A certain man before him - In what way he came there we know not. He might have been one of the Pharisee’s family, or might have been placed there by the Pharisees to see whether he would heal him. This last supposition is not improbable, since it is said in Luke 14:1 that they watched him.
The dropsy - A disease produced by the accumulation of water in various parts of the body; very distressing, and commonly incurable.