Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 8:2

"And behold, there came to him a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." — Matthew 8:2 (ASV)

Matthew now starts to elaborate on some specific miracles of Jesus, beginning with a leper (on leprosy, see comment on Mk 1:40). This man “knelt” (GK 4686) before Jesus, though this verb can also mean “worshiped.” Clearly the former is meant in this historical setting. Yet as with the title “Lord” , Christian readers of Matthew could not help concluding that this leper spoke and acted better than he knew. “If you are willing” reflects the leper’s great faith, prompted by Jesus’ healing activity throughout the district (4:24): he had no question about Jesus’ healing power but feared only that he would be passed by. In affirming his willingness to heal, Jesus proved that his will is decisive. He already had the authority and power and only needed to decide and act. Jesus reached to touch the leper, probably because the leper did not dare come close to him.

By touching an unclean leper, Jesus would become ceremonially defiled himself (cf. Leviticus 13–14). But at Jesus’ touch nothing remains defiled. Far from becoming unclean, Jesus makes the unclean clean. Both Jesus’ word and touch (8:15; 9:20–21, 29; 14:36) are effective, possibly implying that authority is vested in his message as well as in his person.