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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_8:1-4
1When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. 2And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."
Mat_8:1 "When Jesus came down from the mountain" This statement and Mat_5:1 form a literary frame. Matthew was obviously referring to the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7. Some interpret this as Jesus the second law giver, descending a mountain as Moses did. Here, Jesus gave the new Law, not received it!
▣ "large crowds followed Him" The purpose of the miracles was to give validity to the message. Fallen mankind is always attracted to the immediate, the self-centered, the material instead of the eternal, the corporate, and the spiritual!
Mat_8:2 "a leper came to Him" Our English term " leper" comes from the Greek word "scales." The ancient term covered many more skin diseases than our modern nomenclature. Leviticus 13, 14 deal with the Old Testament examples of leprosy. The fact that a leper approached Jesus was socially and theologically inappropriate because leprosy was viewed as a disease given as a judgment by God. The OT and theological bases for this was King Uzziah, 2Ch_26:16-23.
▣ "Lord" This is the term kurios. It can be used as a polite designation such as "Sir" or as a theological designation of the Divine Messiahship of Jesus. Context determines which use is intended. Often it is uncertain, as in this context.
▣ "if You are willing" This is a third class conditional sentence, which meant possible future action. This man had heard of Jesus' miracles and believed He could perform a cure if He would.
Mat_8:3 "Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him" Touching a leper went against the culture of that day based on the command of the OT (cf. Lev_13:45-46). This showed Jesus' compassion, lack of fear, and willingness to break with Jewish tradition (cf. Mat_5:21-48).
▣ "I am willing" The man had faith in Jesus' ability based on what he had heard, but he was not sure of Jesus' willingness!
Mat_8:4 "see that you tell no one" This type of statement is often called the Messianic secret of the Synoptics (cf. Mat_8:4; Mat_9:30; Mat_12:16; Mat_16:20; Mat_17:9; Mar_1:44; Mar_3:12; Mar_5:43; Mar_7:36; Mar_8:30; Mar_9:9; Luk_4:41; Luk_5:14; Luk_8:56; Luk_9:21). It is related to Jesus' unwillingness to be known simply as a healer. The gospel message was not yet complete (cf. Mat_17:9; Mar_9:9). He knew that humans would respond to Him for the wrong reasons.
▣ "but go, and show yourself to the priest. . .as testimony to them" This was an attempt by Jesus to affirm the Mosaic law of Leviticus 13-14. It was also an attempt to show His power to the priests in Jerusalem (cf. Mar_1:44; Luk_5:14; Luk_17:14). Early in Acts many thousands of them accepted Jesus and His message (cf. Act_6:7).