The Saviour and the Leper
Andrew A. Bonar. Mark 1:40-45 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying to him, If you will, you can make me clean.… No one afflicted with this loathsome disease was allowed to enter the gates of any city. In this case, however, the man's misery and earnestness led him to make a dangerous experiment. Persuaded of the Lord's power to heal; longing to put it to the test; almost sure of His willingness; he will rush into the city, and ere ever the angry people have had time to recover from their astonishment at his boldness, he hopes to find himself cured and whole at the feet of Jesus. There was both daring and doubting in his action. The man's earnestness is seen further in his manner. 1. He KNELT before the Lord, and next fell on his face — his attitude giving emphasis to his words. 2. He BESOUGHT Jesus — in fear, in doubt, in secret dread lest the Lord should see some reason for withholding the boon he craved, but yet in faith. And his faith was great. He did not, like Martha, consider Christ's power as needing to be sought from God; he believed it to be lodged already in Christ's person; and he also believed His power to be great enough to reach even his case, although as yet no leper had received healing from Christ. 3. His faith was REWARDED. Jesus touched him — no pollution passing from the leper to Him, but healing going from Him to the leper. 4. Instantly the leprosy departed. Nothing is a barrier to the Lord's will and power. (Andrew A. Bonar.) Parallel Verses KJV: And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. WEB: A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, "If you want to, you can make me clean."