Matthew 8:1-4

Rachel Workman: 8 Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside. ² Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”

³ Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. ⁴ Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy.^[a] This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”

I see three things when I read this. One is large crowds followed Jesus. The second thing is a man saying if you are willing you can heal me. He knew Jesus had the power and he knew Jesus only had to be willing. The third thing I see here is Jesus touched him and instantly he was healed. Our minds cannot fully understand that. To be healed of a horrific disease in an instant. All things are under the authority of Jesus and obey his command. It's the same thing with sin. In an instant we are saved if only we ask to be. In an instant we go from death and torment to life and joy. It may not appear to be but sin is still under the authority of Jesus. 

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John Burnett:  8 When ^[a]Jesus came down from the mountain, ^[b]large crowds followed Him. ² And a leper came to Him and ^[c]bowed down before Him, and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” ³ Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. ⁴ And Jesus *said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the ^[d]offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”  The leper understood who Jesus was and knew that he had the ability to cure him.  We are lepers and Jesus is the only way to be cleansed of our horrible disease called sin.

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Allen Michaels:  8 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. ² A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” ³ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. The leper was probably sent to live in a community with other lepers until he either got better or died. Yet when the leper begged Jesus to heal him, Jesus reached out and touched him, even though his skin was covered with the dread disease.

Sin is also an incurable disease—and we all have it. Only Christ’s healing touch can miraculously take away our sins and restore us to real living. But first, just like the leper, we must realize our inability to cure ourselves and ask for Christ’s saving help.

⁴ Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” The law required a healed leper to be examined by the priest (Leviticus 14). Jesus wanted this man to give his story firsthand to the priest to prove that his leprosy was completely gone so that he could be restored to his community.