Question

The narrator informs the reader that jesus healed a leprous man. Leprosy was a social disease in jesus' day (matthew's community). The narrator does not elaborate on the condition of the leprous man. In the ancient world, whoever suffered from skin diseases had to leave his home, family and occupation, and live in exile at or beyond the borders of the town or community (holman 1999:285-287). This implies that israelite lepers did not only suffer physically but also suffered primarily at social and religious levels. According to leviticus 13:45-46, "the person with such an infectious disease (lepers) must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, unclean! Unclean!' as long as he has the infection he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must live outside the camp." moreover, this kind of person was not only isolated from his family and friends, but was also excluded from public worship (hare 1996:33-34; see vledder 1997:177). If anyone touched a leper he would be temporarily unclean and require ritual cleansing. Hence, the leper asked jesus to cleanse him from this disease (see davies 1995:69). He did not ask for the healing of his disease. This indicates that the leper hoped to become clean in a ritual sense, to return to his family and worship with others. The narrator informs the reader that the leprous man acknowledged jesus' authority. The leper addressed jesus as kur, ie, which indicates that the leper knew about jesus' power of healing. According to van aarde (1994:61-62; luz 2001:6), the narrator in matthew uses the name kur, ie as an indication of jesus' divine authority. Jesus has the authority to cleanse unclean, diseased people. He stretched out one hand15 and touched the leprous man and said: "i am willing, be clean" (mt 8:3). This not only healed the leper, but made him ritually clean as well. After the healing, jesus commanded the cured leper to go to the priest. In the case of a man like this, the priest expected to assume the traditional role of a

Answer 1

Answer:

During the time of Jesus and before his coming, leprosy was the ultimate untouchable disease. People suffering from leprosy are considered spiritually unclean too. They are forced to live outside the town.

Jesus have authority over nature, over demons, over sickness, over death.

Answer 2

Answer:

In the past leprosy was considered a curse from God. Those suffering from leprosy can live only outside the towns and cities. The Bible records miraculous healings of leprosy by Jesus.