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Miracles of Jesus #7 (Jesus healed a man with leprosy.)

Miracle #7

The story of Jesus healing a man with leprosy is found in (Mark 1:40-45, Matthew 8:1-4, and Luke 5:12-14).

The Story:

The setting: After Jesus came down from the mountainside (after the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew), large crowds followed him

The leper's approach: A man with leprosy came to him (Luke says he was "covered with leprosy")

His plea: He fell with his face to the ground and begged him on his knees: "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean"

Jesus's compassion: Jesus was filled with compassion (some manuscripts say "indignant" at the disease)

Jesus's touch: Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man

Jesus's declaration: "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!"

The healing: Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed (Luke adds: "the leprosy left him at once")

The warning: Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: "See that you don't tell this to anyone"

The instructions: "But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them"

The disobedience: Instead, he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news

The consequence: 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

Significance:

  • Leprosy was a dreaded, incurable disease that caused physical decay and social isolation
  • Lepers were considered ceremonially unclean and had to live outside the community
  • They were required to cry "Unclean! Unclean!" when anyone approached
  • Luke emphasizes the severity: the man was "covered with leprosy"
  • The man's faith was evident: "if you are willing, you can" (he didn't doubt Jesus's power, only his willingness)
  • His posture showed humility and desperation—falling on his face, begging on his knees
  • Jesus touched him—something no one would do to a leper (touching made one ceremonially unclean)
  • This touch showed compassion, acceptance, and that Jesus was not defiled by uncleanness
  • Jesus's response "I am willing" showed his heart of compassion
  • The healing was instantaneous and complete
  • Jesus instructed him to follow Mosaic law (Leviticus 14) by showing himself to the priest
  • This would provide official verification of the miracle and testimony to religious authorities
  • Jesus told him not to spread the news, likely to avoid being seen merely as a miracle worker
  • The man disobeyed and spread the news widely
  • This forced Jesus to stay in remote areas, though crowds still pursued him
  • The miracle demonstrated Jesus's power over disease, uncleanness, and social barriers
  • Jesus's willingness to heal and restore the outcast
  • His compassion that breaks through social and religious barriers
  • That Jesus touches the untouchable and cleanses the unclean
  • His power over incurable diseases
  • The importance of following proper procedures (showing himself to the priest)
  • That Jesus came to fulfill the law, not abolish it
  • How well-meaning disobedience can hinder ministry
  • That Jesus's fame was spreading despite his attempts to control it

This story powerfully illustrates:

The healing of the leper is a profound picture of how Jesus reaches out to those society rejects, touching them with compassion and restoring them completely—physically, socially, and spiritually. It foreshadows how Jesus would ultimately take our uncleanness upon himself to make us clean.

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