Leviticus 13: 1 – 2, 44 – 46

This Sunday, we will hear from the Book of Leviticus. As is usual, the passage was clearly chosen to prepare us for the Gospel, as we shall see.  Since it has been a very long time since we have encountered a passage from this book, let’s again review its origin and purpose.  It is the third book of the Torah, which we know as the Pentateuch.  In the Hebrew Scriptures, it is called זיקרא (Wayyiqra), taken from the first word of the text – called – since the book begins with “The Lord called Moses”.  It receives its present name from the Latin translation of the Greek name given it by the LXX – Λευιτικον.  This name is very appropriate since the book serves as the liturgical handbook for the levitical priests.  Almost its entire text is legislative; the few narrative sections are subordinate to the legislative presentation.  The purpose of the laws is to teach the Israelites that they are to keep themselves in a state of legal purity in every aspect of their lives.  It is entirely Priestly in origin and began to take form at the end of the 7th century BC.  The version that we have, however, is post-Exilic and appears to be the work of the Priestly school during the period of the cultic reorganization at the end of the Babylonian exile.

 

Last week, we heard from the Book of Job.  You will recall that Job was afflicted with boils, head to foot, and bewailed his condition before God.  Sickness and disease was considered a sign of God’s punishment for evil.  It required a cure from God, usually acquired through sacrifice.  And, one of the functions of the priest in those days was to protect the people from those who were afflicted and so they were called upon to declare someone afflicted or cured from their affliction.

 

1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

2 “If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch which appears to be the sore of leprosy, he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest, or to one of the priests among his descendants,

 

scab or pustule or blotch: Various kinds of skin blemishes are treated here which were not contagious but simply disqualified their subjects from association with others, especially in public worship, until they were declared ritually clean. There is great debate as to whether or not Hansen’s disease was known in the ancient Middle East, the Hebrew term used does not refer to Hansen’s disease, also called leprosy.  Many English translations of the Bible translate “sara’at” as “leprosy,” a confusion that derives from the use of Greek word “Λέπρα” (which can mean any disease causing scaly skin) in the Septuagint. Ancient sources such as the Talmud (Sifra 63) make clear that “sara’at” refers to various types of lesions or stains associated with ritual impurity and occurring on cloth, leather, or houses, as well as skin.  Some cultures believed that these diseases in humans and mildew, mold and moss on plants, clothing and buildings were signs of the presence of evil gods; these had to be removed from the objects before they could come before the good gods.  As we see in 13:47 – 57, corrupting agents in clothing and buildings (e.g., mildew, mold, moss) rendered such objects unclean because of their apparent similarity to skin diseases. 

 

This section of Leviticus is not concerned with Hansens’ disease, but with temporary skin disorders, as we can see from the symptoms.  Primitive hygiene of the day considered such diseases highly contagious and demanded the stricken person to be isolated.  For Leviticus, however, the concern is principally the lack of bodily integrity necessary for the worship of Yahweh that resulted in religious and social ostracism.   

 

44 [If] the man is leprous and unclean, and the priest shall declare him unclean by reason of the sore on his head.

45 “The one who bears the sore of leprosy shall keep his garments rent and his head bare, and shall muffle his beard; he shall cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’

46 As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean, since he is in fact unclean. He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.

 

Although we won’t read it on Sunday, let’s briefly examine how the priests would purify the person who had been afflicted (read Lv. 14).  Again, I’m so glad I wasn’t a priest in those days!  As I mentioned earlier, this passage clearly chosen in preparation for today’s gospel passage where we hear about Jesus’ encounter with – as the gospel translation puts it – a leper.  Unlike the Old Testament accounts, which speak only of examining the afflicted person, Jesus cures the person.


Mark 1:40 – 45

 

This week, we continue to hear from Mark’s Gospel, picking up right where we left off last week. Over these three weeks, we are hearing (21-45) the account of a single day’s ministry of Jesus on a Sabbath in and outside the synagogue of Capernaum (Mark 1:21-31) This account combines teaching and miracles of exorcism and healing.  To understand the power of Jesus that is demonstrated here, let’s first read the Old Testament accounts of God healing someone afflicted with leprosy.  In fact, there are only two instances in the Old Testament in which God is shown to have cured a leper (Numbers 12:10-15 – let’s read the entire chapter, and 2 Kings 5:1-14).  In the case of Miriam, it is very clear that her leprosy is a punishment for her sin.  In the case of Naaman, the focus is on the healing power of God, who, working through Elisha, heals the Aramean in the local river – the Jordan.  In both cases, it is considered an extraordinary sign of God’s power over evil.  And so, Mark demonstrates the divine power that Jesus has in this passage.

