If you asked an early first century Palestinian if they heard about Jesus of Nazareth I have no doubt that most would answer, “You mean that guy who heals people.” But the Gospel of Mark suggests that Jesus resisted that reputation. The healing of the leper is typical in that it ends with Jesus saying, “See that you tell no one anything.” Jesus wanted to hush up these healings because it distracted from his central message: “The kingdom is at hand. Repent and believe in the Good News.” Think about it: a healing does not cost me anything — it’s what God does. Repentance and belief, on the other hand, require that I change the values I hold and the way that I act.
