Cleansing a leper

After Jesus came down from the mountain, crowds of people continued to follow Him. A leper came to Him, in front of many people, seeking to be healed.

Leprosy was an incurable disease of that time, appearing first in the skin. But it was more than a disease, for the leper was required to live apart from others, in isolation. The Levitical law addressed leprosy, stating that the leper was unclean. Specific instructions were given in Leviticus for the priest to examine skin conditions and declare a person either clean or unclean.

The leper who came to Jesus was unclean in his own eyes, and in the eyes of his culture. He wanted to be cleansed from what made him unclean.

This man must have heard how Jesus had healed all who came to Him; he came to Jesus believing that Jesus could heal him just as He healed others. But what he had heard was that Jesus healed through His touch.

So when this leper came to Jesus, he said "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." He believed the touch of Jesus would heal, but he did not believe that Jesus would be willing to touch him. No one else would touch a leper.

This is what His disciples saw: a man, unclean in his own eyes, bowing before Jesus, wanting to be cleansed, but not knowing if Jesus would be willing to touch him. His disciples saw Jesus stretch out His hand, touching the leper and telling him "I am willing, be cleansed." The visible signs of leprosy were immediately cleansed. The man was cleansed, but not clean.

This man was unclean because he had been declared unclean by the priest in accordance with Leviticus 13. In order to re-enter society, the priest needed to declare him clean. Jesus directed the man to go to the priest, presenting the offerings according to Leviticus 14 for one who has been cleansed. Jesus could cleanse the man from leprosy, but the priest needed to declare him clean. Jesus did not take the place of the priest, but directed the man to go to show himself to the priest first.

(Mark adds that the man did not do this, but immediately began telling everyone. Because of this, it became even more difficult for Jesus to enter any town or city.)

The disciples watched Jesus touch a man who was unclean according to their culture and their religion. Jesus did not say anymore about it; the disciples did not ask. But this is "see one, do one, teach one". What they watched Jesus do, they would need to do themselves.

Disciples touch the unclean.