Matthew 8:2

“And behold there came a leper, etc.] As soon as he came down from the mountain, and whilst he was in the way; though Luke says, (<420512>Luke 5:12) “when he was in a certain city”; in one of the cities of Galilee; one of their large towns, or unwalled cities, into which a leper might come: he might not come into walled f488 towns, at least they might turn him out, though without punishment: for the canon runs thus f489, “a leper that enters into Jerusalem is to be beaten; but if he enters into any of the other walled towns, though he has no right, as it is said, “he sitteth alone”, he is not to be beaten.” Besides, this leper, as Luke says, was “full of leprosy”, (<420512>Luke 5:12) see the…”

“And, behold, there came a leper--"a man full of leprosy," says Luk 5:12. Much has been written on this disease of leprosy, but certain points remain still doubtful. All that needs be said here is that it was a cutaneous disease, of a loathsome, diffusive, and, there is reason to believe, when thoroughly pronounced, incurable character; that though in its distinctive features it is still found in several countries--as Arabia, Egypt, and South Africa--it prevailed, in the form of what is called white leprosy, to an unusual extent, and from a very early period, among the Hebrews; and that it thus furnished to the whole nation a familiar and affecting symbol of SIN, considered as (1) loathsome,…”

“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 make their appearance very suddenly. Perhaps its appearance might be hastened by any sudden passion, as fear or anger. See Num 12:10; 2 Chronicles 26:19. The spots commonly exhibit themselves at first on the face, about the nose and eyes, and increase in size a number of years, until they become as large as a pea or a…”

“A leper came - Leprosies in those countries were seldom curable by natural means, any more than palsies or lunacy. Probably this leper, though he might not mix with the people, had heard our Lord at a distance. Mar 1:40; Luk 5:12. Matthew 8:4”

“8:2 Leprosy refers to various skin diseases. Lepers were ceremonially unclean; they were excluded from society unless they became symptom-free and a priest pronounced them clean (see 8:4; Lev 14:2-32). On some occasions, leprosy was a judgment from God (Num 12:9-15; 2 Kgs 5:27; 15:5).”

“behold: Mar 1:40-45; Luk 5:12 a leper: Mat 10:8, Mat 26:6; Lev 13:44-46; Num 5:2, Num 5:3, Num 12:10; Deu 24:8, Deu 24:9; Sa2 3:39; Kg2 5:1, Kg2 5:27, Kg2 7:3, Kg2 7:4, Kg2 15:5; Ch2 26:19-21; Luk 4:27, Luk 17:12-19 worshipped: Mat 2:11, Mat 4:9, Mat 14:33, Mat 15:25, Mat 18:26, Mat 28:9, Mat 28:17; Mar 1:40, Mar 5:6, Mar 5:7; Luk 5:12; Joh 9:38; Co1 14:25; Rev 19:10, Rev 22:8, Rev 22:9 if: Mat 9:28, Mat 9:29, Mat 13:58; Mar 9:22-24 Matthew 8:3”