Reading Mark 1:39–44

Lepers weren't "excluded" from all of society in ancient Judaism. So what is the significance of Jesus touching a leper?

The focus of this episode is the scene where Jesus "purifies" a leper through touch in Mark 1.39–44. This short passage raises numerous questions: Did Jesus disregard the torah when he touched the leper? What was the leper doing in the synagogue if lepers were marginalised and excluded from society? In healing the leper, did Jesus usurp the role of the priests? If Jesus purifies him, why does Jesus tell him to go make offerings "for his purification". And how does this function as a "witness" to the priests?

To approach these issues, we provide a detailed examination of the leprosy legislation in Leviticus 13–14 and its interpretation in ancient Judaism, and, as usual, we do a bit of myth busting along the way. For example: Lepers, it turns out, were only excluded from particular spaces, not all of society, and they could actually attend synagogue services! We also get into a detailed discussion of Jesus' limits as a Judahite and what that means for his relationship with Levitical priests.

The episode closes with three final questions: Did Jesus contract impurity from touching the Leper? Would Jesus disagree with the “exclusionary” facet of lepra legislation? And does this scene portray Jesus as being contagious with holiness?

—————

Primary Sources in This Episode:

The Temple Scroll (11QTemple/11Q19) 48.14–17. Link: http://dss.collections.imj.org.il/temple

Mishnah, Negaim 13: https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Negaim.13.1?lang=bi

Tosefta, Keilim Kamma 1.11: https://sefaria.org/Tosefta_Kelim_Kamma.1.11?lang=bi

Josephus, Antiquities 3.264 [not 3.246!]: https://lexundria.com/j_aj/3.264/wst

Secondary Sources in This Episode:

Jacob Milgrom, Leviticus 1–16: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, Anchor Bible (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1991): https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300139402/leviticus-1-16/

Matthew Thiessen, Jesus and the Forces of Death: The Gospels’ Portrayal of Ritual Impurity within First-Century Judaism (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2020): https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/jesus-and-the-forces-of-death/399984

Yitzhaq Feder, "The Wilderness Camp Paradigm in the Holiness Source and the Temple Scroll: From Purity Laws to Cult Politics", Journal of Ancient Judaism 5 (2014): 290–310: https://brill.com/view/journals/jaj/5/3/article-p290_2.xml?language=en