Be Clean!
“Unlike any ordinary man, the Lord Jesus is not polluted by the leper’s disease when He touches him. Instead, the leper is cleansed by the gracious touch and contagious holiness of the Son of God.” – Daniel L. Akin
“By his word alone he might have healed the leper, but he applied, at the same time the touch of his hand, to express the feeling of compassion. Nor ought this excite our wonder, since he chose to take upon him our flesh that he might cleanse us from our sins.” -Calvin
“He boldly placed love and compassion over ritual and regulation. Instead of being defiled by the leprosy, Jesus bring purification to the man. In the new age of salvation, the movement of uncleanness will be reversed.” -Wessel and Strauss
“In the antiseptic cleanliness of modern hospitals, we lose sight of the wonder of the parable of Jesus in all His purity stooping to touch the ugliness and stench of our sin to bring healing and forgiveness.” -R. Alan Cole
Jesus Cleanses the Leper, Ann Lukesh
Mark’s action-packed Gospel does not give us a picture of Jesus as a tough hero whose got no time for feelings. This is not John Wayne. Rather, Mark from chapter 1 on gives us a more-than-capable King whose compassion-driven mission compels Him to preach the good news and heal sickness and exorcise demons and cleanse lepers. Jesus deeds are not feats of strength so much as they are indicators of the Kingdom of God coming near. And, the Kingdom does not get nearer than when the King comes among us. This is the key understanding then which Mark tries to give to us. Jesus’ teaching is Jesus’ action. Jesus’ message is Jesus’ activity. That is why Mark wants you to come along on a journey with Jesus. Not because you have some penchant for action-adventure films or you have attention deficit disorder. Mark shows us again and again the mission and ministry of Jesus is the same. Jesus does what God sent Him to do, ultimately at the cross, where full recognition and identification of the Son of God becomes possible (Mark 15:38). But leading to the cross, in the journey if you will to get to that point, there are all of these waypoints which help us to see: this is the Messiah, the Son of God. In lots of ways, the ministry of Jesus in Mark 1 is this message. Good news has come. See how Jesus calls followers. See how He teaches. See how He rebukes unclean spirits. See how He raises the sick to health that they might serve. See how he heals the sick and banishes demons. See how he cleanses the leper with not just a word but a caring touch and a willingness to trade places with the unclean man. This is the Kingdom of God come near. This is the King come near. He has authority unlike any other but, His authority will be used to serve, to set free, to make clean; not to dominate or intimidate. Here is a gentle King. Here is a compassionate Savior.
Bonus Resource: This video on Holiness is helpful in getting a bigger picture look at the radical nature of what God is doing in Jesus.