leprosy – Moment to Moment (Bible blog)

When we are “unclean”

Right away a man with leprosy came up and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Reaching out his hand, Jesus touched him, saying, “I am willing; be made clean.” (Matthew 8:2–3)

Leprosy was a terrible disease in Israel. It made people “unclean,” outcasts from society, and as such, they were banned from God’s temple. (Leviticus 13:45-46, Numbers 5:2-3).

In that way, leprosy is a picture of sin. It makes us spiritually unclean and breaks our relationships with God and others.

But the man in this story approached Jesus and said, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

And in his mercy and grace, Jesus touched him and said, “I am willing. Be clean.”

Often times after we sin, we wonder if God could possibly forgive us, if he could possibly accept us after what we’ve done.

And so we come before him trembling, saying, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Jesus says the same thing to us as he said to that man.

“I am willing. Be clean.”

So, children of God, let us approach his throne with confidence, knowing that we will receive mercy and find grace in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

If you are willing…

David had committed an unspeakable sin. He had murdered a man and taken his wife.

In light of that, verse 7 really is quite stunning.

Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7)

Here David compares his sin with leprosy, something that in that time was incurable and ostracized a person from the presence of God.

(That is, a leprous person could not approach the tabernacle/temple as well as his community. See Leviticus 13:45-46, 14:1-32 and especially verses 6-7, Numbers 5:3-4)

And yet he says with utter confidence, “You can make me clean.”

It reminds me of something a leper once said to Jesus. With the same confidence that David had, he said to Jesus,

Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean. (Matthew 8:2)

Jesus’ response?

I am willing; be made clean. (Matthew 8:3)

Because of the cross, no matter how terrible our sin, no matter how great our guilt, Jesus can cleanse us. All we have to do is humble ourselves and ask.

And he will make us clean.