Mark 1:44

Ὅρα μηδενὶ μηδὲν εἴπῃς. Winer, p. 625. The ὅρα and the double negative indicate the urgency of the command. Mk is fond of double negatives; Mark 2:2; Mark 3:27; Mark 5:3; Mark 5:37; Mark 7:12; Mark 9:8; Mark 11:2; Mark 11:14; Mark 12:34; Mark 14:25; Mark 15:4-5; Mark 16:8. Neither here nor at Mark 3:27; Mark 9:8; Mark 14:25 is there a double neg. in Mt. Elsewhere Mt. omits the sentence. The change from pres. imperat. to aor. is correct: Continually take care that thou do not begin to say to anyone at all; so also the change from ὕπαγε to δεῖξον. Compare the commandments with aorists (Mark 10:19), and contrast the presents (Mark 5:36; Mark 6:50; Mark 9:39). On these charges to keep silence see Sanday, J.T.S. Apr. 1904. In this case silence would prevent the man from mixing with others till he was pronounced clean by proper authority, and from producing unhealthy excitement in himself and his hearers; and there may have been other reasons affecting Christ Himself.

ὕπαγε. Cf. Mark 2:11; Mark 5:19; not in LXX., but found in Eur. and Aristoph. See on Mark 6:38.

σεαυτὸν δεῖξον. The emphasis on the pronoun makes the command more urgent. Christ does not assume the right to pronounce the man clean; for that He sends him to the proper official; cf. Luke 12:14.

ἃ προσέταξεν Μωϋσῆς. Christ is making no statement as to the authorship of the Pentateuch or of Leviticus 14. In accordance with current thought and language He speaks of the Pentateuch as “Moses” (Mark 7:10; Mark 10:3-4; Mark 12:26, etc.) and of the Psalms as “David” (Mark 12:36-37). Questions of authorship had not been raised, and He did not raise them or give any decision about them. See Plummer, S. Matthew, p. 311, and the literature there quoted. The important thing here is that He was no revolutionary teacher; He did not encourage men to ignore the Law. Hort, Jud. Chris. p. 29.

εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς. The words are in all three. The gift which the man offers is the “testimony,” and “to them” means “to the priests.” The offering would show them that there was among them One who could heal leprosy and yet did not take upon Himself to absolve men from their obligation to observe the Law. It would be testimonium de Messia praesente, legi non derogante (Beng.).