rwp - Mark:1:40-45

rwp@Mark:1:40 @{Kneeling down to him} (\kai gonupetn\). Picturesque detail omitted by some MSS. strkjv@Luke:5:12| has "fell on his face."

rwp@Mark:1:41 @{Being moved with compassion} (\splagchnistheis\). Only in Mark. First aorist passive participle.

rwp@Mark:1:43 @{Strictly charged} (\embrimsamenos\). Only in Mark. strkjv@Luke:5:14| has \parggeilen\ (commanded). Mark's word occurs also in strkjv@14:5| and in strkjv@Matthew:9:30| and strkjv@John:11:38|. See on ¯Matthew:9:30|. It is a strong word for the snorting of a horse and expresses powerful emotion as Jesus stood here face to face with leprosy, itself a symbol of sin and all its train of evils. The command to report to the priests was in accord with the Mosaic regulations and the prohibition against talking about it was to allay excitement and to avoid needless opposition to Christ.

rwp@Mark:1:44 @{For a testimony unto them} (\eis marturion autois\). Without the formal testimony of the priests the people would not receive the leper as officially clean.

rwp@Mark:1:45 @{Began to publish it much} (\rxato krussein polla\). strkjv@Luke:5:15| puts it, "so much the more" (\mllon\). One of the best ways to spread a thing is to tell people not to tell. It was certainly so in this case. Soon Jesus had to avoid cities and betake himself to desert places to avoid the crowds and even then people kept coming to Jesus (\rchonto\, imperfect tense). Some preachers are not so disturbed by the onrush of crowds.