12 "If the leprosy breaks out farther on the skin , and the leprosy covers all the skin of him who has the infection from his head even to his feet , as far as the priest can see e , 13 then the priest shall look , and behold , if the leprosy has covered all his body , he shall pronounce clean him who has the infection ; it has all turned white and he is clean . 14 "But whenever raw flesh appears on him, he shall be unclean . 15 "The priest shall look at the raw flesh , and he shall pronounce him unclean ; the raw flesh is unclean , it is leprosy . 16 "Or if the raw flesh turns again and is changed to white , then he shall come to the priest , 17 and the priest shall look at him, and behold , if the infection has turned to white , then the priest shall pronounce clean him who has the infection ; he is clean .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 13:12-17
Commentary on Leviticus 13:1-17
(Read Leviticus 13:1-17)
The plague of leprosy was an uncleanness, rather than a disease. Christ is said to cleanse lepers, not to cure them. Common as the leprosy was among the Hebrews, during and after their residence in Egypt, we have no reason to believe that it was known among them before. Their distressed state and employment in that land must have rendered them liable to disease. But it was a plague often inflicted immediately by the hand of God. Miriam's leprosy, and Gehazi's, and king Uzziah's, were punishments of particular sins; no marvel there was care taken to distinguish it from a common distemper. The judgment of it was referred to the priests. And it was a figure of the moral pollutions of men's minds by sin, which is the leprosy of the soul, defiling to the conscience, and from which Christ alone can cleanse. The priest could only convict the leper, (by the law is the knowledge of sin,) but Christ can cure the sinner, he can take away sin. It is a work of great importance, but of great difficulty, to judge of our spiritual state. We all have cause to suspect ourselves, being conscious of sores and spots; but whether clean or unclean is the question. As there were certain marks by which to know it was leprosy, so there are marks of such as are in the gall of bitterness. The priest must take time in making his judgment. This teaches all, both ministers and people, not to be hasty in censures, nor to judge anything before the time. If some men's sins go before unto judgment, the sins of others follow after, and so do men's good works. If the person suspected were found to be clean, yet he must wash his clothes, because there had been ground for the suspicion. We have need to be washed in the blood of Christ from our spots, though not leprosy spots; for who can say, I am pure from sin?