### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek noun λέπρα (lepra, `{{G3014}}`) stems from the root λεπίς (lepis, related to `{{G3015}}`), which signifies "a scale." Thus, the core meaning of λέπρα points to a "scaliness" or "flaking of the skin." In the biblical and ancient medical contexts, this term is consistently translated as "leprosy," referring to a severe and chronic skin disease that rendered an individual ritually unclean and socially ostracized. While the exact medical identification with modern Hansen's disease is debated by scholars, the biblical use of λέπρα encompasses a range of progressive and often disfiguring dermatological conditions that profoundly impacted an individual's life and standing within the community.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term λέπρα appears exclusively in the New Testament, predominantly within the Gospels, where it describes the affliction of individuals whom Jesus encounters and heals. These narratives are crucial for understanding the social and spiritual implications of the disease in the first century.
* **[[Matthew 8:1-4]]**: Jesus cleanses a leper who approaches him with faith. Notably, Jesus *touches* the man, an act that would have rendered him ritually unclean according to Mosaic Law ([[Leviticus 13:45-46]]). This highlights Jesus' authority over both physical disease and ceremonial defilement. The command to show himself to the priests ([[Matthew 8:4]]) underscores the necessity for official validation of cleansing and restoration to community.
* **[[Mark 1:40-45]]**: This account parallels Matthew's, emphasizing Jesus' compassion ("moved with pity") and his immediate, powerful cleansing. The leper's subsequent public testimony, despite Jesus' instruction, illustrates the profound impact of such a healing.
* **[[Luke 5:12-16]]**: Luke, a physician, provides a detailed description ("a man full of leprosy"), further emphasizing the severity of the condition. Again, Jesus' touch and immediate healing demonstrate his divine power and willingness to engage with the marginalized.
* **[[Luke 17:11-19]]**: The healing of the ten lepers reveals Jesus' broader ministry and the varied responses to his grace. Only one, a Samaritan, returns to give thanks, highlighting the importance of gratitude and faith beyond ethnic or religious boundaries.
In each instance, λέπρα signifies a state of profound physical suffering, social isolation, and ritual impurity, from which only divine intervention could bring restoration.
### Related Words & Concepts
The Greek λέπρα (`{{G3014}}`) is intrinsically linked to other terms in the biblical lexicon:
* **λεπίς (lepis, related to `{{G3015}}`)**: The root noun meaning "a scale," from which λέπρα derives, pointing to the visual characteristic of the disease.
* **λεπρός (lepros, `{{G3016}}`)**: The adjective meaning "leprous" or "a leper," referring to an individual afflicted with λέπρα. This term is used to describe the people themselves (e.g., [[Matthew 10:8]], [[Luke 4:27]]).
* **צָרַע (tsara'ath, `{{H6879}}`)**: This is the primary Hebrew term in the Old Testament, often translated as "leprosy." It encompasses a broader range of skin conditions, including mold or mildew on houses and garments, as described in [[Leviticus 13-14]]. The Old Testament emphasis is on the ritual uncleanness and the prescribed purification rites overseen by the priests, rather than on a medical cure.
Concepts related to λέπρα include:
* **Uncleanness (ritual and social)**: The most prominent aspect of leprosy in the biblical worldview, leading to exclusion from the community and temple worship.
* **Purification**: The elaborate rites for cleansing a leper in [[Leviticus 14]] highlight the need for divine intervention and priestly validation for restoration.
* **Healing and Restoration**: Jesus' miracles demonstrate his power to reverse the effects of the disease and restore individuals to physical health, social inclusion, and spiritual wholeness.
* **Divine Judgment/Affliction**: While not always explicitly stated as judgment, leprosy was often perceived as a consequence of sin or a divine affliction (e.g., Miriam in [[Numbers 12:10]]).
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of λέπρα in the New Testament is profound, extending beyond a mere physical ailment:
1. **Symbol of Sin**: Leprosy serves as a powerful metaphor for sin. Like sin, it is defiling, progressive, separates one from God and community, and is incurable by human effort. Just as leprosy rendered one an outcast, sin alienates humanity from a holy God.
2. **Jesus' Compassion and Authority**: Jesus' willingness to touch lepers directly challenges the prevailing social and religious norms. His touch signifies not defilement, but a transfer of purity and healing power. This demonstrates his divine authority over disease and his profound compassion for the marginalized and outcast, fulfilling prophecies of the Messiah's healing ministry (e.g., [[Isaiah 35:5-6]]).
3. **Inbreaking of the Kingdom of God**: The cleansing of lepers was a sign of the Kingdom of God breaking into the world. It was a specific sign given to John the Baptist's disciples as evidence of Jesus' messianic identity ([[Matthew 11:5]], [[Luke 7:22]]). These acts of healing were tangible demonstrations of God's redemptive power at work, reversing the effects of the Fall.
4. **Atonement and Cleansing**: Jesus' ability to make the unclean clean foreshadows his ultimate work on the cross, where he takes on the defilement of humanity's sin to offer complete spiritual cleansing and reconciliation with God. The command for the cleansed leper to show himself to the priests (e.g., [[Luke 5:14]]) connects the Old Covenant ritual of validation with the New Covenant reality of Christ's perfect cleansing and restoration to the community of faith.
### Summary
The Greek word λέπρα (lepra, `{{G3014}}`) denotes the severe and defiling skin condition known as "leprosy," characterized by scaliness and progressive decay. In the biblical context, it carried immense social and ritual implications, rendering the afflicted person an outcast and ritually unclean according to Mosaic Law (cf. `{{H6879}}`). Jesus' encounters with those suffering from λέπρα are pivotal. His compassionate touch, immediate healing, and command to show themselves to the priests not only demonstrate his divine authority over disease but also serve as powerful theological symbols. Leprosy functions as a potent metaphor for the defiling nature of sin, highlighting humanity's separation from God and community. Jesus' actions illustrate his willingness to embrace the outcast, his power to cleanse from spiritual impurity, and the inbreaking of the Kingdom of God, offering complete restoration and reconciliation to those who are "unclean."
TRV