Mark 1:44
And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
Healed of leprosy, the man is told to tell no one of his cure but to go at once to the priest and present the offering Moses required as a witness. The priest must examine him and publicly declare him free from the disease before the offering is accepted, and that certification restores him to family, home, community and worship. Coming quickly before rumor reaches them secures a fair examination, compelling even hostile priests to attest his cleansing. By requiring obedience to the ritual law He proves His work does not oppose Moses, answering the charge that He sets it aside. That examination and offering stand as public proof of His divine power and love to priests, rulers and people, yet the command to silence is also to guard His mission from obstruction and crowding, and when the man proclaims the cure abroad it stirs opposition and forces Jesus to withdraw from public work.
Command and Setting
The command was given against the established duty of the priest to examine anyone showing leprosy. In this instance the priestly examination had judged the disease to be present in its worst form. That verdict required exile from home and family and from society at large.
Those afflicted were shut out from towns and villages, which made reaching Jesus difficult. Yet reports of His healing work had spread to them and awakened hope that He could bring them relief.
The healed man was charged to say nothing to anyone about his healing. He was to go at once to the priest and present the offering for cleansing commanded by Moses, to stand as a testimony. The charge was urgent and immediate, requiring prompt obedience without public disclosure.
No offering could be accepted until the priests had examined the man and formally declared him free of the disease. That examination and declaration was the public certification of complete recovery. Once certified, he could safely return to family and friends, to home and community, and to the congregation.
Going promptly, before any rumor of the healing reached the priests, was meant to secure an impartial decision. Even priests who had condemned him to banishment would then be compelled to examine his case and decide it. They would have to testify to his healing and restore him to his home and society.
Purposes and Outcomes
By sending the healed man to keep the law's requirement, Jesus demonstrated that His teaching stood in harmony with the law of Moses and the Jewish code, answering the Pharisees' charge that He opposed it. That obedience could stand as evidence of this harmony wherever priests and people were willing to be convinced. The required offering with the priestly examination and the man's own account gave public testimony to priests, rulers, and people that he was cleansed. It set before them compelling proof of divine power and love and opened to the leaders an opportunity to recognize who He was. Yet though convinced of that power, they refused to acknowledge Him as the Messiah.
The charge to tell no one was given to shield His work from obstruction. The man mistook that restraint for modesty and published the news abroad, not understanding that every public display of divine power hardened the chief priests and elders in their determination to destroy Jesus and furnished His enemies with occasion to oppose Him. Silence was also meant to keep crowds of lepers from pressing around Him and to avoid accusations that He was violating ritual restrictions, both of which would hinder the gospel work. His announcement instead drew such multitudes that Jesus had to suspend His labor for a time. Even so, the account displays the Lord Jesus at work to save, and its instruction is to be read and received as His invitation to partake of a rich banquet.