of the five sayings of jesus in the first chapter of mark's gospel, three are related to healing miracles. jesus' first miracle is casting out an unclean spirit from a man in the synagogue in capernaum. the second miracle is the healing of a man afflicted with leprosy. the man implores jesus to choose to make him "clean." using the words of the man, jesus says, "i do choose. be made clean!" and as he speaks, jesus reaches out and touches the man. after the man is healed, mark says that jesus warned the man sternly to leave and "see that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what moses commanded, as a testimony to them." the man fails to do as jesus has instructed but tells everyone he encounters of his healing. we don't learn whether he ever followed religious protocol by having the priest confirm his healing when he offers the appropriate offering as described in leviticus 14.
as in the first miracle, one wonders if these miracles are legends attributed to jesus, if they are tricks of a charlatan faith-healer, or if they indeed occurred. i'm inclined to the first view, that these were later additions to the life of jesus that supported the belief of some followers that jesus had supernatural power, just as superhuman powers were attributed to other religious leaders by later followers. what is striking to me is the fact that jesus touched the man, a person who was "unclean" according the religious norms of the day. in doing so, jesus demonstrates that his compassion is greater than the taboos that would prevent him from coming into direct contact with one who is afflicted with a contagious skin disease. as he often did, jesus refused to bow to rules and regulations that prevented people from showing kindness to those who were in need.
jesus was also concerned that the man's place in the community be restored as jesus instructed him to follow accepted practice by having a priest declare him cured and therefore no longer unclean. in his excitement, the man tells everyone of his miraculous healing at the hands of jesus, resulting in jesus avoiding population centers so that he would not be overwhelmed with people coming to him to be healed. nevertheless, mark says that people "from every quarter" sought him out, suggesting that they wanted to be healed or witness others being miraculously healed rather than coming to hear the teaching of jesus.
human nature being what it is, we are more attracted to extraordinary events than to simple teachings that help us live more skillful lives. we yearn for the sensational when commonplace is far more beautiful. we are not content to accept jesus as a teacher who showed his followers how to live a joyful life in a difficult world, but are compelled to give him attributes that overshadow the simplicity and directness of his teaching, to transform him into a god rather than a great man.
may we show compassion where compassion is needed, as jesus did. may we not allow the demands of orthodoxy to prevent us from reaching out to others. may we see our common humanity rather than accepting the prejudices which separate us from those who are different, viewing them as "unclean" in the same way the people of jesus' day viewed those who were unlike them. shalom.
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