Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 8:3

"And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou made clean. And straightway his leprosy was cleansed." — Matthew 8:3 (ASV)

Anyone else would have been defiled by touching a leper, but the healing power in Jesus repelled pollution. He touches us by the finger of His humanity, but He is not defiled by it. His touch proves His condescension, His sympathy, His fellowship. It was no accidental touch: “Jesus put forth his hand.”

Our Lord has come to us by His own act and effort. He was determined to come to us in all our loathsomeness and pollution. After the touch, came the word, “I will.” One has well observed that Jesus never says, “I will not.” He wills, whether we will or not. “Be thou clean” was the royal word of one conscious of abundant power. What a work, to cleanse a leper! Yet it is easy enough for our King, since He is divine; otherwise, unbelief would be most reasonable.

With what pleasure Jesus spoke! With what joy the leper heard! With what curiosity the bystanders looked on! They had not to wait. The miracle followed the word without a moment’s delay. The cure was instantaneous. He spake and it was done. Our King’s having left His throne to stand side by side with the leper was the greatest of all miracles, and after that we do not wonder that other miracles sprang out of it.

Saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean.

And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Come, then, to Christ, even though your faith is very incomplete. There may be, as there was with the leper, an "if" about it, and an "if" concerning a very vital point—namely, the Master's willingness. But he will shut his eye to that imperfection and will only look at the part of your faith that is acceptable to him: your faith in his power.

Thou canst make me clean, said the leper; and Christ dealt with him upon the terms of that thou canst. As for If thou wilt, he blotted that out by saying, I will; be thou clean. So, sinner, come to Jesus, even though the doubting phrase, If thou wilt, still lingers on your lip.

If the leprosy shows itself even there—in your unbelief as to Christ's willingness to cleanse you—yet come to him. He will say to you, I will; be thou clean. And it will be with you as it was with the leper: immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him,

Not making himself unclean, as any other man would have done, but making him clean whom he touched.

Saying, I will;

A word of encouragement.

Be thou clean.

A word of power.

And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Christ's grace, which usually worked at once, in an instant, worked forever – the man was cleansed, never to be sick again; cured perfectly; the leprosy was cleansed.