“And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.”
King James Version (KJV)
8:4 See thou tell no man - Perhaps our Lord only meant here, Not till thou hast showed thyself to the priest - who was appointed to inquire into the case of leprosy. But many others he commanded, absolutely, to tell none of tho miracles he had wrought upon them. And this he seems to have done, chiefly for one or more of these reasons: To prevent the multitude from thronging him, in the manner related #Mark 1:45|. To fulfil the prophecy, #Isaiah 42:1|, that he would not be vain or ostentatious. This reason St. Matthew assigns, #Matt 12:17|, &c. To avoid the being taken by force and made a king, #John 6:15|. And, That he might not enrage the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees, who were the most bitter against him, any more than was unavoidable, #Matt 16:20|,21. For a testimony - That I am the Messiah; to them - The priests, who otherwise might have pleaded want of evidence. #Lev 14:2|.
Mt 8:4 Tell no man. This was forbidden until the man was officially declared to be healed. He could not enter society until the priests had so declared. To blaze the story abroad as a miracle of Jesus might prevent such a declaration on account of prejudice. Besides, the Lord often forbade noising abroad his cures, for various reasons, chiefly because the multitude so thronged him. Offer the gift that Moses commanded. See Le 14:10,22,30,31. For a testimony. An official proof of the miracle.