering that this man was enduring. In this we see the heart of the God, the Lord Jesus Christ has compassion, is moved with compassion for those suffering under the weight of their leprosy, their sin. He does more than just understand, He felt the full weight of your sin on the cross. As Peter read to us this morning from 2nd Corinthians 5:21, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NASB95)[8] Jesus Christ compassionately feels with you the effects of sin in your life.
Second, Jesus did the unthinkable, Mark writes, “Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him.” (Mark 1:41b, NASB95)[9] What we are witnessing here was Jesus’ divine and human heart in action. Since this man was full of leprosy, we can assume that he had not been touched by a soft, healthy hand in years. If he was married, he had not known his wife’s touch, much less her embrace since he had first been diagnosed and declared unclean. If he had children there had been no kiss, no hug, no touch—and depending on how long he had been isolated they were possibly adults now. Whatever his family status, this leper must have longed to be touched by another human. Imagine the longing this leper had to be touched, imagine the audible gasp of those watching this happen as Jesus reaches out and touches this man. Time must have stood still when Jesus touched this man full of leprosy. We cannot even begin to describe the ecstasy that must have run through this man’s body as he felt Jesus’ hand resting on him. The onlookers were shocked, the disciples were shocked. Jesus was now ceremonially unclean, can the truly holy One ever be unclean, or does His holiness overpower the uncleanness. Would He catch this man’s disease by touching him?
Why did Jesus touch the leper? First, I believe because He delighted to, this was natural for Jesus to touch those whom He healed. Second, Jesus wanted the leper to feel his willingness and sympathy. The touch said, “ I’m with you, I understand, I love you.” Those are the human reasons. But I believe there is a theological truth that must be seen in this touch, the touch of Jesus Christ’s pure hand on the rotting flesh of this leper is an illustration of the Incarnation. Jesus in His incarnation took on flesh, became sin for us, and gave us His purity. I just read you those words from 2nd Corinthians 5:21. Jesus laid hold of our flesh. He touched us and healed us. Imagine Jesus bent over the prostrate leper, His holy hand resting on the decaying flesh of the foul-smelling leper, and listen to the words of Jesus, words of reassurance and words of healing. Jesus said to the man, “I am willing; be cleansed.” (Mark 1:41c, NASB95)[10]
In describing what took place at that moment, Mark uses his favorite word. He writes, “Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.” (Mark 1:42, NASB95)[11] The healing was sudden and complete. His feet possibly toeless, ulcerated stubs—were suddenly whole, bursting out of his sandals. The knobs of his hands grew fingers before his very eyes. Back came his hair, his eyebrows, his eyelashes. Under his hair were ears that were whole and his nose also was made whole again. His skin was soft and supple. Can you hear the astonishment of those who witnessed this. Can you hear the man crying not, “Unclean, unclean,” but, “I’m clean! I’m clean!”
Jesus Christ, the compassionate King can do this for anyone in an instant, in a split second of belief. The healing of Christ in salvation from sin is instantaneous and complete. John declared in 1 John 1:7, “… the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7, NASB95)[12] If you realize that the leprosy of sin has infected your person, then you have no doubt that you are a sinner. If you believe this, then there is no reason why you should not go immediately to the Savior. He will show the same compassion, He will touch your leprosy, and He will cleanse you completely. Can you humble yourself before Him and be made clean?
THE WARNING (Mark 1:43-44)
Mark tells us that Jesus sternly warned the now cleansed man and sent him away. In verse 44 Mark records the warning that Jesus gave him. The warning consisted of several instructions. Jesus said, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” (Mark 1:44, NASB95)[13] Jesus told the man to obey the Law of Moses as it applied to his disease. Several things had to be done for a leper cleansed of his leprosy and certain sacrifices had to be offered. Why did Jesus tell him to not tell anyone about what happened to him, about what Jesus did for him? We are not told why Jesus told him and others that He healed not to tell anyone, but the context of Mark’s Gospel gives us some clues. Everywhere Jesus went and preached, people completely misunderstood His mission and what the Messiah was to do. They were waiting for a champion who would deliver them from Rome, they were not looking for the Suffering Servant of God who would deliver them from their sins. Because of this Jesus did not want to make public His true identity, especially this early in His ministry. Also, if this cleansed man went and told everyone in the area that Jesus had healed him, every leper within hearing would rush to Jesus to be cleansed. And He would not have time to fulfill the mission that God the Father had sent Him to do.
THE RESULT (Mark 1:45)
Did the cleansed man do as Jesus asked? No, Mark tells that he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around. Here we have an evangelist in disobedience. Jesus had told him not to do it and he did it anyway. He did it to such an extent that Jesus could no longer openly enter a city and proclaim the gospel in their synagogue. Instead, He had to stay out in the isolated places but even there the crowds flocked to Him from everywhere. Jesus understood that His popularity was the result of superficial interest and the temporary desires and expectations of the people. The crowds got excited about His miracles, but they were not that interested in His message of the gospel. This reality ultimately culminated in His crucifixion, as the crowds turned on Him in a deadly way in spite of His miracles.
Before we leave this passage of Scripture it is worth noting something that I believe is here for a reason. That is the change in position between Jesus and the leper who was cleansed. The leper started in the wilderness in isolation. After he met Jesus, he was able to mingle freely in the city. On the other hand, Jesus started in the city. After meeting the leper, Jesus was isolated out in the unpopulated areas. In that sense, Jesus took the leper’s place.
CONCLUSION:
Mark’s account of the cleansing of the leper provides for us a wonderful illustration of what Jesus Christ did for us at the cross. As sinners, we were once each spiritual lepers who lived in alienation and isolation from God. God provided a way for us to be cleansed through His Son, Jesus Christ. In order to accomplish our redemption, the Son left the presence of God and went into isolation. He took the leper’s place. On the cross, Jesus Christ was forsaken. He was rejected by men and even forsaken by the Father. Yet because He was treated as an outcast, those who repent and put their faith in Him have been accepted and welcomed into the presence of God.
Now that Jesus has been to the cross, died and risen again and seated at the right hand of the Father, we can be cleansed of our spiritual leprosy. But unlike the cleansed leper we will never be told to not tell anyone about what Jesus has done for us. In fact, the church is charged with telling everyone about Jesus. But we must show the same compassion that Jesus showed to the leper that bowed before Him. We must be willing to take the hand of those whom we would help. Sometimes a touch, caring involvement, will do a thousand times more than our theology. Can we bring ourselves to lay our hand on some rotting flesh in our neighborhood, our workplaces, our community, or other places that we find ourselves. Jesus was willing, are you?
[1]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[2]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[3]Barclay, William, The Gospel of Matthew, vol. 2 (Philadelphis: Westminster, 1958), p. 301.
[4]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[5]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[6]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[7]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[8]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[9]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[10]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[11]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[12]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[13]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.