Moved by Compassion

Scripture:

Mark 1:40   A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Moved with pity [compassion], Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!” ⁴² Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. ⁴³ After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, ⁴⁴ saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵ But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

Observation:

When you think about Mark’s gospel account in light of Peter’s personal story, you can see why the theme of compassion is woven throughout. Peter, himself, experienced on numerous occasions the love and compassion of Jesus. That makes this story in the opening chapter foundational to understanding Jesus and his mission. 

The man with leprosy was considered unclean by the entire Jewish community. No one within the community should have touched him, let alone a rabbi. Living in fear of contamination the lepers were confined to the outskirts of town. The leper had heard the stories about Jesus and believed that he had the power to heal him. Yes, it was a choice on the part of Jesus, and moved by pity, or as some translations say, compassion he didn’t just speak words of healing, but he reached out and touched the man. In the Old Testament there were examples of God healing lepers, but never by someone touching them because that would have made them unclean. What is revealed here is Jesus’ holiness is so powerful that it cannot be contaminated by the things of this earth, but the things of this earth can be made clean by the holiness of Christ. 

Sadly, after Jesus heals this leper, the man does not follow Jesus’ request to keep this news quiet. The man’s response to his healing significantly alters the way in which Jesus can do his ministry. No longer could he go into the synagogues and teach, as he had in the past, but he had to stay out of the towns and wait for people to come to him. 

Application:

As the religious community followed the Old Testament Law they established barriers between those who were considered clean and unclean. What we see in Jesus is the breaking in of the kingdom of God which brings freedom from the Law. Paul would deal with that concept in great detail in his epistles. 

There are times when we continue to live according to the Law, even though Jesus has come to set us free. Peter was a man who was bound-up by so much of life but was radically transformed after the day of Pentecost. He was set free, and he had experienced the compassion of Jesus. 

As Christlike disciples, we are to participate, or fellowship with God. When we are “in” Christ then we have the power to reach out and touch those who are “unclean” and not be contaminated by them. What is it that we deem as “unclean” in this world today? Sadly, there are those whom we choose to leave at the margins of society, fearing our relationship with them may in some way make us unclean. If we are filled with the same compassion that we find in Christ, then we will begin moving toward the margins. We will reach out a hand in love to those whom we may fear, and discover that they aren’t going to contaminate us, but we just may have a positive influence upon them. 

We have all been recipients of the compassion of Christ and now, it is our responsibility to pass that compassion on to others. 

Prayer:

Lord, may I live daily in your holy love, sharing your love and compassion with those who surround me. Amen.