The Cleansing Christ

During this Lenten season we meditate more on sins and how we can grow closer to the LORD’s holiness. We also ponder on the purpose of Christ’s arrival on earth and all the implications Jesus’ presence brings. Along those lines, let's contemplate today on the topic “The Cleansing Christ”.

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction. Mark 1:40-45

The gospel according to Mark is fast paced, and right in the first chapter we have the mission of John the Baptist, baptism of Jesus, temptation of Jesus, the start of Jesus’ ministry, calling of the disciples, casting of demons, healing of many and preaching in the synagogues. The chapter concludes with the recording of this particular miracle. While it may seem like the other healing miracles, there is a reason this incident is given specific focus.

Let’s start with the leper. We read that he came to Jesus, knelt and asked Jesus that he might be cleansed, if it was His will. So, clearly, the leper heard about the miracles which Jesus had done. Though he may or may not have heard about other lepers being healed, he believed that Jesus could heal him. He humbled himself before Jesus, and acknowledged that if it is the will of Jesus, that he could be healed. This again showed his faith in Jesus. To add a bit more background, in those days, lepers were not allowed to enter the cities or towns freely. They were considered “unclean” in the sense that the disease would be contagious, and were made to stay outside the camp. Away from all the activities happening inside the town. Moreover, anyone who touches a leper was also considered “unclean” and there were strict regulations for anything related. Also, there was a belief that sin was the reason for suffering and diseases. Considering all these, the leper came to Jesus, probably in a secluded place and hoped in earnest to be healed.

Now, on to Jesus. The very next verse records, ‘Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.’ Compassion. Jesus came to earth to redeem and save us from sin. Seeing this man suffer this much, Jesus was naturally compassionate. But then, His action of touching the man with leprosy would have surprised everyone, including the leper. This was something no one at that point in time did voluntarily, and unlike for others where this act would have made that person “unclean”, here, we see that Jesus made the leper clean. A similar but distinct exchange is recorded in the book of Isaiah.

So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; our iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.” Isaiah 6:5,6

The prophet, when in the presence of the LORD, acknowledges his uncleanness, and his “iniquity was taken away” and his “sin purged” when the coal from the altar touched his lips. Similarly here, when Jesus touched the leper, his uncleanness was taken away. Moreover, this is also foretold in Zechariah.

“In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness. Zechariah 13:1

Jesus is the fountain for the remission of sins and He took away the sin of the world on the cross. And by asking Jesus, the leper received healing. Jesus further tells the leper to only show himself to the priest and to do the requirements of the law as a testimony. Jesus didn’t want to receive the praise of people, but only wished for their salvation, thus he didn’t want to proclaim this miracle. However, the leper tells everyone about the healing he received, and how he was healed. He couldn’t contain himself.

From this passage, we see that Christ is able to cleanse and heal anyone. To receive it, we have to approach with humility and full submission to his will, without doubting His readiness to help those who suffer. What we expect, we receive according to our faith. We will receive favour readily from Christ when we readily subjugate ourselves to His will. But that is not all. The cleansing from Jesus Christ, is not only physical, but also spiritual.

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7

Through the blood of Jesus Christ, we are cleansed from sin. This gives us fellowship with the LORD, who is light, that is, Holy beyond measure. The LORD cannot tolerate any darkness, and therefore if we were to have darkness, we cannot have fellowship with Him.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:8-10

If we hide our sins, we are only deceiving ourselves. We know the sins which rule us. Though others might not know it, our hearts would be burdened by it. But thanks to the grace of God, if we confess our sins, He will forgive us and make us righteous.

I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ” Zechariah 13:9

The process might not be easy for us. To accept and to humble and to come forth to the Holy God. It might seem like we are refined as silver and tested as gold. But the end result of it will be that we would be brought out pure and without iniquity. We can then happily say, “we are the LORD’s” and live in eternal fellowship with Him. In joy and peace.