Chapter # 1 Paragraph # 10 Study # 1
April 16, 2019
Moss Bluff, Louisiana
(Download Audio)

⁽⁰⁶⁵⁾

Thesis:   With his record of the appeal of the leper, Mark is "upping the ante" regarding whether, or not, his readers will allow Jesus to be "The Authority" in their lives.

Introduction:   We have seen Mark's presentation of Jesus of Nazareth in terms of several facets of His identity. The "Good News" is all about Him (1:1). His "news" was all about a "new" approach to "the forgiveness of sins" (1:4; 1:14; 1:22 and 27). He presented this "news" with recognized "authority" (1:22 and 27) as the fulfillment of John's "the Mighty One comes" prophecy (1:7; 1:11 and 1:12-13). He summoned disciples to "abandon themselves to His agenda" (1:16-20); a "summons" that assumes His identity and message. And He demonstrated the "authority" that was behind His "new" approach to "forgiveness of sins" by exercising it over both "unclean spirits" and "unclean bodies" (1:21-39).

This evening we are going to begin a look into the final paragraph of chapter one (1:40-45) where Mark records his only record of Jesus addressing leprosy.

• I. The First Question: Why Did Mark Record This Record At This Point?
  • A. Answers from the "general setting" of the event in its place in history.
    • 1. Leprosy was presented early in Israel's history as a judgment of God for egregious sin.
      • a. Exodus 15:26 was given as a conditional promise from God for careful diligence in obedience.
      • b. Numbers 2:10 presented leprosy as a judgment upon Miriam for her high arrogance.
      • c. 2 Chronicles 26:16-19 maintained this "thesis" when Uzziah became extremely arrogant and was smitten with leprosy by God.
    • 2. These early records were well known in Israel and used by Jews for self-elevation as well as complete despair (the two major issues involved in "repentance" as well as "forgiveness").
  • B. Answers from the basic makeup of man.
    • 1. Leprosy attacked the physical makeup of man.
    • 2. Leprosy attacked the "soulish" makeup of man as it required his isolation from others.
    • 3. Leprosy attached the "spiritual" makeup of man as it signaled deep displeasure in God.
  • C. Answers from Mark's "literary design" for his presentation of Jesus.
    • 1. Prior to this record, Jesus is presented as "The Authority Behind The Message" by virtue of His "authority in teaching", His "authority over unclean spirits", and His "authority of all manner of diseases".
    • 2. Mark's approach was to...
      • a. Highlight the issue: the Message of Forgiveness.
      • b. Support that Message with "spiritual" authority.
      • c. Support that Message with "physical" authority.
      • d. Support that Message with a host of the mixture of these examples of "authority".
    • 3. Mark's use of the Leper Record.
      • a. It followed immediately upon the heels of "preaching in synagogues and casting out demons" as a kind of summary of the earlier materials.
      • b. It moved the "healing" issue to the top of the scale of "those who had it bad".
    • 4. Immediately after this record, Mark presents another record where the issue is whether, or nor, Jesus had the "authority" to actually "forgive sins" as "The Authority Behind the Message".
  • D. Thus, the Leper Record is a kind of "upping the ante" because of the seriousness of the actual issue: what happens if a person buys into a doctrine of "forgiveness" that will ultimately prove to be false?
• II. The Initial Issues.
  • A. The "leper" comes to Jesus as a demonstration of hopeful humility.
    • 1. His "hopefulness" is expressed in his "If you are willing...".
      • a. His "If" clause is a third-class conditional clause indicating only "hopefulness", not any sense of "surety".
      • b. His use of "willing" is entirely "desire", not "intent".
        • 1) There is a significant distinction between the two major words in the New Testament for "will".
          • a) Romans 9:19 indicates a word for "God's will" that is irresistible, and 2 Peter 3:9 compared with 1:10 reinforces it.
          • b) 1 Timothy 2:4 indicates a word for "God's will" that is obviously resistible because it does not have sufficient "power" applied to it.
        • 2) The leper is entirely tenuous.
    • 2. His "humility" is expressed in his "You have the power to cleanse me".
      • a. The word for "power" is the most "powerful" word in the New Testament for "ability".
      • b. The leper has no problem whatsoever with whether, or not, Jesus is the announced "Mighty One Who Comes".
        • 1) This strongly suggests this leper was a "believer" in John's message, most likely including "forgiveness".
        • 2) The problem for the leper is whether "forgiveness" will, for him, include cleansing from his leprosy.
  • B. The leper's "speech" is rooted in strong confidence (lego) as to the "power" of Jesus; he simply "hopes" that Jesus' "willingness" exists to the degree of an application of that power to him.

(return to the top of the article)


This is article #066.
If you wish, you may contact Darrel as darrelcline at this site.