In 1:40-45 we have the case of the cleansing of a leper. Verse 40 says, “And a leper comes to Him, entreating Him, and falling on his knees says to Him, If You are willing, You can cleanse me!” A leper portrays a typical sinner. Leprosy is the most contaminating and damaging disease, much more serious than fever (v. 30), isolating its victim both from God and from men. According to the law, a leper should be excluded from the people because of his uncleanness. No one could touch him (Lev. 13:45-46). According to the scriptural examples, leprosy comes from rebellion and disobedience. Miriam became leprous because of her rebellion against God’s deputy authority (Num. 12:1-10). Naaman’s leprosy was cleansed because of his obedience (2 Kings 5:1, 9-14). All fallen human beings have become leprous in the sight of God because of their rebellion. Because leprosy isolated its victim from both God and man, to cleanse the leper signifies to recover the sinner to fellowship with God and with men. This was the consummating part of the Slave-Savior’s gospel service according to the record of this chapter.
Mark 1:41 and 42 say, “And moved with compassion, stretching out His hand, He touched him and said to him, I am willing; be cleansed! And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.” The Lord Jesus was moved with compassion. The Slave-Savior’s compassion and willingness issuing from His love were dear and precious to the hopeless leper. The Lord stretched out His hand and touched the leper. This showed His sympathy and intimacy with the miserable leper, whom no one dared to touch. According to verse 42, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. This verse says that the leper was not only healed, but also cleansed. Leprosy not only requires healing as do other diseases; it also requires cleansing, like sin (1 John 1:7), because of its filthy and contaminating nature.
We all need to be deeply impressed with the five matters comprised in the Slave-Savior’s gospel service: preaching (vv. 14-15, 38-39) to announce the glad tidings to the miserable people in bondage; teaching (vv. 21-22) to enlighten the ignorant ones in darkness with the divine light of the truth; casting out demons (vv. 25-26) to nullify Satan’s usurpation of man; healing man’s sick condition (vv. 30-31) that man may serve the Slave-Savior; and cleansing the leper (vv. 41-42) to recover sinners to the fellowship with God and with men. What a wonderful and excellent work!
In our gospel preaching we must also be exercised to preach, teach, cast out demons, heal, and cleanse. If our preaching is weak, some may be saved, but they may not be cleansed. They may be saved in the sense of receiving the forgiveness of sin, but they may not be cleansed from the contaminating nature of sin. Therefore, we need to seriously consider the fact that this picture of the Lord’s gospel service concludes with the cleansing of the leper. The Lord preached, taught, cast out demons, healed the sick, and eventually cleansed the leper. This cleansing is the ultimate consummation of the contents of the Lord’s gospel service.
After cleansing the leper, the Lord Jesus sternly charged him and said, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded for a testimony to them.” Such a charge throughout the record of the Slave-Savior’s evangelical service is quite striking (5:43; 7:36; 9:9). It is similar to what was prophesied concerning His quiet character in Isaiah 42:2. He wanted His work to be done within the limit of a move that was absolutely according to God’s purpose, not promoted by man’s excitement and propaganda. Throughout His ministry the Slave-Savior, as the Slave of God, did not like publicity.
According to 1:45, the cleansed one did not carry out the Lord’s word. Instead, “Going out, he began to proclaim it much and spread abroad the matter, so that He could no longer enter openly into a city, but He was outside in desolate places; and they came to Him from everywhere.” Here we see that man’s activity according to the natural concept frustrates the Slave-Savior’s service according to God’s purpose.