An Atheistic Bible Study Of The Gospels Jesus Heals A Leper

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Another purported miracle described by three of the Gospels but not the fourth (John’s). Matthew 8:2-4 - Jesus’s reputation as a healer is growing and many of the sick and handicapped approach him in the hope of a cure through the course of hi ministry. In this chapter, a leper approaches Jesus and asks if he is willing to cleanse him of his condition. Jesus agrees to do so and touches the leper who is immediately cleansed. Jesus tells the healed leper to tell no one of his cure (though surely anyone who knows him would recognize that he is different now). Jesus tells the man to go to a priest and make all due sacrifices as set out by Moses as thanks for his healing. Surely in approaching a priest to arrange such a sacrificial offering the former leper is revealing his healing to another. Mark 1:40-45 – Very similar to Matthew’s telling except for adding that the leper tells everyone he sees and knows about the healing anyway. This causes Jesus some conflict with the authorities and he begins conducting healings in more secret locations outside the city (described as a ‘certain city’ without being named. The secrecy allows clams about miracles to be circulated without a need for verification or independent witnessing. Luke 5:12-16 This version is much like Mark’s except Jesus retreats to the Wilderness more to get away from those seeking miracles than to have more freedom to help them. It overcrowds him when too many come needing healing at once, but given that Jesus could cure all sickness globally in the blink of an eye this in itself seems bizarre. The first rule of leper club is tell no one about leper club. The second rule of leper club is tell no one about leper club. Arthur Chappell