Imagine contracting a skin disease in the first century. No cure existed. Jewish laws handled contagious skin disease ruthlessly. The infected person was declared ceremonially unclean and immediately cast out of their community. They were required to live in isolation, and if they came within 150 feet of another person, they had to call out, “Unclean! Unclean!”  The word “leprosy” refers to a wide range of contagious skin infections. According to Josephus, lepers were to be treated as though they were dead.

“Those who suffer from a serious skin disease must tear their clothing and leave their hair uncombed. They must cover their mouth and call out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’…They must live in isolation in their place outside the camp” (Leviticus 13:45–46). 

In addition to permanent banishment from their community and loved ones, leprosy caused disfigurement and loss of nerve function. Fingers curled into claw shapes, limbs would twist, the nose would cave in, and tumors would distort their skin.  

Modern scientists document the importance of personal touch for both healing and emotional well–being. This diagnosis in the first century also destroyed all hope of human touch ever again. 

With the background understood, now consider all the emotions present as the scene unfolds in Mark 1. The disciples and surrounding crowd were outraged at the recklessness of the leper who approached Jesus. The desperation mixed with hope in the heart of the leper. The courage he mustered in order to speak to Jesus. Perhaps this leper had watched Jesus from afar, and based on what he saw, he believed Jesus capable of healing his incurable disease.  

Mark describes Jesus’s emotions with the unique Greek word splagchnistheis which means “moved with compassion.” Splagchnistheis was coined by the gospel writers to convey the most powerful compassion that stirs from deep within the guts and demands action. 

Did all the onlookers gasp when Jesus touched the man? The natural response to a contagious, disfigured victim would be to recoil. But Jesus did the opposite. How long had the man lived without feeling the warmth of a human touch? Did relief and wonder wash over the man as he realized that Jesus touched him before doing anything else? In this moment, Jesus demonstrated His power over disease but didn’t stop there. Jesus’s actions showed lavish public acceptance of a human labeled “unclean” by society and the Old Testament law.   

Jesus healed the leper’s body and restored him to his community. 

Do you need Jesus’s healing touch? For a physical ailment or an emotional wound? How does God feel about disease and human suffering? Why did Jesus touch the man before he healed his disease? Do we need to clean ourselves up before Jesus is willing to be near us? Do you believe Jesus looks at you with compassion? Jesus asks us to follow His example. When you encounter an uninvited outcast in need, how would Jesus like you to respond?

Prayer

Jesus, I want to know how deeply You care about my needs and my wounds. Help me understand the tender compassion You have for me. You are willing to reach out to me when everyone else rejects me. Fill me with Your love and compassion so that I can overflow onto the people you place in my path. Help me to see people (including myself) the way You do. 

Daily Readings

Bible verse illustration by Cara Search | This article was originally titled “Unclean, Unclean” in the September 2024 issue of Peer Magazine.