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Jesus Nondisclosure Commands - Mark 5
Jesus Nondisclosure Commands - Mark 5
To the demon-possessed man that was freed, Jesus told him to go tell people what had happened to him, but to those gathered in the house of Jairus, he ‘gave them strict orders’ to NOT make the healing known. This was not the last time that Jesus would tell people to NOT proclaim the mighty works that He was doing.
[Mark 5:19 19 And He did not let him, but He *said to him, "Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you."]
[Mark 5:43 43 And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat.]
Notice the different audiences and locations. Probably different reasons for this then!
In Mark 3:12 he forbids the demons as He was not wanting THEIR testimony or to be seen as being in league with them.
Following the healing of the leper in ‘one of the cities of Galilee by sea of Galilee, (Lk. 5:12) he forbids the telling of this event. Apparently, since this was a fairly populated, He does not want the great number of people tto be stirred up by such a report.
In Matt. 9:30-31, He also forbids the two blind men that He healed from telling about it, but they instead "spread the news throughout all the land". Shortly thereafter we see the opposition begin to grow!
Then in Matt. 12:16-18, after learning that the Pharisees conspired to destroy him, withdrew – healed. Here, the prophecy of Isaiah is quoted to explain that Jesus was NOT seeking to be popular (which the miracles were doing), but that the MESSAGE He was proclaiming was to be the pivotal point of people’s response.
In Matt. 17:9, After the transfiguration and Peter’s confession, he commanded them to NOT tell about this (at that time). This seems to me to be because of their limited understanding – (they were not ready to preach..)
Why did Jesus SOMETIMES command that people not tell of his great works? There appear to be differing reasons depending upon differing subjects and situations. Demons because he did not want to be aligned with them, the apostles because they were not ready to FULLY proclaim, others because it would stir up opposition. Over-all, He came to not be a ‘miracle-worker’, nor to create a following, but to create disciples that were seeking God and spiritual things.
THEN, after his resurrection, the great commission sends them forth to proclaim Jesus in all his glory and power. Even these commandments of NOT telling are then told! Our marching orders are to spread the word about Jesus in order that people would believe that He is the Christ, the son of God (cp. John 20:30-31). Our commission is to TELL, proclaim, announce, preach the good news about Jesus.
Hugh DeLong
