Compassionate touch ∙∙

Compassionate touch ∙∙

Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. – Mark 1:41

Matthew 8:1-4

 1 Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside.

 2 Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”

 3 Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.

 4 Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”.

Understanding Leprosy: A Disease Beyond the Physical

Leprosy, also known as  Hansen’s disease (HD), is a chronic infectious condition that leads to severe, disfiguring skin sores, nerve damage, and muscle weakness. Approximately 180,000 people are infected with leprosy worldwide in the 21st century. In the United States, around 100 new cases are diagnosed each year. It is not easily transmitted; typically, people contract it only through close and repeated contact with the nasal or oral fluids of an infected person.

The Cause and Effects

The bacterium Mycobacterium leprae is responsible for leprosy. One of the most devastating effects of this disease is nerve damage, which can lead to a loss of sensation. This inability to feel pain often results in repeated injuries or infections, ultimately leading to the loss of extremities, such as fingers or toes. Beyond the physical toll, leprosy places a significant emotional and social burden due to the stigma and isolation associated with the disease.

The Power of Compassion: Dr. Paul Brand’s Story

Dr. Paul Brand, a 20th-century medical missionary in India, witnessed firsthand the stigma and emotional pain experienced by those with leprosy. During one appointment, he touched a patient to reassure him that treatment was possible. The man began to cry, and an attendant explained, “You touched him, and no one has done that for years. They are tears of joy” (Lisa Samra).

The simple act of touch carries profound meaning. It isn’t just physical contact; it’s a gesture of acceptance, dignity, and love. For many suffering from diseases like leprosy, the pain of isolation and rejection can be as severe as the physical symptoms. Beyond medical treatment, there is a deep human need for connection, acceptance, and compassion.

Jesus Christ – Compassion in Action

The Lord Jesus Christ exemplified perfect compassion. The Greek word translated as “compassion” is splagchnizomai. Splagchnizomai conveys a “deep, visceral sympathy.” Splagchnizomai is derived from the word splagchnon, which refers to “the inward parts of the body (like the intestines),” and it reflects “the seat of tender emotions” in ancient thought. Interestingly, the English word “spleen” is related to this Greek term.

Jesus felt deep compassion, and His feelings did not stop there. He acted out His compassion by extending grace, healing, and acceptance to those who were outcasts and suffering. His touch was not just physical; it was a profound expression of love and restoration.

The Call to Compassion: Following Christ’s Example

As children of the King, we are called to follow Jesus’ example by reaching out with compassion to those who are lonely, rejected, or hurting. A simple act of kindness, whether it’s listening, understanding, or even a gentle touch, can make an extraordinary difference in someone’s life.

Some individuals have a remarkable ability to offer sensitive and caring support through touch. If you are blessed enough to know such a person, cherish the opportunity to experience and learn from their beautiful empathy and caring.

REFLECT & PRAY

Are you willing to be made whole? He is willing to make you whole.

Father, thank You for being the source of all compassion. Your loving arms and hands touch the deepest recesses of our souls, bringing comfort, healing, and joy. Help us to extend that same compassion to others, reflecting Your love in a world that so desperately needs it.

INSIGHT

The Meaning of Leprosy in the Old Testament

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word translated as “leprosy” is tsara. Tsara was not limited to what we now understand as Hansen’s Disease, but referred to a “wide range of visible skin ailments. It “encompassed a variety of skin conditions, including peeling skin, sores, rashes, measles, and even smallpox.”

Leprosy: A Physical and Spiritual Condition

Leprosy in the Old Testament was not only a physical ailment, but also had spiritual implications. When someone was afflicted with leprosy, they were required to visit a priest for diagnosis, as outlined in Leviticus 13. During that time, priests served as both spiritual and physical examiners since there were no medical doctors available. Similarly, if a person was healed or cleansed, it was the priest who confirmed this, as described in Leviticus 14.

