40 Days of MiraclesSample

Jesus Cleanses a Man with Leprosy

"Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." The man with leprosy shows complete confidence and belief in Jesus just by the way he asks to be healed. Jesus does not disappoint and replies immediately, "I am willing, be clean," and instantly, the man was healed.

The three accounts of this miracle are almost identical except for Mark, who added some key details. In Mark, it says, "Jesus was indignant," which means He was filled with compassion. This shows Jesus' humanity that He isn't just some healing robot but was moved to help the leper. Mark further adds in verse 45: after healing the man, Jesus says not to tell anyone but only show himself to the priests. Instead, the man went out and talked freely, spreading the news, directly affecting Jesus and His ministry. Afterward, He had to stay outside in "lonely places." But it also says, "Yet the people still came to Him from everywhere." You would think this man would do exactly what Jesus commands after being healed, but how many times has Jesus done something amazing for us, and we turn around to do the opposite of what He asks? Yet even when it doesn't deter people from coming to Him because that is how compassionate our Jesus is.

Questions for Reflection

• What does this miracle tell us about who Jesus is?
• When you pray, do you boldly ask the way the man with leprosy did?
• What can we learn from the man with leprosy not doing what he was asked to do after the healing?