Mat 8:2-3 | KingComments | STEP | The first work of His power that Matthew describes is the cleansing of a leper. While the crowd will have shrunk back in horror as the leper approached, the Lord does not walk away in horror. The man is convinced of the power of the Lord Jesus, but not so much of His grace. However, the Lord receives him full of grace. He acts directly by stretching out His hand, touching Him and speaking the word of power to cleanse. On His word of power, the leper is cleansed. Someone who touches a leper becomes himself unclean, but the blessed Redeemer comes so close to man, that He can remove the uncleanness without being defiled. In Leviticus we have ceremonies for cleansing ( ), but not for healing. Leprosy can only be healed by God (cf. ). The Lord Jesus is God. He is also the Lawgiver. Therefore, He tells the cleansed one to go to the priest to fulfil the cleansing regulations written down by Moses. The deeper reason for this is that for the religious class the cleansing of the man must be a clear indication that God is present among them. The priest who had previously declared him unclean will now see that the man has been healed, and only God can have done that. Since the Lord Jesus did the cleansing, the priest should come to the conclusion that God is present in Him among his people. As it is with leprosy so it is with sin. Leprosy is a picture of the outwardly breaking out, pernicious power of sin that is also contagious for others. Leprosy, like sin, makes someone repulsive, unfit to live for God’s glory and the blessing of others. Miriam, Gehazi and Uzziah (or Azariah) became lepers as a visible proof of the pride and greed that was in their hearts ( ; ; ). No one can take away sin except the Son of God ( ). Sin is an obstacle to functioning as a disciple. The Lord wants to take away every hindrance with us, so that we can follow Him.

‏ Matthew 8:2-3

Cleansing of a leper

The first work of His power that Matthew describes is the cleansing of a leper. While the crowd will have shrunk back in horror as the leper approached, the Lord does not walk away in horror. The man is convinced of the power of the Lord Jesus, but not so much of His grace. However, the Lord receives him full of grace. He acts directly by stretching out His hand, touching Him and speaking the word of power to cleanse. On His word of power, the leper is cleansed. Someone who touches a leper becomes himself unclean, but the blessed Redeemer comes so close to man, that He can remove the uncleanness without being defiled.

In Leviticus we have ceremonies for cleansing (Lev 14:1-32), but not for healing. Leprosy can only be healed by God (cf. 2Kgs 5:7). The Lord Jesus is God.

He is also the Lawgiver. Therefore, He tells the cleansed one to go to the priest to fulfil the cleansing regulations written down by Moses. The deeper reason for this is that for the religious class the cleansing of the man must be a clear indication that God is present among them. The priest who had previously declared him unclean will now see that the man has been healed, and only God can have done that. Since the Lord Jesus did the cleansing, the priest should come to the conclusion that God is present in Him among his people.

As it is with leprosy so it is with sin. Leprosy is a picture of the outwardly breaking out, pernicious power of sin that is also contagious for others. Leprosy, like sin, makes someone repulsive, unfit to live for God’s glory and the blessing of others. Miriam, Gehazi and Uzziah (or Azariah) became lepers as a visible proof of the pride and greed that was in their hearts (Num 12:10-15; 2Kgs 5:27 ; 2Kgs 15:5; 2Chr 26:16-21).

No one can take away sin except the Son of God (1Jn 3:5). Sin is an obstacle to functioning as a disciple. The Lord wants to take away every hindrance with us, so that we can follow Him.