Messianic Secret Concealed

Evidence that Jesus Tried to Conceal His Identity

By August Isley

There is evidence in the Gospels that Jesus sometimes tried to conceal his identity, particularly from the Pharisees and other religious leaders. This concept is often referred to as the "Messianic Secret." Here are a few examples:

1. Commands to Silence: In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus frequently commands those he heals and even demons to remain silent about his identity. For instance, after healing a leper, Jesus sternly warns him to "say nothing to anyone" (Mark 1:44).
2. Private Miracles: Jesus performs some miracles privately or instructs those involved not to tell others. For example, after raising Jairus's daughter from the dead, he "strictly charged them that no one should know this" (Mark 5:43).
3. Disciples' Secrecy: Jesus instructs his disciples not to reveal his identity as the Messiah until after his resurrection. In Mark 8:30, after Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ, Jesus "strictly charged them to tell no one about him."

These actions suggest that Jesus was cautious about revealing his identity as the Son of God or the Messiah too openly, possibly to avoid premature conflict with the religious authorities and to fulfill his mission according to God's timing.