The Leprosy Departs - Mark 1:42

Mark wrote how, “there came a leper to” Jesus, “beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If you will, you can make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and said unto him, I will; be clean”, and in chapter one and verse forty-two of his book, Mark wrote how, “the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed” where we read:

And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

The verse reads, “And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, ...” Mark began with the words, “and as soon as” which means “and at the very moment” “he had spoken” or “Jesus declared, spoke and commanded”, “immediately” which means “straightway and forthwith” “the leprosy departed” or “the most offensive, annoying, dangerous, cutaneous disease, the virus of which generally pervades the whole body, common in Egypt and the East left and passed away” “from him” which means “from the man who had leprosy”. Mark shared how immediately after Jesus spoke to the “leprous man”, his “leprosy” left him.

The verse continues, “... and he was cleansed.” Mark added the words, “and he was cleansed” which means “and the man with leprosy was purified, made clean and cured”. Mark shared how the “leprous man” was “purified” from his “leprosy”.

When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we again see the power of Jesus demonstrated over physical maladies. Though “leprosy” was thought to be incurable, and a person with it was banned from physical contact with others, Jesus ruled over it's power and strength. God created people, and when Jesus was faced with this “aberration” to human health, it was no problem for Him to overcome. The same is so with “sin”. Jesus not only has power to “forgive” sin, but also to “cleanse” a man from “sin”. John the apostle said, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (See 1 John 1:9), and like the man who was cleansed of “leprosy”, a person comes humbly before Jesus, He will meet their “spiritual need” of “forgiveness of sins” like He met the “leprous man's” physical one.

Next time Mark shares how, “straightly charged him, and forthwith sent him away” Jesus, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".