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)
This man's plea, "If you will, you can make me clean," reveals a crucial distinction: he is absolutely certain of Jesus' power to heal, but uncertain of Jesus' desire to do so. This highlights his deep humility and acknowledges that healing isn't owed, but a gracious act of God's will.
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)
Jesus has just cast out a demon in the synagogue, demonstrating his authority, and is now leaving the synagogue with his disciples, heading towards Simon Peter's house. As soon as they arrive, they are told that Jesus' mother and brothers are looking for him outside, but Jesus famously declares that his true family are those who do God's will. Immediately after this, Jesus is teaching a crowd by the sea when he gets into a boat to speak to them, and then, he immediately sets sail for the other side of the sea.
This man, cast out by society and suffering from a devastating disease, approaches Jesus with a humble yet profound statement. What does his plea reveal about his understanding of who Jesus is?
The leper’s words, “If you will, you can make me clean,” are incredibly significant.
Acknowledging Power:
His statement, 'you can make me clean,' shows he recognized Jesus' immense power. Leprosy was a dreaded, often incurable disease, and the leper understood that Jesus possessed a unique ability to heal.
Questioning the Will:
His conditional phrase, 'If you will,' points to a crucial aspect of his faith. He wasn't entirely sure if Jesus wanted to heal him. This reveals a vulnerability and honesty in his approach; he acknowledged that healing was not automatic but dependent on Jesus' benevolent will. This sets him apart from those who might demand healing or assume it is owed to them.
A Humble Approach:
By kneeling, he showed humility and reverence. This posture, common in the ancient world for showing deep respect or petitioning a superior, underscores his earnestness and recognition of Jesus' authority.
In a world where lepers were outcasts, Jesus’ action is shocking and deeply meaningful. What does His response reveal about His heart and His relationship with the Law?
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Jesus’ immediate response to the leper is a powerful display of both compassion and a redefinition of purity.
Divine Compassion:
Mark highlights that Jesus was 'moved with compassion.' This wasn't just pity; it was a deep, visceral urge to alleviate suffering. His heart ached for the leper's plight.
Transcending the Law:
Culturally and legally, touching a leper made a person ceremonially unclean. Yet, Jesus deliberately reached out and touched the man. This act was revolutionary:
After healing the leper, Jesus gives a surprising instruction. Why the command for silence, and what is the purpose of sending him to the priests?
Jesus’ instructions to the newly healed leper are layered with meaning, pointing towards God’s order and ultimate testimony.
The Importance of Obedience:
Jesus tells the leper, 'See that you tell no one.' This wasn't because the miracle needed to be hidden, but likely to manage the crowds and prevent the focus from shifting solely to sensational miracles rather than Jesus' teaching. The leper’s subsequent disobedience highlights the human struggle with such commands.
Fulfilling the Law:
Sending the leper to the priest and offering the required sacrifice (as outlined in Leviticus 14) served several purposes:
Jesus respected the Mosaic Law, even as He fulfilled its deeper spiritual meaning. This incident shows His respect for established religious order while simultaneously revealing His unique power to bring about true cleansing.
Understand the original words
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.
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.
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.
katharos · Greek Adjective
A state of ritual and physical purity required for standing in the presence of God or participating in the community. Cleansing signifies both the removal of defilement and the restoration to holiness.
The leper's healing demonstrates Jesus' authority over disease and his compassion, while his instruction to see the priest underscores Jesus' respect for the Law of Moses, even as his ministry begins to challenge established religious structures.
c. 1500 BC
Mosaic Law Established
The Law of Moses, including detailed regulations concerning leprosy and purification rituals, is given to Israel.
c. 8th-7th Century BC
Prophetic Critiques of Worship
Prophets like Isaiah and Amos speak out against empty religious rituals and call for justice and true devotion, foreshadowing Jesus' challenges to religious authorities.
c. 2nd Century BC
Second Temple Period Begins
The Second Temple in Jerusalem is functioning, with priests and sacrifices central to Jewish religious life and practice.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Public Ministry Begins
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching, healing, and attracting crowds across Galilee and Judea.
c. AD 28— this verse
Jesus Descends from the Mountain
After delivering the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus descends and is immediately approached by a leper.
c. AD 28
Jesus Sends Leper to Priest
After healing the leper, Jesus instructs him to show himself to the priest and offer the prescribed sacrifices according to Mosaic Law.
c. AD 28
Report of Healing Spreads
The leper's public testimony, despite Jesus' instruction for silence, causes crowds to seek Jesus, limiting his open movement.
This passage details the specific ritual cleansing laws for those healed of leprosy, which Jesus instructs the healed man to follow, showing Jesus' respect for the existing Mosaic Law even as He fulfilled its deeper meaning.
Matthew 8:2-4This passage recounts the same event, highlighting the leper's worship and Jesus' compassion, and Jesus' instruction to show himself to the priest, reinforcing the theme of obedience to the law while demonstrating divine power.
Luke 5:12-14Luke's account of the same healing emphasizes the leper being 'full of leprosy' and Jesus' explicit statement, 'I will,' showing the completeness of the healing and Jesus' willingness to act.
2 Kings 5:1-14This story of Naaman, a leper, seeking healing from Elisha parallels the Markan account in its depiction of a desperate plea for cleansing and the subsequent miracle, though Naaman's reaction and motivation differ.
Isaiah 53:3This prophecy describes the Suffering Servant as 'despised and rejected by men,' which resonates with the leper's social isolation and the potential scorn Jesus faced for associating with and healing him.
calvinMark 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…
gillMark 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…
This man's plea, "If you will, you can make me clean," reveals a crucial distinction: he is absolutely certain of Jesus' power to heal, but uncertain of Jesus' desire to do so. This highlights his deep humility and acknowledges that healing isn't owed, but a gracious act of God's will.
Jesus has just cast out a demon in the synagogue, demonstrating his authority, and is now leaving the synagogue with his disciples, heading towards Simon Peter's house. As soon as they arrive, they are told that Jesus' mother and brothers are looking for him outside, but Jesus famously declares that his true family are those who do God's will. Immediately after this, Jesus is teaching a crowd by the sea when he gets into a boat to speak to them, and then, he immediately sets sail for the other side of the sea.
Jesus has just cast out a demon in the synagogue, demonstrating his authority, and is now leaving the synagogue with his disciples, heading towards Simon Peter's house. As soon as they arrive, they are told that Jesus' mother and brothers are looking for him outside, but Jesus famously declares that his true family are those who do God's will. Immediately after this, Jesus is teaching a crowd by the sea when he gets into a boat to speak to them, and then, he immediately sets sail for the other side of the sea.
"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.”" — This man's plea, "If you will, you can make me clean," reveals a crucial distinction: he is absolutely certain of Jesus' power to heal, but uncertain of Jesus' desire to do so. This highlights hi…
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Last reviewed October 2026