Mar 1:41 | KingComments | STEP | Someone who has an unclean spirit can keep it hidden. This spirit can express itself by shouting and make itself known that way, but he cannot be seen. Now someone comes to the Lord who is a leper. Leprosy is also a picture of uncleanness. This uncleanness, however, cannot be kept hidden, but is outwardly and perceptible to everyone. Leprosy represents the sin of one’s own will that manifests itself. A leper is a picture of a sinner in whom man’s own will has broken out. We see this in Miriam ( ), Gehazi ( ) and Uzziah ( ). Only God can cure a leper ( ). This disease has two consequences. The first consequence is that the leper is removed from the service of God. The second consequence is that he defiles everyone who comes into contact with him. But a leper can come to Christ. This leper has faith in the power that is in the Lord. He believes that He can make him clean, but he is not sure that He is willing to do it. That means he has no sense of the love of Christ. His thoughts about himself keep the greatness of love present in Christ hidden from him. The Lord’s answer testifies of His power and His compassion. When the man has expressed his desire, the Lord does what would defile anyone else: He touches the leper. He is not thereby defiled. He has come so close to the unclean that He can touch him. The only Clean One among men approaches sin, with the result that He takes away what is the sign or its manifestation. It is His joy to take away leprosy. The result immediately follows the expression of His will. The man is “immediately” cleansed of his leprosy. This is how it is always when God speaks. Here God speaks to man in blessing. “I am willing” denotes His majesty and also His love and compassion with the leper. Here He says it for the cleansing of a sinner from his sins. In John 17 He says again “I desire” or “I will” ( ). There He says it with an eye to the future of all who belong to Him. He wants them to be with Him in the Father’s house. Because He does not seek the honor of people, the man should not make a fuss about his healing. The Lord speaks sternly to him about this. As stern as He is about that, so mild is He in sending the man away into freedom. But the healed man still has to act according to the precept of the law. That’s why he must go to the priest. The priest, in whom we see the representative of the law, cannot cleanse. He can do nothing but observe. Leviticus 13-14 describes in detail how he must act. The priest will be obliged to acknowledge the healing and bear witness that God is present in Christ in power and grace. The cleansing of the leper proves that He is God. The Lord still recognizes the law and the institution of God with respect to cleansing. He commands the man to bring the prescribed offering. That offering speaks of the work He Himself will accomplish on the cross. After the offering, the cleansed leper can live his life in the service of the Lord. In spite of the prohibition the man is going to proclaim it and make it known everywhere. He is therefore disobedient because the Lord had forbidden it. For us, however, giving our testimony is part of being saved ( ). For the Lord Jesus, people’s disobedience is only reason for withdrawal. There is hardly anything that interests and affects people more than a miraculous healing. The modern healing movements cause a lot of stir, despite the fact that they do not resemble the healings that Christ has performed. A lot of healers don’t shun the enthusiasm of the public either, but rather enjoy it. Unlike these healers, the Lord seeks spiritual workings and not emotional affections. He is the dependent (praying), perfect (withdrawn), obedient (preaching) Servant. Here He exchanges the city for unpopulated areas, where no one comes, although He is always open to the supplication of anyone in need.

‏ Mark 1:41

A Leper Healed

Someone who has an unclean spirit can keep it hidden. This spirit can express itself by shouting and make itself known that way, but he cannot be seen. Now someone comes to the Lord who is a leper. Leprosy is also a picture of uncleanness. This uncleanness, however, cannot be kept hidden, but is outwardly and perceptible to everyone.

Leprosy represents the sin of one’s own will that manifests itself. A leper is a picture of a sinner in whom man’s own will has broken out. We see this in Miriam (Num 12:10), Gehazi (2Kgs 5:27) and Uzziah (2Chr 26:19). Only God can cure a leper (2Kgs 5:7). This disease has two consequences. The first consequence is that the leper is removed from the service of God. The second consequence is that he defiles everyone who comes into contact with him.

But a leper can come to Christ. This leper has faith in the power that is in the Lord. He believes that He can make him clean, but he is not sure that He is willing to do it. That means he has no sense of the love of Christ. His thoughts about himself keep the greatness of love present in Christ hidden from him.

The Lord’s answer testifies of His power and His compassion. When the man has expressed his desire, the Lord does what would defile anyone else: He touches the leper. He is not thereby defiled. He has come so close to the unclean that He can touch him. The only Clean One among men approaches sin, with the result that He takes away what is the sign or its manifestation. It is His joy to take away leprosy.

The result immediately follows the expression of His will. The man is “immediately” cleansed of his leprosy. This is how it is always when God speaks. Here God speaks to man in blessing. “I am willing” denotes His majesty and also His love and compassion with the leper. Here He says it for the cleansing of a sinner from his sins. In John 17 He says again “I desire” or “I will” (Jn 17:24). There He says it with an eye to the future of all who belong to Him. He wants them to be with Him in the Father’s house.

Because He does not seek the honor of people, the man should not make a fuss about his healing. The Lord speaks sternly to him about this. As stern as He is about that, so mild is He in sending the man away into freedom. But the healed man still has to act according to the precept of the law. That’s why he must go to the priest.

The priest, in whom we see the representative of the law, cannot cleanse. He can do nothing but observe. Leviticus 13-14 describes in detail how he must act. The priest will be obliged to acknowledge the healing and bear witness that God is present in Christ in power and grace. The cleansing of the leper proves that He is God.

The Lord still recognizes the law and the institution of God with respect to cleansing. He commands the man to bring the prescribed offering. That offering speaks of the work He Himself will accomplish on the cross. After the offering, the cleansed leper can live his life in the service of the Lord.

In spite of the prohibition the man is going to proclaim it and make it known everywhere. He is therefore disobedient because the Lord had forbidden it. For us, however, giving our testimony is part of being saved (Rom 10:9-10).

For the Lord Jesus, people’s disobedience is only reason for withdrawal. There is hardly anything that interests and affects people more than a miraculous healing. The modern healing movements cause a lot of stir, despite the fact that they do not resemble the healings that Christ has performed. A lot of healers don’t shun the enthusiasm of the public either, but rather enjoy it.

Unlike these healers, the Lord seeks spiritual workings and not emotional affections. He is the dependent (praying), perfect (withdrawn), obedient (preaching) Servant. Here He exchanges the city for unpopulated areas, where no one comes, although He is always open to the supplication of anyone in need.