Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him. — The act was itself a proof at once of the will and the power to heal. He did not fear becoming unclean by that contact, and was therefore not subject to the law that forbade the touch. And He met the one element of doubt in the sufferer’s mind by the words — yet more, perhaps, the tone or look that told of pity — “I will; be thou clean.” St. Mark adds, “Had compassion on him.”
Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. — We may venture to picture the process to our minds: the skin cleansed, the sores closed, the diseased whiteness giving way to the tints and tones of health.