Verse 1 says, “Now when He had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed Him.” The coming down of the King from the mountain signifies that the heavenly King has come down from the heavens to the earth. He comes firstly to reach the Jews, for undoubtedly the leper here represents the Jewish people. The heavenly King came down from the heavens to bring salvation firstly to the leprous Jews. According to Romans chapter one, salvation is for the Jews first and then for the Gentiles (v. 16).
Verse 2 says, “And behold, a leper approached and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, if You are willing, You can cleanse me.” The leper worshipped the new King and called Him Lord, recognizing that He is the Lord God. In reality the new King is Jehovah God (1:21, 23).
The diseases healed in the cases recorded in Matthew 8 are significant, for every disease signifies a specific spiritual sickness. The first class of people saved by the kingly Savior to be the people of the kingdom is represented by a leper. According to the scriptural examples, leprosy comes from rebellion and disobedience. Miriam became leprous because of her rebellion against Moses, God’s deputy authority (Num. 12:1-10). Naaman’s leprosy was cleansed because of his obedience (2 Kings 5:1, 9-14). All fallen human beings became leprous in the eyes of God because of their rebellion. Leprosy is the expression of rebellion. Rebellion is inward, and leprosy is the outward manifestation. Now the kingly Savior comes to save men from their rebellion and cleanse them from their leprosy that they may become His kingdom people.
Leprosy is a filthy disease. In the Old Testament a leper had to be excluded from the camp of the children of Israel until he was cleansed. This indicates that anyone among the people of God who is rebellious and thereby becomes leprous will be cut off from the fellowship of God’s people until he is healed. The leper here represents the Jews. The Jews have become rebellious against God. Thus, in God’s eyes they are lepers. Nevertheless, the heavenly King came first to them, not to judge them, but to heal them. As the Lord indicated in 9:12, He came as a Physician to heal the sick. He came first to reach the Jews to heal them and to bring them salvation.
Verse 3 says, “And stretching out His hand, He touched him, saying, I am willing; be cleansed. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” According to the law, a leper should be excluded from the people because of his uncleanness. No one could touch him (Lev. 13:45-46). But the new King, as a man and as the kingly Savior, touched him. What mercy and sympathy! By His one touch, immediately his leprosy was cleansed. What wonderful cleansing!
Verse 4 says, “And Jesus says to him, See that you tell no one, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses prescribed for a testimony to them.” The new King told the cleansed leper still to do things according to the regulations of the old law for his cleansing, because the transitory period still remained, when the old law was not yet fulfilled by His redeeming death.