Four Lepers [ II Kings selected verses] Commentary - Symbol of Evangelists

Chapter 7 of II Kings

verse 3

Now there were four men who

were lepers at the entrance of

the gate, and they said to one

another "Why do we sit here 

till we die?"

verses 6 - 8

For the LORD had made the

army of the Syrians/Arameans

hear the sound of chariots, and

of horses, the sound of a great

army. . .So they fled away in the

twilight and forsook their tents,

their horses, and their asses,

leaving the camp as it was, and 

fled for their lives.  And when

these lepers came to the edge of

the camp, they went into a tent, and

ate and drank, carrying off silver, gold,

clothing and things and went and hid them.

INTERPRETATION / comments

on II Kings 7.3

[Ephrem the Syrian]

Even though the four lepers are loathsome,

if we symbolically recognize in them the

fact that they announced good for the 

inhabitants of their city, they do no

wrong to the symbol but correctly 

represent the four holy Evangelists 

[MATTHEW, JOHN, LUKE, MARK]. . .

through their books the grace of our 

Savior and source of life Jesus Christ 

was known, and freedom was given to all 

people according to his divine plan.  

And of those whose flesh was leprous

shone in their interior look with the splendor

of their righteousness.  In addition,

they symbolically represent the first 

attitude of the Apostles in the fact 

that leprosy had corrupted their skin.  

But they also represent them in the fact 

that their interior was adorned with 

righteous behavior because

the old man has been transformed by the coming

of the Holy Spirit and renewed.  Therefore

they have clothed themselves with the garment

shining with the colors of heaven and have

been sent to show the work of the hands of

God.  (Cited by Marco Conti for volume 5

Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture

IV Press, 2008)