After delivering the decree of the kingdom's constitution in the "Sermon on the Mount", the Lord performed several miracles (Matt. 8:1-17): healing a leper, a paralysed servant, and His disciple Peter's mother-in-law. Taken on their own, these cases may appear to be simple stories showing His compassion for us, but dig below the surface for a moment, and they take on great dispensational significance.
The first class of people saved by the King to be the people of His kingdom is represented by the leper. Leprosy signifies rebellion and disobedience (e.g. Miriam in Num. 12:1-10 and Naaman in 2 Kings 5:1, 9-14). All fallen human beings have become leprous in the eyes of the Lord, but in His mercy and compassion, He came to save us, even being willing to touch us when no other would. Since the leper worshipped Him and called Him, "Lord", this shows us that the leper signifies more specifically the Jews. The Lord came first to the nation of Israel.
After healing the leper by His touch, He healed the servant of a Roman centurion. The centurion and his servant represent the Gentiles. While the Jews were rebellious and disobedient, the Gentiles are paralysed, dead in function because of their sinfulness. The Lord came first to the Jews, and then to the Gentiles. The believing Jews were saved by His direct touch, while the believing Gentiles are saved through faith in His word. Since the centurion recognised the Lord's authority, he asked only for His healing word, demonstrating such faith that Jesus,
marvelled and said to those who followed, Truly I say to you, With no one in Israel have I found such great faith." (Matt. 8:10)
After bringing full salvation to the Gentiles, the Lord then comes to the third case, represented by Peter's mother-in-law, who was stricken with fever. She represents the Jews living at the end of this age. The Lord will come back again to save them in the house of Israel. Once healed by His direct touch, as was the leper, they will serve Him. Finally, after healing her, He cast out demons and healed many other ill people, in fulfillment of Isaiah 53:4. This healing signifies the power that will be manifested in the millennial kingdom.
So, in isolation, these cases are just examples of miraculous healing, but together, they show in miniature the coming kingdom of the heavens. These cases are reinforced by vv. 9:18-34; the Lord comes first to Israel, represented here by the a ruler of the synagogue and his daughter, to save them with His direct touch (their faith is still insufficient for them to receive their salvation through His word); then to the Gentiles, represented by the woman with a flow of blood, who are again saved by faith (v9:22), and then returns to the house of Israel again, before healing the blind, the dumb and the demon-possessed in the kingdom age.
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