Imagine being an outcast, rejected from society. Now, imagine your physical appearance shows your disconnect from the public space. Even worse, add a layer of rejection by making you responsible and accountable to communicate to others that you are to be banned from social contact. It’s hard to imagine because that would be awful and abject. In the context of our modern society, this would be hardly acceptable.
Leprosy is a disease that can be treated in this century but was not back in Jesus’ time. Those who had developed the illness had to withdraw from public space. They had to live on the outskirts of cities, in specific colonies. When they were to encounter people, the leper had to ring a bell or make a noise clear enough that the healthy person could stay away. The sick even had to mention they were impure and be heard saying it!
According to the World Health Organization, the disease is spread by airborne droplets, thus the necessity for the sick to steer away from society. Back in Biblical times, developing leprosy was basically a sentence to death. Leprosy and skin ailments were a big thing back then.
Social life ended. You had to leave your loved ones. It is understandable then that psychological tragedy happened.
Physically, you lose sensitivity in your extremities and for many, the sense of smell often disappears. Your skin develops major blisters, which are visible to all.
In that era, people believed leprosy was a divine punishment for a publicly unknown sin. Some even mentioned it was a curse sent by God or the gods in non-monotheistic societies. Lepers were cut from divine intervention, or so they believed.
Emotional trauma had to be real. Like it is said, the struggle was real. Rejection, pain, and regression of all aspects of life happened.
Yet, Jesus acted totally different with the lepers he encountered. He knew and was acutely aware of society’s laws and prerogatives regarding lepers. Leprosy was the worst of all plagues. It exemplified everything concerning the outcasts, cursed, and rejected of society.
Jesus showed us what to do; how to be with physical lepers.
MISSION
When Jesus goes to Nazareth, He reads from the scroll of Isaiah and Luke 4:18 puts it beautifully, ”The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” (NLT). So far, no problem hearing this until he declares ”Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.” (Luke 4:21 HSCB)
Later, as Jesus chose the Twelve amongst the crowd of followers to move from disciple to apostle, He did so for a few reasons. First, he wanted them with Him as Mark 3:14 declares ”Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him” (NKJV). The second reason was the mission he needed them to accomplish. Jesus wanted to ”send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses (emphasis mine) and to cast out demons.” (Mark 3:14-15). You can read this also in Luke 6:12 and Matthew 10. Both of these Gospels add different words to this moment.
Here’s one more layer of this mission. Matthew noted Jesus saying this when sending the Apostles on their mission, ”As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.” (10:7-8 NIV)
Jesus starts off by saying his assignment is to heal and set free all the oppressed. He then sends His disciples on a general calling of healing illnesses. He closes his mission statement by mentioning to not only heal the sick but specifically those who have leprosy (or skin disease).
The mission was to heal and set free those with leprosy.
LEPROSY’S OTHER ASPECTS
Leprosy was all about removing the sick from society and outcasting them for the numerous reasons mentioned above. Physical leprosy is almost non existing in our society anymore. It is, for sake’s purpose, eradicated. Yet, the outcasts still exist, or the effects of leprosy had on people still linger on.
Who hasn’t seen the reject on a street corner, the one who is recluse from society’s norm, those who are socially unaware and awkward? They are part of today’s lepers. Some don’t want them in their church; some make sure to step away from them.
But the mission remains the same: ”As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.”
HOW TO BE AND WHAT TO DO
Let’s look at how Jesus was with the lepers of his time. They could have been real lepers, social rejects like the sick, those who had to bear the chains of emotional scarring and rejection.
Besides being His compassionate self that He was, Jesus made sure he connected with them. Luke 5:13 (AMP) cites Jesus ”reached out His hand and touched him.” He even took time to touch him, which was forbidden by the laws of the time! He broke free that leper who hadn’t felt the touch of someone for a very long time.
He listened, asked questions, and engaged with lepers. Luke 17:11-19 tells us the story of Jesus walking close to the border of Samaria and Galilee. Samaritans were outcasts and looked down upon by the Israelites of that era. It is believed there was a colony of lepers close, ”as ten men approached him, but they kept their distance, for they were lepers.” (Luke 17:12 TPT) He sent them to the priest, who had the final say in the proclamation of the healing, following the law of Leviticus. ”Go, show yourselves to the priests” (17:14 NIV) he tells the 10 lepers and he adds the leper of Luke 5 ”go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” (NIV)
Jesus interacted with them and healed them. He even adds ”Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you.” (Luke 17:19 MSG) Other translations mention whole instead of healed and saved. Suddenly, it wasn’t only about healing; Jesus made it about being whole and complete.
It is the mission fulfilled, to heal and set free.
One last thing: Jesus’ encounter with the sole leper in Luke 5 enriches His actions and passion for the outcast. This leper assuredly believed he was cursed by God, possibly doubting His willingness to heal. When the sick cries out ”Lord, if you want, you can make me clean.” (5:12 CEB). Jesus replies, with conviction, ”I am willing, I do want to.” He wants to heal and set free.
Jesus valued those with leprosy who came to him. He got close to them, even touched them. He listened attentively, breaking the chain of solitude. He interacted with them; He was willing to go above and beyond to reinstate them to a social, physical, emotional, and spiritual standard.
It is certainly an example to us all on how we shouldn’t overlook people who suffer from all kinds of leprosy. Let’s get close to them, draw them in, listen, talk, and interact with them. Let’s embrace them, spiritually, emotionally, and physically speaking.
As Dr. Lissa Rankin says, ”Sometimes, we forget when people are sick or hurt that they most need is to feel connected, to be loved, to be touched.” Following Jesus’ example, let us be known for our care for others.
