Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 8

When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. (Matthew 8:1)

There was a charm about his preaching, not that he modified his doctrine, or that he cut down his precepts; he spoke very plainly, very searchingly, and yet the people came to hear him. There is a something in the conscience of man that makes him turn away from that which flatters him, and makes him hear, almost against his liking, that which searches him.

And, behold,

Never mind about the crowd; fix your eye on the one man; behold, etc.—here is a mark of attention.

There came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.

He could not live in the city, but he might be found on the mount, in the outskirts of the crowd, where he would hear that gracious voice; and he came and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if you will, you can make me clean, in which I detect no unbelief, but rather a very strong faith. "If you do but will, I can be made clean." And Jesus, seeing the man was willing to dispense with any outward form, used one.

When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him,

Great multitudes often count for nothing; it is only one here and there who is the notable individual. There may be a great company that comes up outwardly to worship, but it is the soul that comes into contact with Christ that is the most worthy of observation. There is no "Behold!" when the great multitudes are mentioned by Matthew; but there is a "Behold!" before the record of the leper coming to Christ: Behold, there came a leper and worshipped him. Let us all be of the leper's mind; let us worship Christ. Surely we may do so, if only out of gratitude for having escaped from so dire a disease; but, since, spiritually, by nature that disease is upon us, we have good reason to come to Jesus as the leper came, and worshipped him,.

When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And, behold, there came a leper—

You see that particular mention is made of this one special case, and, in any congregation, while it may be recorded that so many people came together, the special case that will be noted by the recording angel will be that of anyone who comes to Christ with his own personal distresses, and who thereby obtains relief from them: Behold, there came a leper—

Curiosity drew the crowd. Our Lord was popular, but He never prized this popularity for its own sake. He was too wise to think much of what is such a fickle thing. Yet we are glad to see multitudes gathered to hear the Word, for good may come of it. Jesus came down to lift the multitudes up.