Mark 1:42 - Exposition

Straightway —St. Mark's favourite word— the leprosy departed from him . There is no interval between the command and the work of Christ. "He spake, and it was done." His will is his omnipotence. By this act Christ showed that he came into the world as a great Physician, that he might cure all diseases, and cleanse us from all our defilements. The word "straightway" shows that Christ healed the leper, not by any natural means, but by a Divine power which works instantly. He is alike powerful both to commend and to do. St. Matthew says here ( Matthew 8:3 ) that straightway "his leprosy was cleansed" ( ἐκαθαρίσθη αὐτοῦ ἡ λέπρα ). There is here what is called a "hypallage," or inversion of the meaning, which is, of course, that "he was cleansed from his leprosy."