A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said,
“If you wish [would dare], you can make me clean [declare me clean—a priestly Levitical function].”
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him, [by touching Jesus should have contracted “leprosy”; however, the man was made clean]
“I do will it. Be made clean.”
The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. [Healing always means that the person is restored to his/her rightful place in society.]
Then, warning him sternly [snorting with indignation], he dismissed him at once.
Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything,
but go [go back], show yourself to the priest
and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; [his offering is a witness against the priests and their purity code]
that will be proof for them.”
The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.
He spread the report abroad
so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.
He remained outside in deserted places, [Jesus, now unclean, has to hide out in the desert places]
and people kept coming to him from everywhere. (Mk 1:40-45) Continue reading →