Why did Jesus sometimes tell people not to tell others about who he was, or about how he healed them? This passage from Mark 8:27-30 (NIV) looks almost anti-evangelistic:
Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”
Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
This hard-to-understand aspect of Jesus’ ministry is often called the “messianic secret.” I.e., Jesus wanted his messiah-ness kept secret (at times). As the Handbook on Biblical Criticism (4th ed.) puts it, the “Messianic Secret refers to a discernible phenomenon in the Gospels, most especially in the Gospel of Mark, in which Jesus explicitly conceals his messianic character and power until the closing period of his ministry” (124).
The messianic secret is not an attempt on the part of Jesus to keep people from knowing, believing in, and following him. But Jesus did seem to be careful throughout the Gospel of Mark to keep his identity as divine Son of God/Messiah from spreading. There are at least two reasons for this that I can see.
First, though Jesus is identified early in the Gospels as a miraculous healer and exorcist, early in his ministry is not yet time for his identity to be revealed. The fullness of time has simply not come. Perhaps Jesus had certain ministry objectives that needed to be accomplished before his crucifixion? He knew, either way, that as his fame spread, he would be tried and crucified for it. But this could only happen in due time.
Second, Jesus may have been cautious that a misunderstanding of the title “Messiah” would result if people were to say things like, “Here is the Messiah!” He was not the military insurrectionist and ruler than many Jews were expecting (I wrote more about this here), and he wanted to prevent title confusion, I suspect. So he often warned the evil spirits and those who received healing (and, as above, even the disciples!) not to tell anyone about him.
Even with those explanations in view, I still find the “messianic secret” difficult to understand. But perhaps this is because I am like Peter, in Mark 8:33, who all too often has in mind the things “of humanity” rather than “of God.” The messianic secret remains, at least to me, something of a mystery.
I think that Jesus understands human nature, and knew the best way to spread a secret is to ask someone to keep it.
Posted by Vive LeRoy | November 22, 2012, 7:37 pmHa! Good thought.
Posted by abramkj | November 22, 2012, 8:26 pmI think there is evidence for both of your reasons. I’m not sure it’s necessary to pick one or the other. I do think there is evidence regarding the 1st reason that Jesus was waiting to fully teach the 12 disciples before revealing himself so that they could carry on his teachings after his death (and resurrection). Nice post. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by Michael Davis | December 7, 2012, 9:45 amYou’re welcome! Thanks for your comment.
Posted by abramkj | December 7, 2012, 9:46 amAnother thought is to link to the text after feeding the multitude – john 6:15. There is, like you said, an element of ‘incomplete business’. And if he were to proclaim himself openly, the kingdom would have been put off track by those that would have perceived Jesus kingdom as a worldly one and acted upon that…..
But if he were to remain a ‘good teacher’ and ‘miracle worker’ – with the element of doubt as to Him being the Messiah, then He could finish his work at the right time……
Just a thought!
Posted by Drewe | December 8, 2012, 3:52 amA good thought–and I think part of Jesus’ work was to shape and re-calibrate folks expectations/understandings of just who the “Messiah” was…
Posted by abramkj | December 8, 2012, 6:32 amWhat is perplexing is why Jesus is so secretive in the gospel of Mark, but so open in the gospel of John. In Mark, consistently orders the disciples/demons/healed people not to reveal his identity. Many of his miracles he performs off in a corner. However, in John he is always bold about his identity and his mission, clearly presenting his pre-existence, his special relationship to the Father, and flirts with revealing his godhood to the point of nearly causing the crowds to stone him. These two images (Mark and John) are almost incompatible.
Posted by thalindrome3 | December 8, 2012, 11:19 amAn angle I had not considered when I first posted. Great point–it makes the whole thing more fascinating/befuddling!
Posted by abramkj | December 8, 2012, 1:11 pmI was giving a reason for this to my Sunday School students yesterday. We were studying Matthew 12.
The reason that I gave them for Jesus not wanting His messianic identity to be revealed at that time- was that “Jesus was being merciful”!
That Jesus was not wanting to “break off the battered reeds”.
Not wanting to “put out the smoldering wicks”.
That He was not wanting to quarrel with those Pharisees (v.14) “UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY” (v.20).
Not give the Pharisees a sign (v.38) until the greatest sign of Jonah was given (v.39).
A sign they could not contend with.
Posted by Ron Van Brenk | December 10, 2012, 6:20 amThanks for your comment, Ron–it really does seem like timing (as you mention) has a lot to do with it.
Posted by abramkj | December 10, 2012, 6:23 am