Breakdown of Mark 1:40-41

"And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.”" — The leper's plea, "If you will, you can make me clean," reveals a profound trust in Jesus' power, but a lingering doubt about His willingness. This phrasing acknowledges Jesus' ability while also sub…

Mark 1:40-41 Meaning Explained

All verses

Mark 1:40-41

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.”

English Standard Version (ESV)

The leper's plea, "If you will, you can make me clean," reveals a profound trust in Jesus' power, but a lingering doubt about His willingness. This phrasing acknowledges Jesus' ability while also subtly exposing the leper's own uncertainty, a vulnerability that Jesus directly addresses with His compassionate touch and decisive "I will."

What Mark 1:40-41 means

Jesus has just healed a man with a withered hand and cast out a demon, demonstrating his authority over physical ailments and spiritual forces. Now, a leper, considered ritually unclean and an outcast, approaches Jesus, seeking healing with a plea that acknowledges Jesus' power and hinges on His willingness. This encounter is part of a growing crowd following Jesus, which will soon lead Him to retreat to quieter places to continue His teaching.

The Leper's Boldness and Belief

Imagine being so desperate, so outcast, that you're willing to risk everything. This leper didn't just approach Jesus; he implored him.

This leper's approach is striking. Leprosy was more than a disease; it made a person ceremonially unclean and an outcast from society. Under the Law, lepers were to cry out, 'Unclean! Unclean!' and live apart (Leviticus 13:45-46). Yet, this man came to Jesus, and not just casually. He was 'beseeching him, and kneeling down.' The original language suggests a deep prostration, a complete surrender.

His words are even more powerful: 'If you will, you can make me clean.' This wasn't a demand, but a humble acknowledgment of Jesus' authority and power, coupled with an appeal to His willingness. It reveals a profound faith:

Awareness of Power: He knew Jesus could heal him. This wasn't a guess; it was a conviction based on what he'd likely seen or heard.
Uncertainty of Will: He didn't presume Jesus would heal him. The phrase 'If you will' shows he recognized Jesus' autonomy and right to choose.

Jesus' Compassion and Cleansing Touch

Jesus' response wasn't just a miracle; it was a profound statement of His nature. He didn't just heal the leper; He reached out to him.

When Jesus heard the leper's plea, the text says He was 'moved with compassion.' This wasn't a distant, clinical decision, but a deep, gut-level empathy. But what's truly astonishing is Jesus' physical response.

Under Jewish law, touching a leper made a person ritually unclean (Leviticus 5:2-3). A clean person couldn't even be in close proximity to an unclean one without becoming unclean themselves. Yet, Jesus did the unthinkable:

He Reached Out: 'He stretched out his hand and touched the man.' This single act broke through social and religious barriers.

Understand the original words

Original language

leperλεπρός

lepros · Greek Noun

A person afflicted with a severe, contagious skin disease (leprosy) which, under Old Testament law, rendered one ceremonially unclean and socially marginalized, representing a state of degradation or separation from God's people.

make me cleanκαθαρίζω

katharizō · Greek Verb

To make holy, pure, or ceremonially acceptable, removing the defilement of sin or disease to restore a person to fellowship with God and the community.

Moved with pityσπλαγχνίζομαι

splagchnizomai · Greek Verb

An internal reaction of deep compassion, specifically visceral or gut-level sympathy, often followed by an act of mercy or restoration. In the Gospels, it is a hallmark of Jesus' nature.

cleanκαθαρός

katharos · Greek Adjective

Historical context

Written: Around 60-70 AD
Author: Traditionally the Apostle Mark, though some scholars suggest a later date and an unknown author.
Location: Written from Rome, likely depicting events in Galilee.
Genre: Gospel; features vivid, action-oriented narrative and direct, unadorned language.

Historical background

The encounter with the leper powerfully illustrates Jesus' authority over the Mosaic Law, His compassion for the outcast, and the growing fame that would ultimately complicate His ministry by drawing overwhelming crowds.

c. 1500 BC
Levitical Law Promulgated
The Law of Moses, including detailed regulations for identifying, quarantining, and cleansing lepers, is given to Israel. These laws establish leprosy as a symbol of sin and uncleanness, requiring separation from the community and specific rituals for purification and thanksgiving.
c. 700 BC
Prophetic Warnings Against Disobedience
Prophets like Isaiah speak out against the spiritual and moral failings of Israel, often using imagery of impurity and disease. They warn that national defilement will lead to judgment, drawing on the symbolic meaning of leprosy.
c. 30 BC - 10 AD— this verse
Jesus' Early Ministry in Galilee
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching, healing, and calling disciples in Galilee. His growing fame attracts large crowds, including those with various ailments and conditions, such as leprosy.
c. 30 AD
Jesus Cleanses a Leper
A man suffering from leprosy approaches Jesus, pleading to be made clean. Jesus, moved with compassion, touches the man and heals him instantly, instructing him to show himself to the priests and offer the prescribed sacrifices.

Key themes

01Faith's humble plea
02Divine compassion revealed
03Power to cleanse sin
04Obedience to divine will

Cross-references

Leviticus 14:2-7

This passage outlines the specific ritual and sacrifices required for a leper to be declared clean by the priests, which Jesus instructs the healed leper to follow. It highlights the religious and societal implications of leprosy within the Old Testament Law.

Matthew 8:2-4

This is a parallel account of the same event, providing Jesus' direct statement, 'I am willing; be cleansed,' and his command to show himself to the priest as a testimony. It emphasizes the completeness of the healing and the desire for official recognition.

