Mark 1:40-45

The Healing of the Leper. By placing this incident at this point in his narrative, Mk. gives a further reason for the difficulty which met Jesus on His return from Capernaum. The story with Mk.'s ending connects closely with ch. 2. We have here a work of healing (not, as some think, a request to Jesus to declare the man free from leprosy), but the original interest centres on the sayings of Jesus embedded in the story.

Mark 1:40. HNT cites Epictetus III. Mark 10:14 f.: Why then do you flatter the physician? Why do you say, - If thou wilt, sir, I shall be well-' ?

Mark 1:41. An early reading gives moved with anger instead of with compassion. If this reading be original, the flattery of if thou wilt, or the implied doubt of His goodwill may occasion the emotion (cf. Mark 10:14; see also Temple, Kingdom of God, pp. 25f.).

Mark 1:43. The word strictly charged suggested strong feeling, as also the verb thrust him out (Gr. exebalen; cf. Mark 1:12). Apparently the scene of the incident is a house, into which no leper should have come (Leviticus 13:46).

Mark 1:44. Jesus enjoins the carrying out of the Law (Leviticus 14:2) Perhaps omit comma after commanded (RV), since for a testimony unto them is not emphatic, and does not mean to testify to the priests that a prophet has arisen (so Swete). That would defeat the object of the injunction of silence.