Leviticus 13:46, commentary and pictures

Leviticus 13:46 pronounces the confirmed leper defiled and unclean and sentences him to dwell alone without the camp, cut off from home and family, from society and the congregation, and from every city and village to associate only with fellow sufferers. Leprosy was the most fearful and loathsome disease because it was contagious, wasted its victim, and was regarded as incurable, a judgment for sin and a symbol of sin. That exile was a living death, shunned with horror and soothed by no affectionate hand, in which he had to rend his garment and warn all to flee with the cry Unclean, Unclean, since under the law whoever touched him became unclean himself. Many living under this ban heard of Christ as the great Healer and hoped for relief, yet reaching Him meant overcoming that enforced separation and the terror it caused, so that the crowd fell back and even the disciples would have kept Jesus from touching him. Jesus did not shrink in fear of defilement but in calm fearlessness laid His hand upon him and at once cleansed his decaying body into sound, healthy flesh, after which the priests had to examine him again and publicly proclaim him free from infection and able to unite safely with family and friends before accepting his cleansing offering.

Law of Leprous Isolation

Leprosy was the most fearful and loathsome disease of the East, dreaded because it was contagious and horribly wasted its victim. It was regarded as incurable, and among the Jews as a judgment for sin and a symbol of sin. When physicians admitted it was incurable and the priest examined the sufferer and judged it the worst form, the verdict pronounced him defiled and unclean.

That verdict sentenced him to dwell alone with his habitation without the camp. It meant exile from home, isolation from family and kindred, restriction from the privileges of society, cutting off from the congregation of Israel, and barring from entering any city or village. He was doomed to associate only with others similarly afflicted. That sentence was a living death, separated from friends and former standing and borne away from friends with no affectionate hands to soothe pain. Even a man of high distinction was fled from with horror and shunned even by those who once courted his favor.

He had to publish his own calamity and warn all to flee his polluted and decaying body by rending his garment and sounding the mournful cry, Unclean, Unclean. That signal was heard with fear and abhorrence. Great precautions were taken to prevent spreading, and under the law one who touched a leper became himself unclean, so the leper was to be avoided lest others risk contagion.

Isolation and Christ's Healing

In the region where Christ ministered many lived under this law, cut off from the populace among whom He chiefly worked, so that reaching Him seemed impossible to them. Yet news of Him as the great Healer reached even into their seclusion and stirred hope that coming into His presence could bring relief. The restriction shut the leper out from cities and kept him apart from other people, so approaching Jesus meant overcoming both that separation and the fear it caused.

Because under the law one who touched a leper became himself unclean, the leper was to be avoided lest others risk contagion. For that reason when he drew near the crowd fell back and even the disciples were filled with terror and wanted to keep Jesus from touching him. Jesus did not shrink from his approach in fear of defilement but drew near in calm fearlessness and laid His hand upon him. Instead of becoming defiled or unclean Himself He cleansed the dying body of corruption at once into healthy flesh with sensitive nerves and firm muscle, with the words, Be thou clean.

When the priests had examined a sufferer and pronounced him unclean he was banished from family and friends to dwell alone outside society. The same priests had to thoroughly examine him again after healing and publicly proclaim him entirely free from the infectious disease. That proclamation declared him in sound health and able to safely unite again with family and friends without endangering them. Only after that examination and decision could they accept from him the cleansing offering Moses commanded.