Luke 5:12-14

Another parallel account, Luke's Gospel adds that the leper was 'full of leprosy,' underscoring the severity of the condition, and records Jesus' compassion before healing him. This perspective emphasizes Jesus' emotional engagement with the suffering.

2 Kings 5:1-14

This narrative of Naaman, a Syrian leper seeking healing from Elisha, provides a contrast in the leper's attitude and the prophet's response. Naaman's initial arrogance and eventual obedience to wash in the Jordan highlight different approaches to seeking divine healing.

Isaiah 53:2-3

This prophecy describes the suffering servant who would be 'despised and rejected by men,' with no 'beauty or majesty to attract us,' and 'a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.' This passage resonates with the leper's lowly, outcast status and Jesus' willingness to identify with suffering.

Scholarly commentary

Mark 1:40-45: "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."

And when he had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2. And, lo, a leper, approaching, worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou art willing, thou art able to cleanse me. 3. And Jesus, having stretched out his hand, touched him, saying, I am willing; be thou clean: and immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4. And Jesus saith…

calvin

Mark 1:40: "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."

And there came a leper to him,.... After he was come down from a certain mountain, in Galilee, where he had been preaching to the people, Matthew 8:1 , and when be was in a certain city, Luke 5:12 , either Capernaum, or some other city of Galilee. This man was full of leprosy, as Luke says, and very probably deemed incurable; of the nature and sympto…
gill

Frequently asked questions

What does Mark 1:40-41 mean?

Explain the meaning of Mark 1:40-41

What is the context of Mark 1:40-41?

Study this verse in Sola

Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.

Open in Sola app Get the app

Ask a follow-up

Ask Sola about this verse

Ask Sola things like:

“What does "leper" mean in the original Greek?”
“Why did Traditionally the Apostle Mark, though some scholars suggest a later date and an unknown author. write Mark 1:40-41?”
“How does faith's humble plea show up in Mark 1:40-41?”

Ask in the Sola app Get the app

Live chat about Mark 1:40-41 is available in the Sola app.

This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.

What Mark 1:40-41 means

Original language

leperλεπρός

lepros · Greek Noun

make me cleanκαθαρίζω

katharizō · Greek Verb

To make holy, pure, or ceremonially acceptable, removing the defilement of sin or disease to restore a person to fellowship with God and the community.

Moved with pityσπλαγχνίζομαι

splagchnizomai · Greek Verb

An internal reaction of deep compassion, specifically visceral or gut-level sympathy, often followed by an act of mercy or restoration. In the Gospels, it is a hallmark of Jesus' nature.

cleanκαθαρός

katharos · Greek Adjective

Historical background

c. 1500 BC

Levitical Law Promulgated

The Law of Moses, including detailed regulations for identifying, quarantining, and cleansing lepers, is given to Israel. These laws establish leprosy as a symbol of sin and uncleanness, requiring separation from the community and specific rituals for purification and thanksgiving.

c. 700 BC

Prophetic Warnings Against Disobedience

Prophets like Isaiah speak out against the spiritual and moral failings of Israel, often using imagery of impurity and disease. They warn that national defilement will lead to judgment, drawing on the symbolic meaning of leprosy.

c. 30 BC - 10 AD— this verse

Jesus' Early Ministry in Galilee

Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching, healing, and calling disciples in Galilee. His growing fame attracts large crowds, including those with various ailments and conditions, such as leprosy.

c. 30 AD

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

A man suffering from leprosy approaches Jesus, pleading to be made clean. Jesus, moved with compassion, touches the man and heals him instantly, instructing him to show himself to the priests and offer the prescribed sacrifices.

Scholarly commentary

Mark 1:40-45: "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."

And when he had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2. And, lo, a leper, approaching, worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou art willing, thou art able to cleanse me. 3. And Jesus, having stretched out his hand, touched him, saying, I am willing; be thou clean: and immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4. And Jesus saith…

calvin

Mark 1:40: "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."

And there came a leper to him,.... After he was come down from a certain mountain, in Galilee, where he had been preaching to the people, Matthew 8:1 , and when be was in a certain city, Luke 5:12 , either Capernaum, or some other city of Galilee. This man was full of leprosy, as Luke says, and very probably deemed incurable; of the nature and sympto…
gill

Frequently asked questions

What does Mark 1:40-41 mean?

Explain the meaning of Mark 1:40-41

What is the context of Mark 1:40-41?

Ask Sola about this verse

Ask Sola things like:

“What does "leper" mean in the original Greek?”
“Why did Traditionally the Apostle Mark, though some scholars suggest a later date and an unknown author. write Mark 1:40-41?”
“How does faith's humble plea show up in Mark 1:40-41?”

Ask in the Sola app Get the app

Live chat about Mark 1:40-41 is available in the Sola app.

What Mark 1:40-41 means

The Leper's Boldness and Belief

Jesus' Compassion and Cleansing Touch

Original language

Historical context

Historical background

Key themes

Cross-references

Scholarly commentary

Frequently asked questions

Study this verse in Sola

Ask Sola about this verse

What Mark 1:40-41 means

The Leper's Boldness and Belief

Jesus' Compassion and Cleansing Touch

Original language

Historical context

Historical background

Key themes

Cross-references

Scholarly commentary

Frequently asked questions

Study this verse in Sola

Ask Sola about this verse

Obedience and Witness