And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
3. Having stretched out his hand, he touched Under the Law, the touch of a leper was infectious; but as Christ possesses such purity as to repel all filth and defilement, he does not, by touching, either pollute himself with leprosy, or become a transgressor of the law.
Those who have tasted Christ cannot help but desire more of Him. Yet multitudes followed at large while few truly cleaved to Him. Matthew rightly places this leper's cure first among the miracles: leprosy was God's mark of displeasure, and Christ's healing shows He came to turn away wrath by taking away sin itself.
AI summary
Commenting on Matthew 8:1-4
And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him,.... This is a wonderful instance both of the grace, and goodness of Christ, in touching this loathsome creature; and of his unspotted purity and holiness, which could not be defiled by it; and of his mighty power in healing by a touch, and with a word of his mouth, saying, I will, be thou clean: in...