This man, considered ceremonially unclean and ostracized by society, boldly addresses Jesus not just as a teacher, but with the reverent title "Lord." He acknowledges Jesus' immense power to heal, but his humble plea, "if you will," reveals a profound understanding that true healing comes not from demanding God's intervention, but from submitting to His sovereign will.
And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Immediately after Jesus finishes His transformative Sermon on the Mount, a man afflicted with leprosy, a disease that rendered him an outcast, approaches Him. This man, who would have been ceremonially unclean and forced to live apart from society, boldly comes before Jesus, demonstrating deep reverence and faith by worshipping Him. His plea reveals a profound belief in Jesus' power to heal, while humbly acknowledging that the ultimate decision rests with Jesus' will.
Imagine being so sick and defiled that you're forced to live apart from everyone you love, shouting warnings to anyone who comes near. This was the reality for a leper.
A Life of Ostracism
Leprosy in biblical times was more than just a skin disease; it was a total social and spiritual disqualifier. Those afflicted were considered unclean by law and custom.
This profound isolation highlights the immense courage and desperation it took for this man to approach Jesus.
This leper didn't just ask for healing; he expressed a profound understanding of God's nature. What were the two key elements of his faith?
Acknowledging Divine Power and Submitting to Divine Will
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The leper's words, 'Lord, if you will, you can make me clean,' reveal a sophisticated faith that grasps two crucial aspects of approaching God:
Belief in God's Ability ('You can'): The man was convinced Jesus possessed the power to heal him. This wasn't a casual assumption; it was a recognition of Christ's divine authority, likely stemming from His teaching and perhaps other miracles he had witnessed or heard about. He believed Jesus was no ordinary healer.
Submission to God's Willingness ('If you will'): Crucially, he didn't demand or assume healing. He acknowledged that God's actions are sovereign and based on His perfect will. This shows humility and trust that even if Jesus chose not to heal him, His will would be right. It’s a surrender, not an entitlement.
This combination of recognizing immense power and submitting to a sovereign will is the bedrock of true faith.
Understand the original words
Kyrios · Greek Noun
A title expressing respect, authority, or divinity. In the Gospels, it is used as a formal address to Jesus, acknowledging his authority or recognizing his identity as the Son of God.
lepros · Greek Noun
In the biblical context, this term refers to someone suffering from a severe, persistent skin condition. It carried profound social, ceremonial, and religious implications of uncleanness and exclusion from the community of Israel.
katharizō · Greek Verb
To be pure, free from moral or ritual contamination. Biblically, it signifies restoration to a state that allows one to stand in the presence of God or participate in the covenant community.
katharizō · Greek Verb
To be rendered pure or ritually fit. It denotes the act of removing impurity, whether physical, spiritual, or cultic, to allow for fellowship with God and society.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
Leprosy was a significant and dreaded disease in ancient Israel, often seen as a divine plague. Laws in Leviticus detail its identification, isolation, and ritual cleansing.
c. 750 BC
King Uzziah's Leprosy
King Uzziah was struck with leprosy for usurping the priestly role of offering incense, illustrating the disease's association with divine punishment and the need for separation.
c. 700 BC
Gehazi Struck with Leprosy
Prophet Elisha curses his servant Gehazi with leprosy for greedily taking gifts from Naaman, further associating the disease with sin and divine judgment.
c. 100 BC - AD 100
Period of Roman Rule in Galilee
Jesus ministered in Galilee during Roman occupation, a time of political tension and diverse religious interpretations. His miracles, like healing a leper, challenged both Jewish purity laws and Roman authority.
c. AD 28— this verse
Jesus Heals a Leper
Jesus encounters a man 'full of leprosy' who humbly asks for cleansing. This event, a powerful demonstration of Jesus' authority over disease, occurs shortly after His Sermon on the Mount.
This passage describes the strict separation of lepers in the Old Testament, highlighting the extreme social and religious isolation this man would have faced, making his approach to Jesus even more courageous.
2 Kings 5:7This verse shows King Jehoram of Israel's despair when confronted with Naaman's leprosy, illustrating the perceived incurability of the disease and the profound desperation that drove this leper to seek Jesus.
Luke 17:11-19In this account, ten lepers cry out for mercy, but only one, a Samaritan, returns to give thanks. This passage offers a parallel in the plea for cleansing and highlights the importance of true gratitude after receiving healing.
Isaiah 53:2-3This prophecy speaks of the Suffering Servant who would have no beauty or majesty to attract us, despised and rejected. This resonates with the leper's state of being loathsome and socially outcast, pointing to Jesus as the one who embraces the rejected.
1 Corinthians 6:11The apostle Paul writes that believers 'have been washed, sanctified, and justified.' This verse connects the physical cleansing from leprosy to the spiritual cleansing from sin that Jesus offers, which is the ultimate healing.
barnesMatthew 8:2: "And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean."
There came a leper - No disease with which the human family has been afflicted has been more dreadful than that which is often mentioned in the Bible "as the leprosy." It first exhibits itself on the surface of the skin. The appearance is not always the same, but it commonly resembles the spot made by the puncture of a pin or the pustules of a ringworm. The spots generally ma…
meyerMatthew 8:2: "And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean."
Matthew 8:2 . Λεπρός ] λέπρα , צָרַעַת , a most dangerous, contagious disease, descending to the fourth generation, which lacerated the body with scales, tetter, and sores; Trusen, bibl. Krankh. p. 103 ff.; Kurtz in Herzog’s Encykl. I. p. 626 ff.; Furer in Schenkel’s Bibellex. I. p. 317 ff.; Saalschutz, M. R. p. 223 ff. κύριε ] To express the reverence that is founded on the…
This man, considered ceremonially unclean and ostracized by society, boldly addresses Jesus not just as a teacher, but with the reverent title "Lord." He acknowledges Jesus' immense power to heal, but his humble plea, "if you will," reveals a profound understanding that true healing comes not from demanding God's intervention, but from submitting to His sovereign will.
Immediately after Jesus finishes His transformative Sermon on the Mount, a man afflicted with leprosy, a disease that rendered him an outcast, approaches Him. This man, who would have been ceremonially unclean and forced to live apart from society, boldly comes before Jesus, demonstrating deep reverence and faith by worshipping Him. His plea reveals a profound belief in Jesus' power to heal, while humbly acknowledging that the ultimate decision rests with Jesus' will.
Immediately after Jesus finishes His transformative Sermon on the Mount, a man afflicted with leprosy, a disease that rendered him an outcast, approaches Him. This man, who would have been ceremonially unclean and forced to live apart from society, boldly comes before Jesus, demonstrating deep reverence and faith by worshipping Him. His plea reveals a profound belief in Jesus' power to heal, while humbly acknowledging that the ultimate decision rests with Jesus' will.
"And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed." — This man, considered ceremonially unclean and ostracized by society, boldly addresses Jesus not just as a teacher, but with the reverent title "Lord." He acknowledges Jesus' immense power to heal, bu…
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Last reviewed October 2026
