“Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp.”
Leviticus 13:45-46 (NIV)

We live in the most ridiculously healthy era of human history. Never has have so many human beings on the face of the earth had access to medical care. Never has humanity, on the whole, been as healthy and wealthy. I encourage you to take four minutes and watch Dr. Hans Rosling show you the animated data from the past 200 years. When I saw how poor and unhealthy the people of the world were in 1800, it gave me some perspective to imagine how much worse it must have been around 1500 B.C. when the Hebrew tribes were wandering in the desert becoming a nation.

Today’s chapter is strange, repetitive, and more than a bit boring for modern readers. It is all about skin diseases and mold. To get at the heart of what’s going on in today’s chapter I have to put my feet in the sandals of the Hebrews. There is no healthcare. There are no doctors. There’s no pharmacy. And yet, there is an understanding that disease can quickly wipe out an entire population. God through Moses is setting up a triage system as it relates to skin diseases, infection, and substances that can create health problems for their community as a whole. There’s even a system of quarantine for those who might have something that could be contagious. This is a giant leap forward for these people who will be protected from untold health and medical issues going forward through the priests examining, diagnosing, and prescribing quarantine when needed.

But there’s a spiritual element to this as well. According to the Creation story in Genesis the consequence of sin was that our bodies became subject to death and illness. Despite the fact that I will live 50-60 years longer than the average American in 1800 and have access to the greatest healthcare in human history, I can’t escape the eventual physical decline that aging will bring. I am doing to die. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” Paul writes to the believers in Rome. He goes on to remind them, “The wages of sin is death.”

I am spiritually “unclean.”

How tragic for the person with incurable leprosy. Forever banished to live outside the camp, to wear torn clothes, look like a beggar, and cry out “Unclean!” whenever a “healthy” person was near to warn them off. It was necessary for the health and safety of the community, but what must it have done to the soul of the person? Never to be hugged or touched by your loved ones ever again. To have people shun you, children fear you, and still be condemned to proclaiming “Unclean!” knowing that it will forever perpetuate the bitter isolation and public scorn.

Which reminds me of an often overlooked episode of Jesus’ story. I picture what I have just described, a man condemned to this life as a leper. His clothes are torn. His hair is unkempt. He has a mask covering his face. His is a life of bitter isolation and public scorn. People literally “avoid him like the plague.” Day and night he shouts “Unclean!” if anyone draws near. Lord only knows how long it had been since he’d experienced a human touch, a kind word, or an ounce of kindness. He approaches Jesus on his knees and asks, “If you want to, you can make me clean.”

Mark is careful to describe that Jesus reached out and touched the man.

“I want to,” Jesus replied.

The man’s leprosy was healed.

Suddenly, this episode takes on a whole new beauty and meaning for me. I may not have leprosy, but I am a sinner stuck in this body subject to sin, sickness, and death. I am unclean. Who will save me from this state?

“Jesus? If you want to…”

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.