But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread abroad the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was outside in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.
All Commentaries on Mark 1:45 Go To Mark 1
Bede
AD 735
Again, mystically if by the setting of the sun, the death of the Saviour is intended, why should not His resurrection be intended by the returning dawn? For by its clear light, He went far into the wilderness of the Gentiles, and there continued praying in the person of His faithful disciples, for He aroused their hearts by the grace of the Holy Spirit to the virtue of prayer.
in Marc., i, 7: After that the serpent-tongue of the devils was shut up, and the woman, who was first seduced, cured of a fever, in the third place, the man, who listened to the evil counsels of the woman, is cleansed from his leprosy, that the order of restoration in the Lord might be the same as was the order of the fall in our first parents. Whence it goes on: “And there came a leper to him, beseeching Him.”.
in Marc., i, 9: And because the Lord said that He came “not to destroy the Law but to fulfill,” he who was excluded by the Law, inferring that he was cleansed by the power of the Lord, showed that grace, which could wash away the stain of the leper, was not from the Law, but over the Law. And truly, as in the Lord authoritative power, so in him the constancy of faith is shewn.For there follows: “Lord, if Thou wilt,Thou canst make me clean. "He falls on his face, which is at once agesture of lowliness and of shame, to show that every man should blush for the stains of his life. But his shame did not stifle confession; he showed his wound, and begged for medicine, and the confession is full of devotion and of faith, for he refers the power to the will of the Lord.
Moreover, he doubted of the will of the Lord, not as disbelieving His compassion, but, as conscious of his own filth, he did not presume. It goes on; “But Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth His hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will, bethou clean.”.
Another reason why He touched him, was to proved that He could not be defiled, who free others from pollution. At the same time it is remarkable, that He healed in the way in which He had been begged to heal. "If Thou wilt,” says the leper, “Thou cans make me clean. ”I will,” He answered, behold, thou hast My will, “be clean;” now thou hast at once the effect of My compassion.
For there is no interval between the work of God and the command, because the work is in the command, for “He commanded, and they were created.” There follows: “And He straitly charged him, and forthwith” See thou tell no man.”.
If any one wonders, how the Lord seems to approve of the Jewish sacrifice, which the Church rejects, let him remember that He had not yet offered His own holocaust in His passion. And it was not right that significative sacrifices should be taken away before that which they signified was confirmed by the witness of the Apostles in their preaching, and by the faith of the believing people.
see Greg., Moral., 19,22: Now it may well be asked, why our Lord ordered His action to be concealed, and yet it could not be kept hid for an hour? But it is to be observed, that the reason why, in doing a miracle, He ordered it to be kept secret, and yet for all that it was noised abroad, was, that His elect, following the example of His teaching, should wish indeed that in the great things which they do, they should remain concealed, but should nevertheless unwillingly be brought to light for the good of others. Not then that He wished any thing to be done, which He was not able to bring about, but, by the authority of His teaching, Hegave an example of what His members ought to wish for, and of what should happen to them even against their will.
Further, this perfect cure of oneman brought large multitudes to the Lord. Wherefore it is added, “So that He could not any more openly enter into the city, but could only be without in desert places.”.
But when the hand of the Saviour, that is, the Incarnate Word of God, is stretched out, and touches human nature, it is cleansed from the various parts of the old error.
