I love going through the Gospels with the intention of getting to know Jesus — seeing how he lived and treated others. I recently came across Matthew 8:1-4 while flipping through the Bible, not really sure what I wanted to read. The account is very brief, only four verses long, but it got me thinking, “if this account was included in the bible, there must be a reason, despite how brief the story is.” So, as I read through the passage, I wondered what snapshot of Jesus I would get.

The encounter

Jesus is coming down from the mountain, followed by a large crowd. A man with leprosy approaches Him and kneels before Him. I assume most of the people who were following Jesus were behind Him, because it sounds like this man was coming from another direction.

Almost everyone but Jesus would have scattered to avoid being near the leper. In those days, lepers were considered unclean and anyone who came in contact with them was considered unclean as well and was excluded from all community activities, including worship. It was really for practical reasons, leprosy is a highly contagious disease and these measures were to protect the community from having an epidemic. Jesus, though, doesn’t move away – He intentionally allows the man to come close.

“I am willing”

The man addresses Jesus and says, “Lord, if you are willing you can make me clean.”  I wonder at his words. They are a statement and not a request. Or is it a request phrased as a statement? Either way, Jesus — not prideful in any way— isn’t put off by the statement/ question/request, because he answers the man. First by touching him (which on its own is answer enough in my opinion), and then says, “I am willing.” He adds, “Be healed.”

This shows me that Jesus not only uses impactful actions, but he affirms with his words as well. His love, compassion, and empathy shine through. The text says the leprosy instantly disappears. Praise God for healing! It makes me think of the verse Isaiah 53:4 “Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering…”.

Show and Tell

After healing the man, Jesus tells him not to tell anyone about it, but to go to the priest and let him examine him. He also tells him to take along the offering required in the Law of Moses for someone who has been healed of leprosy. Jesus says this will be a public testimony that he has been cleansed.

So, the instruction not to tell anyone is quite odd, considering verse 1 says a large crowd was present. It makes me think, it had little to do with other people knowing what happened, as much as it was about this man “saying” he was healed, rather than “showing” he was healed. This reminds me of 1 John 3:18, which speaks of not merely “saying”, but showing through our actions. Jesus was saying to the man “Let your actions speak louder than your words.”

Obedience and Sacrifice

In other healing accounts, Jesus tells people to “go in peace” or “go your way.” But here, He tells the man to go to the priest, as prescribed in Leviticus 14. That tells me Jesus didn’t dismiss God’s Word — He honoured it. He cared about obedience and doing things God’s way.  Jesus fully understood the value of obedience, which would allow this man, who had been excluded from almost all fellowship, to be integrated back into community and fellowship with his people.

Pixels: A Glimpse of Jesus in Four Verses

I got to see a picture of Jesus in these four short verses. He is approachable, accessible, lowly in heart – not prideful, compassionate and passionate about obedience to God’s Word.

I was reminded and encouraged through this short passage that God wants us to know him intimately. God the Father had to use finite words to describe His infinite self; of course he would pack a lot in each syllable. As you go through this short passage, let me know what snapshot of Jesus you see.