The Messianic Secret in the Gospel of Mark

Why Jesus Kept His Role as a Messiah a Secret until His Resurrection

Oct 21, 2009

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus tells those that he heals, evil demons, and even his disciples to keep his role as a messiah a secret until after his resurrection.

In several passages and in different contexts in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus tells those that he heals, evil spirits, and even his disciples to keep the truth about his role as the messiah a secret. Only after the resurrection, he instructs, should people be informed of his messianic role.

Several of the evil demons that Jesus castes out of people are aware who he is and because of this he does "not let the demons speak" (Mark 1:34).

While driving out an evil demon from a man in a synagogue in Capernaum, the evil demon identifies Jesus. The evil demon says, "I know who you are – the Holy One of God!" (Mark 1:24). Jesus tells the evil spirit to be quiet and to come out of the man (Mark 1:25). It is not explained as to why he demands silence as the demons are cast out.

Biblical Healings

During Jesus' healings of others, he also tries to keep his role as the messiah a secret. After healing a man of leprosy, Jesus says, “See that you don’t tell this to anyone” (Mark 1: 44).

After bringing a dead child back to life, "he gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this" (Mark 5:43). In addition, after healing a deaf man, he commands the man and those watching "not to tell anyone" (Mark 7:36).

n each of these examples, Jesus is orders those who are healed through his miraculous healing power and those observing it to keep the miracle a secret. Again, the reason for the secrecy is not explained.

Peter’s Confession

While traveling to the villages around Caesarea Philippi, concerned with how he is being perceived Jesus asks his disciples, "who do the people say I am?" (Mark 8:27).

The disciples inform Jesus that people think that he is either John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the Prophets. Then, he asks them, "who do you say I am?" Peter says frankly, "you are the messiah" (Mark 8:29). After Peter’s confession, Jesus warns each of them that they are “not to tell anyone about him” (Mark 8:30).

This demand for silence or secrecy about his role as the messiah is again issued and not explained. What is different here is that it is explicitly linked to Jesus as the messiah.

The Transfiguration

During the transfiguration in chapter 9 of Mark, the secrecy of Jesus' role as a messiah is again demanded but this time with a qualification and what could be an explanation. Atop a high mountain with Peter, James, and John, Jesus "transfigures" in front of them. Jesus becomes dazzling white, and Elijah and Moses appear and talk with Jesus (Mark 9:3-4). A voice from heaven then speaks, "this is my beloved son, listen to him" (Mark 9:7). As they go down the mountain, Jesus warns Peter, James, and John not to tell anyone what they had seen until his resurrection (Mark 9:9). Finally, this qualification is the clue to an explanation.

Why the Secrecy?

All statements of secrecy have to do with how Jesus was being viewed at the time of his ministry. He did not want to be seen merely as a healer – either by casting out demons or healing the sick – because his primary role was not as a healer and the power that is used for the miracles is not merely that of a healer. In addition, since the transfiguration would be transmitted by his disciples, the power that brought about the transfiguration would not be conveyed.

However, after the resurrection, there would be no doubt to the divine power behind the ability to rise from the dead. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is depicted as wanting the resurrection to be the only example of his power, because then his role as the messiah would be obvious to all those who witness the event.

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