Mark 1: 40 45 Jesus Cleanses A Leper

Target year level: Year Nine

Scripture text

Introduction

Mark 1:40-45 is in the first major section of Mark’s Gospel, the Galilean Ministry (Mk 1:14 - 7:23). In his Galilean ministry, and throughout the Gospel, Mark will have Jesus assert his authority and legitimacy and have others question, oppose and test his right to speak and act as he does. In Mk 1:21-2:12, Jesus’ authority and the legitimacy of his ministry are reinforced through a number of acts of healing. These healings have a spiritual and physical character and need to be understood in their religious and social context. People with physical, mental and spiritual afflictions were commonly despised and marginalised in their social and religious communities. Their afflictions were commonly seen as the result of personal sin and/or the sins of families and groups to which they belonged. For further detail of Jewish understanding of leprosy go to Jewish Encyclopaedia: Leprosy.

For a summary of key aspects of the Gospel of Mark and an outline of its structure see the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE) Introduction to Mark.

World behind the text

The authorship of the Gospel which bears the name of Mark is unknown. The Gospel writer was influenced by the stories, wisdom and leadership of Peter until Peter’s martyrdom sometime between 64 and 67 CE. The Gospel of Mark was probably written between 65 and 70 CE, after the death of Peter and towards or at the end of the four-year war between Israel and Rome. This was a time of turmoil, violence and great suffering. By 67 CE, Nero, the Roman Emperor had already killed many of the leaders of the Christian community in Rome.

Mark and many of his Christian contemporaries held strongly the early Christian apocalyptic hope for the end of the world and the imminent second coming of Jesus. Mark thinks of himself and his Christian community as caught up in events that indicate that the end of the world and the end of history is near at hand.

According to tradition, Mark’s Gospel was written in Rome. The Gospel of Mark was written for a Christian church that was made up for the most part of Gentile Christians. Scholars think that the community for whom Mark wrote needed affirmation and encouragement as they dealt with problems of being members of a small and often persecuted Christian community struggling to preserve its identity and integrity amidst the cultural and religious pluralism and upheaval of the Greco-Roman World.

World of the text

Mark 1:16 - 3:6 is dominated by a pronounced emphasis on the authority of Jesus displayed in word and deed. The healing of Simon’s mother in law (Mk 1:29-34); a summary report of many healings (Mk 1:32-34) and the cleansing of the leper (Mk 1:40-45) show the authority of Jesus in deeds, just as the teaching of Jesus (Mk 1:21-22) and the calling of the disciples (Mk 1:16-20) exhibit Jesus’ authority in words. The story of the cleansing of the leper introduces the theme of the messianic secret (Mk 1:43-45).

The messianic secret refers to the command to secrecy about the true identity of Jesus as Messiah. This theme is developed throughout Mark’s Gospel reaching its high point at Mk 14:53-65 when Jesus’ identity is the focus of his ordeal before the Council of Jewish leaders in Mark’s passion narrative. For more detailed commentary on the text of Mark 1:40-45 go to Michael Fallon 67-69. (pdf)

World in front of the text

Mainstream medicine today has a scientific basis that allows us to understand the physical causes of, and cures for, many diseases such as leprosy (Hansen’s Disease). Those who suffer disease are only isolated from the community to the extent that their ailment is a threat to the physical health of others. For the most part, we no longer attribute disease to sin as such. At the same time, we understand that there is a connection between personal/communal lifestyle and personal/communal health. Destructive lifestyles both in a physical and spiritual sense tend to result in poor health. An important aspect of Christian life focuses on personal and social healing and on promoting the wholeness/holiness/health in individuals and communities.