Going to a Priest for Judgment

Mat 8:4 See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.

The Greek word horao is "to see" or "to perceive." Epo is "to speak." Nedeis is "no one." The term "but" is alla, which is a conjuction that also means "except." "Go your way" is hupago, which means literally "to lead under" or "to bring under," also means "to withdraw" or "retire." Deiknuo is translated as "show," but also means "to give evidence or proof." The term used for "priest" is hiereus, which was used to refer to priests of both the Jews and Gentiles. The term translated as "offer" is prosphero, which means "to bring to" and "to lead to." Interestingly, both hapago and prosphero are used to refer to bringing people to judgment.

The last phrase "for a testimony to them" is eis (for or because) marturion (testimony, proof) autos (itself, themselves, the same). Again, these is a relationship between deiknuo and marturion in that both are both concerned with giving proof.

The first part of this verse, "See that you tell no one..." is a little misleading because the phrase horao (to see) epo (to speak) nedeis (no one) is closer in sense to "see and tell no one..."

The greater sense of the phrase is that when God transforms us, we are not supposed to reveal it or talk about it to others. The lone exception is that we should take ourself for judgment to a priest, that we should show proof of our transformation to that priest, and offering gifts as further proof that we have been cured.

This is the first time that Christ has mentioned the role of priests in religion. Here, they are men of judgment, acting as an intermediary of gifts to God, both in verifying the gifts we have received and blessing the gifts we offer. The gifts that we offer to God themselves become proof of the gifts we have received.