Recorded Healings in the Old Testament

While leprosy was common, the Old Testament records only two miraculous healings:

1. Miriam, the sister of Moses, was healed of leprosy after suffering the consequences of her rebellion (Numbers 12:10-15). 

2. Naaman, a Syrian commander, was healed after following the prophet Elisha’s instructions to wash in the Jordan River (2 Kings 5:1-14).

The Heart Matters More Than the Outside

Although leprosy is a visible, external condition, the Bible reminds us that what happens inside a person is far more critical. 1 Samuel 16:7, “The LORD does not see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

In the 21st century, most of us will likely never encounter physical leprosy. However, many of us carry an unseen form of “leprosy” within our hearts, wounds, guilt, shame, and spiritual decay. These internal struggles can often be far more debilitating than any physical condition. Who among us can genuinely claim to have a heart completely free from darkness or rot?

The Father’s Provision for Healing

God, in His mercy, has made a way to cleanse and heal the “leprosy” of our hearts. In the Old Testament, the sacrificial system was established to cover and redeem sin. However, the blood of animals could only provide temporary cleansing. The ultimate and eternal solution came through the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ.

The author of the book of Hebrews explains in Hebrews 9:13-14: “Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

Through Christ’s sacrifice, the guilt, shame, and remorse that plague our hearts can be lifted. His blood is far more powerful than any earthly remedy, providing complete and eternal cleansing.

The Compassion of Christ: Touching the Untouchable

The Lord Jesus Christ showed remarkable compassion, not hesitating to touch even the most loathsome human conditions, such as leprosy. As one commentator points out, “Wherever the compassionate Christ and the yearning sinner meet, there then comes instantaneous and complete cleansing.”

“In the antiseptic cleanliness of modern hospitals, we lose sight of the wonder of the parable of Jesus in all his purity stooping to touch the ugliness and stench of our sin to bring healing and forgiveness” (Cole).

Take a moment to reflect on the wonder and magnificence of the Lord Jesus Christ. According to the law of Moses, touching a leper made a person ceremonially unclean and defiled. However, the Lord Jesus Christ was unfazed by this; He willingly accepted the risk of becoming defiled so that the leper could be cleansed and made whole. Cole notes that “the essence of the gospel is captured here: Christ redeems us from the curse by taking on the curse for our sake.”

The Apostle Paul writes in Galatians 3:13, “Christ redeemed us from the curse by becoming a curse for us.”

This act encapsulates the gospel: Jesus took on our defilement so that we might be made clean and whole.

Modern Healing: Physical and Spiritual

Thanks to advances in medicine and science, physical leprosy is no longer the devastating condition it once was. However, the spiritual “leprosy” of guilt, shame, and a guilty conscience remains a universal human experience. The good news is that because of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, we do not have to live with the burden of remorse and a guilty conscience.

If you are willing to seek healing, He is more than willing to make you whole.

A Song of Redemption: He Touched Me

The transformative power of Jesus’ touch is beautifully captured in the hymn by Bill Gaither:

“Shackled by a heavy burden,

‘Neath a load of guilt and shame.

Then the hand of Jesus touched me,

And now I am no longer the same.”

“He touched me, oh, He touched me,

And oh, the joy that floods my soul!

Something happened, and now I know,

He touched me and made me whole.”

Heaven Came Down: A Celebration of Salvation

Another hymn, written by John W. Peterson, celebrates the joy of salvation:

“O what a wonderful, wonderful day, day I will never forget;

After I’d wandered in darkness away, Jesus my Savior I met.

O what a tender, compassionate friend, He met the need of my heart;

Shadows dispelling, with joy I am telling, He made all the darkness depart.”

“Heaven came down and glory filled my soul, when at the cross the Saviour made me whole; my sins were washed away – and my night was turned to day – heaven came down and glory filled my soul!”

¯\_(ツ)_/¯-7-4-2

© Dr. H 2025