Smoodock's Blog

According to the text, we are still at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. If we compare Matthew 8:1-4 to Luke (Luke 5), we would discover that this leper was healed during the fall festivals of AD 27 or during the first few weeks of Jesus’ public ministry. Jesus’ public ministry began, as he presented himself to the people as their Messiah (cp. Luke 4:18). Nevertheless, the authorities rejected his proposal and his teaching (cp. Luke 4:28-29), and continued to do so throughout those weeks and beyond. They questioned what he was doing (Luke 5:33; 6:2), and began setting traps for him, in an effort to find an accusation against him (Luke 6:6-7). Therefore, the initial reaction of the Jewish authorities toward Jesus was one of unbelief, contempt and rejection.

However, although the nation, as a whole, would follow their leaders. Nevertheless, there were some folks, who were independent enough to consider what Jesus was doing and the things he taught, and they believed. No one really understood this new worldview, but some considered what Jesus did and said, and they decided to allow him the right to be correct, while they considered his words and deeds further. They weren’t as willing, as the Jewish authorities were, to shrug off the miracles Jesus did as magic of some kind, because no one could do what Jesus did and not have God behind him (cp. John 3:l-2). Therefore, although they found it difficult to understand Jesus’ worldview, they still considered his teaching, because they believed God was with him.

In this context, then, a leper came to Jesus, saying, if he would desire to do it, he could make the leper clean (Matthew 8:2). The leper didn’t understand, but he believed enough to think Jesus could do the most unlikely thing, if he was willing. So, he came to Jesus to find out for himself, if Jesus’ new worldview could actually make him physically well. Jesus’ upside-down Gospel of the Presence of God, rather than a physical kingdom that could be seen and understood with our senses, was put to the test. “Jesus, if you are the Messiah of **this** Kingdom of Heaven, and you really are Lord of God’s Presence, then by the simple act of “willing” you could make me whole and clean. Are you willing, Lord?”

The leper found that Jesus was willing, and Jesus did an unthinkable thing. He **touched** the leprous man! It is a bit difficult to take all this in and understand that momentous act. No one “touched” this man for as long as it was known that he had leprosy. He dwelt alone, and, if at any time people would draw near, he was to cry out: “Unclean, unclean…” (Leviticus 5:3; 13:45-46). The fact that Jesus would “touch” him was unexpected. According to the law, if anyone or anything that was unclean touched what was clean, the “clean” became “unclean” (Haggai 2:11, 13). Similarly, if what was holy was “touched” by what was common, the common thing, such as a garment, became holy (Leviticus 6:27). Nevertheless, the garment, now made holy by touching holiness, was powerless to make what was common holy (cp. Haggai 2:11-12).

Therefore, when Jesus “touched” the leper, the leper was immediately cleansed of his leprosy! This fact alone proves Jesus didn’t become unclean, as would have been expected under the Law. It also proves Jesus was holy and had the power or authority to make unholy things holy, simply by his touch (cp. Exodus 29:37). Later, Jesus reprimanded the scribes and Pharisees for their ignorance, because they taught that whatever was made holy by holiness had the power to put a person under obligation (Matthew 23:16, 18), when what was made holy by holiness (the Temple and the Altar of Sacrifice, Matthew 23:17, 19), had no power at all. It was the Temple and the Altar (sources of holiness) that made things holy. Thus, when the leper was cleansed of his leprosy, this was proof of the holiness of Jesus. He had power or authority over all things, whether holy or unholy, common or uncommon, good or evil. Jesus, the Presence of God was the source of all things good!

After the leper was cleansed of his leprosy, Jesus told him to go to the priest, according to the Law, and present himself in his clean condition, for a witness, and bring an offering, as the Law required (Leviticus 14:2-20), but he was to tell no one what Jesus did (Matthew 8:4). Nevertheless, after the man did according to the Law, he began to tell everyone what Jesus had done for him (Mark 1:45), insomuch that Jesus was unable to enter a town or village without his Presence bringing multitudes of people.