JESUS' TOUCH

Matthew 8:3 "And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed."

Verse 2 of Matthew 8 records that the leper made the approach to Jesus and verse 3,  our verse of focus, tells of Jesus' action to the leper's request. It is significant to note that Jesus' action was one of touching. He could have simply spoken the word and the leper would have been healed.

The verse states that Jesus put forth His hands and touched the leper.  It must be borne in mind, that due to the high level of the contagion of leprosy, touching was prohibited.

However, what is impossible with humanity is possible with God.

Firstly, Jesus touched the leper, because He

has the divine power over every disease known to man. Jesus cannot be contaminated nor be defiled. The contagious disease could not override His almighty power to heal. The disease had to submit to the power of the Great Physician. When we come in contact with Jesus, nothing that we, sinful beings, have,  is transmitted to Him; but His virtues are given to us.

Secondly, when Jesus laid His hand on the leper's diseased skin, He, Jesus, was communicating the fact that He, Jesus, is the source of cleansing and wholeness and that He accepted the man as he was, a leper, and brought him to where he ought to be -  in the state of wellness.

Our verse of focus concludes with the powerful words of Jesus,

"I will; be thou clean." While touching the leper,

Jesus spoke those commanding words, as only He could, and

immediately his leprosy was cleansed. The man went to Jesus as a leper and he left cleansed.

When we come to Jesus by faith, transformation takes place; metamorphosis ( a complete change of substance, form and appearance) occurs. May we believe and accept Jesus' power to change. He is willing to touch us and give us wholeness.