Mark 1:35-2:12
Dear RTB’ers,
Today’s second incident involves a paralytic being lowered through the roof into a crowded room where Jesus was preaching and healing, and Jesus’ question to the scribes and Pharisees, Which is easier, to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’? (v. 2:9) I’ve heard many sermons on this incident; I’m sure that the rest of you have also, so I’m going to pass on comments here, but rather look at today’s first incident, the healing of a leper.
Our companion book, Search the Scriptures, has us “bouncing around” in the Bible, back and forth between the Old Testament and the New Testament. One of the benefits of that reading plan is that we see more and more connections between the OT and the NT. Jesus’ healing of a leper offers us a link back to Leviticus, a book that we just read at the beginning of this year. Here’s Jesus’ word to the leper, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” (v. 1:44b) We read in the next verse that the leper did not obey Jesus’ first command, but he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news… (v. 1:45a) So we wonder if the leper obeyed Jesus’ second command, to show himself to the priest. Leviticus 13 gives directions to the priests for examining a person for leprosy, then Leviticus 14 has 32 verses to detail the cleansing of a leper who has been healed. Jesus takes care of Leviticus 13 in one sentence, Moved with pity, He stretched out His hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” (v. 1:41) Then it’s up to the leper to complete the task, showing himself to the priest. We have to wonder, since Mark does not report that result. (See also Luke 17:11-19, the story of Jesus healing ten lepers and one returning to give praise to God.)
Blessings!