Unlimited: Jesus is Willing
Feb 15, 2024 2155
A man with leprosycame to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus was indignant.He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed (Mark 1:40–42, NIV).
What was Jesus’ reason for healing and blessing those in need? Mark gives us an important insight.
When Jesus saw the man, he was “filled with compassion.” Jesus felt compassion for this man in the strongest, most passionate sense.
In Jesus’ day, because of poor hygiene, leprosy was much more widespread than it is today.
Leprosy was a horrific disease. Over the years, the extremities of people with leprosy like their fingers, toes, noses, and ears would rot and fall off. And the smell was awful.
But Jesus has no fear of leprosy. He reaches out and touches this man–probably the first time he has felt the touch of another person for years–and he heals him.
The man falls on his knees to Jesus and says, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” He knows that all he needs to be healed is for Jesus to want to heal him, and he is ready to receive the blessing.
There are many people who want to receive God’s blessing, but they don’t receive it because they don’t really believe that God actually wants to bless them. They think they haven’t done enough to deserve it, or that they’re unworthy. But Jesus comes near to you and does not run away.
– Eliezer Gonzalez
Eli’s Reflection: Are you ready to do what this man did, to fall on your knees before Jesus, and just accept his blessing? Are you willing to let him touch the most disgusting part of your life: your own leprosy of sin?
Kelly Smith
Feb 15, 2024
The third edition (in reality the fourth) of the NIV reflects the minority text in this verse. For why the minority text in this case is preferred see Mark Gali's "Jesus Mean and Wild". The original was written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek. The original was not the KJV!
Ketch Winters
Oct 11, 2023
There seems to be some confusion regarding the question "If You are willing" It seems that some people today feel that this means the man did not have faith that Jesus would heal him, and that brings the response "Jesus was indignant" Well i do not know where this concept came from, but it is very much out of character for Jesus. I suspect it is a mistranslation or perhaps something more sinister. I hate to say that, but there is a lot of work to undermine the Bible these days. Unfortunately translations seem to get poorer the further they get from the original. Can you imagine a version with 2023 urban vocabulary ? Another issue regarding this is that there are at least 2 versions of the NIT. one says indignant the other compassion. However this is not the issue. It would be easy to disregard the one as a poor translation or faulty. The confusion stems from a translation of "If you are willing ?" Here in the South they frequently ask something and then close it with "If you don't care" Now this has nothing to do with caring or indifference. This is Southern speak for "Please" The bottom line is "If you are willing" is another way of saying "Please" There would be no reason for Jesus to be indignant, and being so in this incident would be very out of character. We need to be very careful about how we interpret scripture. Ahoh Ketchakah
jay govender
Jun 29, 2023
your devotion inspiriation is very encouringing i hope there are more people receiving these devotions thank you may god fill you with more inspiration
Kelly Smith
Feb 15, 2024
One more thing: I'm from the South( 61 years) and I don't know what you're talking about. The phrase is "if you don't mind".