Lecture 1 — Healing of a leper

^8:1^ And when he had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. [n. 681]

^8:2^ And behold a leper came and adored him, saying: Lord, if you will it, you can make me clean. [n. 682]

^8:3^ And Jesus stretching forth his hand, touched him, saying: I will it, be made clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. [n. 685]

^8:4^ And Jesus said to him: see that you tell no man: but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded for a testimony unto them. [n. 688]

680. It could seem that the Lord spoke out of boasting; so he commends his authority by signs.

First, then, the signs are set out by which men are freed from bodily dangers;

second, from spiritual (Matt 9).

About the first, he does two things:

first, he sets out the signs by which men are freed from dangers coming from intrinsic causes;

second, from extrinsic, such as a storm, there **and when he entered into the boat **(Matt 8:23).

He commends his authority, because he cures at once, because he cures while absent, because he cures perfectly, and because he cures many.

Because at once, in the leper; because while absent, in the centurion’s servant; because perfectly, in the mother of Peter’s wife; because many, in many others.

Concerning the first, three things:

first, the witnesses of the miracle are introduced;

second, the sick man is introduced, at and behold a leper;

third, help is offered, at and Jesus stretching forth his hand, touched him, saying: I will it, be made clean.

681. It says then, and when he had come down from the mountain. That mountain is heaven; a mountain in which God is well pleased to dwell (Ps 67:17). Hence after he descended from heaven, great multitudes followed him; but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man (Phil 2:7). Or, by the mountain is understood high teaching; your justice is as the mountains of God (Ps 35:7). Since he was on the mountain, i.e., since he led a high life, his disciples followed him. And when he had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And I, brethren, could not speak to you as unto spiritual (1 Cor 3:1).

682. Second, the sick person is introduced; and two things are set down: first, the sickness is shown; second, the anxiety is introduced.

The sickness, for he is a leper; and this signifies spiritual sicknesses. For some sicknesses are hidden within, such as fever; but some, although they are within, yet their effects are exteriorly clear, such as leprousy. So that man is a leper whose evil will is manifested by an evil act. We have thought him as it were a leper (Isa 53:4).

But there is a question, because it is said that he cleansed the leper when he came down to Capernaum (Luke 4:31).

One should say that Matthew follows the history, because when he was going into Capernaum, the leper appeared to him in the road.

683. There follows the anxiety, for first he came; second, he adored; hence it says, behold, a leper. Thus the sinner comes by faith, but adores through humility; he will save the humble of spirit (Ps 33:19). Similarly, he confesses the power of Christ, when he says, Lord, if you will it, you can make me clean. Similarly, he calls him Lord. If he is the Lord, he is able to save. Know that the Lord, he is God (Ps 99:3). Similarly, he had confidence in God’s mercy. It is not necessary to ask for mercy, but only to show him one’s need; so this man did, Lord, if you will it, you can make me clean. Hence, Lord, all my desire is before you, and my groaning is not hidden from you (Ps 37:10). Similarly, he shows the wisdom of Christ, because he asks nothing but his will; because he knows what is beneficial for you better than you yourself do. For this reason, he left it to Christ’s wisdom.

684. Then he touches upon the help.

First, he cures.

Second, he instructs.

First, the work is touched upon;

second, the effect, at and immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

685. Jesus does three things while curing. He extends his hand, when he lends help; put forth your hand from on high, take me out, and deliver me (Ps 143:7). Sometimes he extends his hand but does not touch; I have spread forth my hands all the day to an unbelieving people (Isa 65:2). Sometimes, he touches, and this is when he works a change, Lord, bow down your heavens and descend: touch the mountains, i.e., the proud, and they will smoke through remorse (Ps 143:5).

But why did he touch the leper, since it was forbidden in the law?

He did this to show that he is above the law. It is written of Eliseus that he did not touch Naaman, but sent him to the Jordan. Hence this man who touches seems to break the law. But he did not break it in truth, because touching lepers was forbidden on account of infection. So since he could not be infected, he could touch. Similarly, he touched in order to show his humanity, because it is not enough for the sinner to be subject to God with respect to the divinity, but he must be subject also with respect to the humanity.

686. I will it, be made clean. Jerome says that certain men explain this badly, for they would have it that mundare is in the infinitive mode. But this is not true, but rather because he had said, if you will it, he responded, I will it, and mundare is in the imperative mode. Hence he commands what he said, and it was done.

Likewise, he touched that he might give a teaching about the power which is in the sacraments, because there is required not only touch, but words, because as Augustine says in his book On John: when the word approaches the element, the sacrament comes about.

And by this he excludes three errors, when he touched. For he shows that the body is true, against the Manichees. When he says, I will it, he speaks against Apollinaris. By the words be made clean, he shows himself to be truly God, against Photinus.

687. And there follows the effect: and immediately his leprosy was cleansed, and he was cured. Chrysostom says that it happened faster than one can say the words be made clean, because these are said in time, but that happened in an instant.

688. And Jesus said to him. Here he instructs him; for to heal would not be enough unless he also instructed him. I will give you understanding, and I will instruct you (Ps 31:8). First, he enjoins him to keep silence: see that you tell no man. Chrysostom: because he knew that the Jews were misrepresenting his deeds, he said, see that you tell no man. Or in another way, one can say that he did this as an example. For since he had taught us above to hide our good works, he gives an example, that no one should glory in good works.

There follows but go, show yourself to the priest. And why did he say this? Because he had touched a leper, lest he should seem to be a complete breaker of the law. He is sent to the priest, as is commanded (Lev 14:2). And offer the gift. Why? Because this was a precept of the law, that the one healed of leprosy should offer two young turtle-doves.

But according to this it seems that what the Lord commanded should hold true even now. One should say that the figures were not supposed to cease until the truth was thoroughly manifested. But this did not happen until after the resurrection.

689. For a testimony unto them. And this is explained in two ways. The gift which Moses commanded for a testimony unto them. And by this he teaches that the precepts of Moses were in witness to Christ, as it is said, for if you believed Moses, you would perhaps believe me also; for he wrote of me (John 5:46). Or in another way: for a testimony unto them, i.e., against those who saw the miracles and did not believe. Or for a testimony unto them, namely to your being cured. Because when they receive your offering, they will not be able to deny it.

690. Likewise, according to a mystical understanding, Christ enjoins three things. That one should be ashamed of sin, against those of whom it is said, they have proclaimed abroad their sin as Sodom, and they have not hid it (Isa 3:9). Hence, for there is a shame that brings sin, and there is a shame that brings glory and grace (Sir 4:25). Similarly, one ought to show sin to the priest by confessing. Confess therefore your sins one to another (Jas 5:16). And here the Lord seems to enjoin confession. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed, because in contrition itself, when a man sorrows and intends to confess and to refrain from his sin, the sin is forgiven, I said I will confess against myself my injustice to the Lord: and you have forgiven the wickedness of my sin (Ps 31:5). Likewise, satisfaction is enjoined, when he says, offer the gift. Likewise, he teaches us to observe the commandments, when he says, which Moses commanded.