Mark 1:41 Pity or Compassion

What’s in Your Bible Mark 1:40-41

And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.

The word we are going to focus on is Compassion. Jesus moved with compassion and healed the leper.

What do the new versions say?

NIV Jesus was indignant. Jesus was angry or put off?

ESV Moved with pity. Interesting…

NASV Moved with compassion. Good job!

New World Translation: moved with pity.

Indignant is feeling or showing anger because of something unjust or unworthy.

Jesus was angered towards the leper?

Was he angered because of the leper?

Angry because he was being interrupted or disturbed?

What was Jesus indignant about?

Compassion and pity are two human emotions that both have similarities and differences.

Compassion is the deep sympathy, sorrow, or empathy one feels for another individual or group of people that may be suffering.

Both recognize a sorrowful situation.

Pity has a sense of arrogance and condescension, sometimes even a pleased feeling of ‘Glad it’s not me'

There’s no action with pity. It’s an emotional feeling that doesn’t result in action to help.

Was Jesus arrogant and condescending towards the Leper?

Did Jesus think “Glad it’s not me.”?

Compassion, on the other hand, makes those who offer it and those who receive it more Christlike.

It makes us feel close to that person because we recognize ourselves in them. We could easily be in their place. It motivates us to act to alleviate their suffering. If action doesn’t take place, it probably isn’t compassion.

This would be like the story of the Good Samaritan.

The Levite that walked by and looked on him and kept going probably had pity on him but didn’t do anything about it.

The Good Samaritan had compassion on him and helped him out of the street, took him to a place to stay, fed him, and had him taken care of at his expense.

Pity is faith without works while compassion is faith with works.

Was Jesus indignant, pitiful, or show compassion on the leper?

Dr. Steven A. Hite