Jesus\' Healing of the Leper

Jesus' Healing of the Leper in St. Mark Chapter One:

Political Insights

Throughout the Bible, Jesus ministers to the people around him through teaching, parables, and miracles. What sets him apart from other rabbis of the time, however, are the miracles. While anyone could have claimed to be a prophet, teacher, or the Son of God to earn money or a following (and many did), Jesus' miracles offered proof of his claims and philosophy. Thus, his miracles opened the door for him to speak with others; they showed that he cared about the plights of the suffering. But aside from his divine appointment, Jesus' miracles made him into a political figure in Jerusalem and beyond. By studying one of Jesus miracles -- the healing of the leper contained in St. Mark chapter one, verses 40 through 45 -- readers can understand Jesus' actions from a political standpoint, both in terms of politics during his time and today.

Jesus' healing of the leper suggests that Jesus was willing to compromise his own political standing to help another person. At this time, Jesus was proclaiming himself to be the Son of God, and the messiah. From the prophecies and promises contained in their scrolls and passed down to them by rabbis and other religious scholars, the Jews believed that Jesus would be a political figure. For this reason, many people continued to ask him when he would take over the state. Jesus was not, however, interested in becoming an earthly king. By healing the leper, Jesus showed that politics was not important to him, as leprosy held a certain stigma in those days and because he knew that the man whom he cured would disobey Jesus' request.

By associating with a person who had leprosy, Jesus, in a way, commits political suicide. During Jesus' time, leprosy was a bit like AIDS in the 1980s; a stigma was attached to the disease. Lepers were societal and political outcasts. They were not able to engage in civic behavior, and they lived outside the city in colonies where they were often left to die of decay. Again like AIDS in the 1980s, people were afraid of becoming lepers and outcasts to society. Thus, they did touch or talk to lepers, as the disease was seen as very contagious. In fact, lepers were even expected to call out before they entered a place that they were unclean, so others would not get too close. Despite this, Jesus looks down on the leper, who has fallen to his knees before Jesus, and is "filled with compassion" (Mark 1:41). His association with the leper becomes even closer, and more politically incorrect, when "Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man" (Mark 1:41). Thus, Jesus associates himself with a man who has leprosy, and even touches the man, putting himself in a situation that is contrary to what is socially accepted. In light of today's political campaigns, it would be easy to disregard the significance of this action. Of course, political candidates today talk with many who have terrifying diseases. They enter hospitals and discuss healthcare with patients; they view the occupational therapy of soldiers; they even mingle with all members of society -- the very poor, the unemployed, people on welfare, even those who have committed crimes. In Jesus' day, however, this was not the case. Rulers and political figures were intended to be a step above the masses. This is why they dressed elegantly, spoke from stages high above the people, and sponsored vast ceremonies. Jesus broke with the ranks of these types of people when he associated with the lowest of the low -- the leper. Not only did he associate with this man, but also he showed "compassion" toward him, and touched him (Mark 1:41). Thus, through his interactions with the leper, Jesus showed that he was not interested in political appointments.

In addition, Jesus communicates with the leper in public and allows others to hear about it, strengthening that break from politics. After healing the leper, Jesus issues him a "strong warning" not to go talking about what just happened (Mark 1:43). Instead, "he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news" (Mark 1:45). Why Jesus told the man not to say anything can fall under two interpretations. The first was that Jesus was concerned, to a degree, about his political stance or connections, perhaps because it opened doors for him to talk to others about philosophy. In this case, Jesus' attempt to hush the man was genuine, and he wanted to keep his political connections. Another interpretation was that Jesus was using a bit of reverse psychology. Jesus knew that the man would spread the word about what he had done because Jesus claimed omnipotence, and he knew that telling the man not to speak would prove too overwhelming and serve as the impetus for his speech. That is, Jesus actually wanted others to know about what he had done; he wanted to sever political ties and be seen only as a prophet, as the Son of God, and as the messiah. He wanted as many people as possible to know about what he had done so that he could continue to spread his philosophy. Both of these interpretations could be seen as relatively controversial, as they both portray Jesus in a manner that is somewhat devious or at least worldly. Still, no matter what the interpretation, the performance of this miracle shows the importance of Jesus as a political figure during his short lifetime, even if he desired to shrug the political designation or the political associations.

Thus, Jesus' healing of the leper was a miracle that showcased his abilities, his philosophy, and his desire to share them, but also his political situation. This miracle, contained in the passage of St. Mark shows that Jesus is willing to forsake his political stance in order to help others in two ways. First, through his association with an outcast, a leper, in opposition to what his society would recommend, and second. Through his "strong warning" to the leper to remain silent Jesus showcases this point.

Other than offering insight into his own political situation, Jesus' healing of the leper in St. Mark chapter one allows readers and Biblical scholars insight into the political climate of the time. This can primarily be seen through Jesus' instructions to the man he has healed after giving him the "strong warning" (Mark 1:43). Jesus tells the man to "go show [himself] to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing" (Mark 1:44). By showing the priest that he had been cleansed, and offering the sacrifices that were required, the leper would be readmitted to society. This suggests the relationship between religion and society during Jesus' time. In fact, this situation shows that religious organizations were responsible for controlling societal rules. Furthermore, because Jesus tells the man to abide with these regulations to be readmitted into society, Jesus shows that even he accepts this arrangement, which combines religion and society. The arrangement offers insight into societal regulation of the day, as well as posing questions. For instance, if society and religion were intertwined, why those with leprosy could be considered outcasts is an interesting avenue to pursue. Furthermore, this explains why religious figures like Jesus were expected to have political party. Thus, Jesus' healing of the leper in the first chapter of St. Mark allows for many political insights into the politics of Jesus' time. Through the miracle, readers and biblical scholars understand both Jesus' own political situation as well as the politics that govern the society in which he lived, healed, and taught.