 

40 A leper came to him (and kneeling down) begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.”

 

A leper: As we read earlier, the disease was probably not leprosy but some other disease of the skin.  The law of Moses provided for the ritual purification of a person afflicted with such a condition. In curing the person, Jesus assumes that the priests will reinstate the cured man into the religious community. See also the note on Luke 5:14.   This miracle illustrates Jesus’ power to save even those excluded from Israel by Mosaic Law.  It is also a clear sign of Jesus turning the society of his day upside down. 

 

came to him: the leper was doing the unthinkable – in fact, the forbidden.  And then, he speaks with the audacity of someone who has no other option.  When he declares, “If you wish,” he is recognizing that Jesus has the power; all he needs to heal the man was the will to do so.  You will recall that last week’s Gospel passage ended with Jesus declaring that he must go to the nearby villages so he could preach there, as well.  And, healing always accompanied his preaching.  The man may have known this and was simply uncertain if healing him was part of Jesus’ mission.  Jesus makes it immediately clear that it was, as we see in the next verse.

 

41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.”

 

Pity: most manuscripts read “moved with pity” although a few read “moved with anger.”  The anger may be directed at the evil spirit that has caused the leprosy or at the society that banned the man.

 

he stretched out his hand, touched himPeople with such diseases were excluded from society because they were unclean.  Anyone who touched them – except, of course, the priests who examined them – was also excluded from society for fear that he might spread the condition.  Jesus pays no attention to this and, in a generous act of mercy, reaches out.  St. John Chrysostom saw in Jesus’ actions – stretching out his hand and touching the man – a wondrous reversal.  Whereas the wisdom of the day declared that such a touch made Jesus unclean, in reality, the opposite is true: the touch had no effect on Jesus but cleansed the afflicted man.  It’s a very important message for us.  Christ can only touch and heal what we bring before him.  We are all very good at hiding our weaknesses and the unsightly sinful aspects of our lives. In fact, we even hide them from ourselves, believing the image we project rather than the truth of who we really are.  If you search the Gospels, you will notice that Jesus never reaches out to touch someone who is self-sufficient; only those who knew that they needed him.  The man with leprosy acknowledged this and we see the effect.

 

42 The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.

43 Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once.

 

dismissed him: that is, the demon that has caused the disease.

 

44 Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”

 

See that you tell no one anything: again, we see the Marcan theme of the Messianic secret.

 

show yourself to the priest…. Moses prescribed:  By showing Jesus’ regard for the legitimate Mosaic Law, the author sets the stage for the controversies presented in 2:1 – 3:6.

 

45 The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

 

spread the report: a technical term (cf. 16:20; Acts 4:4) that the early Church used to speak of proclaiming the gospel.  The author of this gospel is probably making a subtle catechetical point: those cleansed by Christ in baptism must “spread the word.”  The former leper becomes the first “apostle,” sent by Jesus to the Jewish leaders to give testimony to Jesus.  Curiously, Mark never mentions whether or not the cured man went to the priests but he “spread the report” to everyone else and they kept coming to him from everywhere.


1 Corinthians 10:31 – 11:1

 

We hear again from Paul’s letter to the Christians in Corinth. To fully understand Sunday’s reading, let’s begin with 10:14.  As I have mentioned in the past, the Corinthian community of Christians was living in the midst of a community of Greeks who believed in many gods and goddesses, some good and others rather malicious.  Sacrifice to these gods and goddesses was part of the culture of the day. 

 

31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.

32 Avoid giving offense, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God,

 

Avoid giving offense: the general rule of mutually responsible use of their Christian freedom is enjoined first negatively (1 Cor 10:32), then positively, as exemplified in Paul (1 Cor 10:33), and finally grounded in Christ, the pattern for Paul’s behavior and theirs (1 Cor 11:1; cf Romans 15:1-3).   Paul exhorts the faithful to live only to give glory to God, taking care to place no obstacle in the way of Jew or Greek coming to the faith.

 

33 just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved.

 

I try to please everyone in every way: They will avoid scandal if they follow Paul’s example because he seeks not his own interest but always that of others, that they may be brought to salvation in Christ.

 

CHAPTER 11

 

1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

 

In imitating Paul, the faithful are imitating Christ, the perfect exemplar of self-renunciation for the salvation of others.

 

Like last week, we see that the first reading provides us with a foil for the Gospel.  Whereas the people of Israel before the time of our Lord banned a person with various skin diseases from the community, Jesus heals the man who comes to him and directs him back into the community, fully healed.  Recall that, in those days, a physical disease was seen as the sign of moral depravity or punishment from God for evildoing.  So, in healing the leper, Jesus also demonstrates God’s mercy in forgiving his sins.  It’s an important lesson for us at any time but especially now, as we prepare to enter, once again, the season of Lent, when we acknowledge our sins and turn to God for his mercy.