RPG Adults
JESUS MAKES THE UNCLEAN CLEAN
TUESDAY, MAY 6
Mark 1:40-45
Luke 5:12-16
“…be thou clean.”
JESUS MAKES THE UNCLEAN CLEAN
Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by bacteria. It attacks the nerves and causes the loss of sensation and paralysis. Disfiguration results when the skin develops white patches, and becomes thicker. Lepers usually hide their faces because the disease often attacks the eyes, ears and nose. Since it is highly infectious, the victims isolate themselves. When they did go out into the streets, they would have to cry out, “Unclean! Unclean!” to warn others of their condition (cf. the law of leprosy in Lev 13-14).
Jesus healed a leprous man. Dr Luke tells us that his leprosy was at its advanced stage for he described him as being “full of leprosy.” This leper confessed his uncleanness, and begged the Lord to cleanse Him: “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.” It is significant that the leper used the word “clean,” and not “heal.” Perhaps he recognised Jesus as the great High Priest who alone had the power to cleanse Him from sin and heal him of the disease. Surely Jesus is our great High Priest. He knows our weaknesses for He “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:15). Jesus feels for us. This is seen in how He treated the leper. As the great High Priest, He was “moved with compassion… and touched him.” He was truly “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief ” (Isa 53:3). He did not shun this leper like the other religious leaders who minded the letter but not the spirit of the law. Jesus, as the perfectly obedient Son of God, kept the weightier matters, i.e. the spirit of the law, namely, justice, mercy, and fidelity (Matt 23:23).
Jesus made sure He kept the Law. He instructed the leper (now healed) to show himself to the priest, and present for his cleansing an offering as required in the Mosaic Law (Lev 14:3, 4, 10). Jesus not only kept the Law Himself, He was also careful to instruct others to keep the Law as well. He did not sin the sin of omission. He kept the Law to its jot and tittle indeed.
THOUGHT: The higher law of necessity overrides the lower law of ceremony.
PRAYER: Father, cleanse me from spiritual leprosy.