Mark 1:45
But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter. But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.
The verse closes the healing of a leper who had lived as an outcast cut off from family and society and required to cry Unclean, after he had heard of Jesus' healings and believed Him to be the promised Savior. Though Jesus charged him to keep the healing quiet, the restored man disobeyed and published it widely in place of his former publishing of his calamity. His report stirred such excitement that Jesus could no longer openly enter the cities but stayed outside in desert places, yet people still came to Him from every direction knowing even lepers could be healed. He spoke from overflowing gratitude for health and restoration, thinking the charge of silence came only from modesty, without seeing that such publicity inflamed the priests and rulers against Jesus and hindered His work by drawing unmanageable crowds. Jesus sought restraint because He did not work miracles for display, and because He had directed the man to the priest with Moses' offering to confirm the cure and to show He upheld the law rather than opposed it.
Setting and Consequences
Mark 1:45 belongs to the story of a leper whose disease had made him an outcast, cut off and isolated from family and society. The law required such a sufferer to announce his calamity, to tear his garments, and to warn others away with the cry of Unclean. Before his healing he had heard of Jesus' mighty works and had seen Him heal the sick. By this he had become convinced that Jesus was the promised Savior, and he longed to be healed himself.
Despite Jesus' instruction and caution to keep the healing quiet, the healed man disobeyed and began to publish it much and to blaze it abroad widely. He spread news of his cure and cleansing in disregard of the warning not to publicize it. His publicizing of what had happened stands in contrast with his former duty to make his calamity known, when as a leper he had to announce his condition and warn others away so that people would flee at the cry Unclean, Unclean.
His report caused such commotion and excitement that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city or towns. He remained without in desert and deserted places, staying outside the city. Yet people came to Him from every quarter and from every direction, having witnessed His miracles and knowing that even lepers could come to Him and be healed.
The resulting crowds interrupted and hindered Jesus' work for a time. They forced Him to withdraw from public ministry. The crowds and excitement required Him to hide in order to avoid giving the priests and rulers an opportunity to portray the gatherings to the Roman authorities as an insurrection.
Motives and Meaning
The healed man published Jesus' power abroad out of overjoyed gratitude for restored health and return to family and society, feeling he could not keep from honoring the one who had healed him. He believed Jesus' restriction on telling what had happened came only from modesty. He did not understand that each public display of Jesus' power made the chief priests and elders more determined to destroy Him. That publicity strengthened the leaders' hostility toward Jesus and drew crowds that prevented Him from continuing His work.
Jesus did not perform miracles for display or human praise. He directed restraint because publicity would bring many lepers seeking health, including people without real faith and without faith or principle who would not use healing to honor God. Such excitement could also stir fear of contamination. It could give His enemies occasion to accuse Him, obstruct His work, and turn people away from Him.
Jesus' direction that the healed man show himself to the priest and make the offering required by Moses served as testimony confirming the cleansing. It showed that His directions upheld the law of Moses and that He was not opposed to the Jewish law and code, contrary to the charge that He opposed it. The story of the healing is an example of Christ's compassion and a lesson of encouragement. The fact that Jesus stayed without in desert places yet people came to Him from every quarter exposes that God's people are not doing one-thousandth part of what God wants them to do, have not begun to be awake, and have not begun to rise to the necessities of people who have never had the truth.