What love is.
| A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: "See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. (Mark1:40-45) |
- Leprosy was considered impossible to cure/heal. It was believed that only the Messiah could do it.
This is a very significant moment. - The man was asked not to make a public fuss.
He ignored Jesus' "strong warning" and spread the news. It resulted in Jesus being swamped and made His ministry more difficult.
This fits in with the thinking we explored two days ago about the "Messianic Secret." - Mark's "immediately" is applied to the healing too.
The man is immediately cured - the leprosy packed its bags and left him.
The man has leprosy. It is highly contagious.
People recoiled from those who had leprosy.
They chased them with literal and verbal sticks and stones.
The man comes and begs from his knees.
The disciples and crowd probably gasped and retreated.
All of a sudden Jesus isn't being mobbed or crowded.
They're all ten steps back.
The man is begging and Jesus is standing there.
"If you are willing... " the man implores (being as un-threatening as he can on his knees.)
Jesus is filled with compassion.
(The Greek word indicates that it comes from the gut, heart and basically wrecks Jesus.)
Instead of stepping away - Jesus steps in.
Instead of recoiling - Jesus touches - probably embraces.
And the man is immediately clean.
This is what love is.
