Filled with Compassion, Jesus Heals the Leper

Mark 1:40 – A man with a horrible skin disease came to Jesus and fell on his knees and begged Jesus to heal his body. The man said he knew Jesus could do this if Jesus was “willing.” Jesus instantly confirms that He is definitely willing!

Then it says that what “motivates” Jesus is His Compassion! In fact the NIV says He is “filled with compassion!” Jesus doesn’t feel a little compassion, but it fills His being and He acts! Jesus is deeply concerned about the man’s life condition and suffering. Hebrews 1:3 (like John 14:9) says that “The Son is the… exact representation of His [God’s] being.” So Jesus’s deep compassion for us is the exact representation of God’s deep compassion for us.

One of the powerful truths that Jesus reveals about God, through His life on earth, is that God is not separated from our existence, life, pains or suffering. Jesus’ interaction with the Leper reveals that He deeply cares that the man is in pain, physically. And He also cares the man is in pain emotionally and relationally. Leprousy would have isolated the man from everyone else emotionally and socially because people would not have come near him for fear of catching this fearful disease. Jesus healing also restores the man to relationship with others – emotionally and socially.

The fact that Jesus “touches” the man as the “mode” of healing is also insightful. Jesus could have spoken the word and healed the man. But Jesus is always communicating (and so is God). The touch breaks the lack of touch the man has experienced for years or decades. Jesus is the 1st clean or healthy person to touch him in years! And it “touches” the man – physically, emotionally and socially.

Note: Jesus (God) doesn’t heal for “legal” reasons or technical reasons. This is NOT what He was thinking, “I will heal this guy so that it will witness of my power and this man and others will believe in Me.” Jesus healed the man because He cared and was deeply moved by concern for the man. It is a heart thing – not a head thing. He wasn’t doing it for “strategic reasons” like corporations or politicians do. He healed the man because He cared. Sometimes we think God does things because, “Well… since the Bible says A, B and C therefore God does X, Y and Z.” We think God does things because of the “fine print on the contract.” But in reality God does things because He cares… not because He is a business man or business woman cutting a deal.

Try not to think of God as operating by “principles” or “rules.” Think of Him as someone really Good, who is really involved and who really cares. Someone who can really feel our joys and struggles and is “with us.” Emanuel… God “with us”.