John Calvin Commentary Mark 1:44

"and saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them." — Mark 1:44 (ASV)

Matthew 8:4; Mark 1:44. For a testimony to them: some consider testimony here to mean a law or statute, as it is said in the Book of Psalms, God laid down this “for a testimony to Israel,” (Psalms 122:4). But this appears to me to be a poor exposition, for I have no doubt that the pronoun to them refers to the priests.⁴⁹⁶

In my opinion, Christ said this with a view to the present occurrence, for this miracle was afterwards to be a sufficiently clear proof for convicting them of ingratitude.

There is nothing inconsistent with this in the command Christ gave to the leper to maintain silence, for he did not intend that the remembrance of the miracle he had performed should remain always buried.

When the leper, at Christ’s command, came into the presence of the priest, this was a testimony to them, which would render them inexcusable if they refused to receive Christ as the minister of God; and it would, at the same time, remove any occasion for slander, since Christ did not neglect a single point of the law.

In short, if they were not beyond remedy, they might be led to Christ; while, on the other hand, such a solemn testimony of God was sufficiently powerful to condemn them if they were unbelievers.

⁴⁹⁶ According to the view which Calvin rejects, the words, which Moses commanded for a testimony to them, mean, “which Moses delivered mean, “which Moses delivered to them, that is, to the people of Israel, as a divine ordinance.” The view which he adopts may be more clearly brought out by a different arrangement of the words. that is, to the people of Israel, as a divine ordinance.” The view which he adopts may be more clearly brought out by a different arrangement of the words. Present, for a testimony to them, that is, “to the priests,” to them, that is, “to the priests,” the offering which Moses commanded. —. — Ed