In the video, Jesus shows care and compassion to the leper who is in desperate need of help. He immediately does not hesitate to put out His hand and touch him despite the leper looking to keep his distance from Him in fear of spreading the highly communicable disease. As seen in the video, it was also against the norm for individuals to touch those who were ailing. Jesus often used different methods to heal the sick. In the leper’s case, He saw it appropriate that touch would be meaningful despite the stigma against leprosy. He also assures the leper, stating that “I am Willing” to comfort and make him feel welcome. Ultimately, the leper’s leprosy is cleaned upon Jesus’ touch, and he is told to give testimony of his healing to the priests only. The interaction depicts Jesus as a caring and compassionate individual who did not hesitate to attend to those in need.
Unlike Jesus, the disciples’ immediate treatment of the leper is characterized by aggression and stigma. Once they see him, they react in fear, with some commanding him to keep his distance. The disciples’ behavior towards the leper was an illustration of how people during the period viewed the sick. Instead of sympathizing with the sick’s condition, they were immediately treated as outcasts. As seen from the video, they do not hesitate to draw their weapons on a man who is evidently unarmed and harmless due to his frail condition. Their actions are, however, different as soon as Jesus cleanses the leper. When Jesus asks for an extra tunic to give the just cleansed leper, every disciple present can be seen willing to help. Their actions after the leper’s cleansing illustrate how differently the sick were treated by the general public before and after healing. Individuals were more willing to help those who were not ailing compared to those who were suffering from a disease.
While I may be quick to criticize the disciples for their actions towards the leper, I probably would have acted the same. As illustrated in the Living God’s Love (LGL) magazine, the ancient period before the coming of Jesus was one in which care for the sick was not valued. Individuals’ attitudes towards the sick during this period were largely influenced by the devastating plagues which were killing the public at an alarming rate. For instance, the Decian plague (250-270 CE) alone is reported to have killed approximately 5,000 individuals per day in Rome alone. As a result, it became the norm to avoid the sick as a means of protecting oneself from contracting diseases that would have ended up being fatal. As a result of the challenges faced by society back then, I would have acted more like the disciples than Jesus so as to protect myself from contracting leprosy.
Therefore, the scene illustrating Jesus’ interaction with the leper shows the influential role he played in society apart from healing. Jesus showed His disciples the importance of treating the sick with care and compassion despite the conditions they were suffering from. He used a caring tone when communicating with the leper in an effort to make him feel comfortable. He also ensured not to make him feel bad for his condition, which was heavily stigmatized during that period. Hence, the scene urges individuals to be compassionate towards those suffering, especially today, where advancements in healthcare have been made. While compassion may not provide automatic healing to the sick, it can help in making them feel wanted. Stigmatization of the sick creates a society that values individuals for what they provide rather than for who they are.
References.
The Chosen. (2019). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL8DThllZAY
Living God’s Love (LGL) Magazine. (n.d.). The Story of Adventist Health. Pg. 4-15
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