The Messianic Secret is a motif in the Gospel of Mark, in which Jesus is portrayed as commanding his followers to maintain silence about his Messianic mission. Attention was first drawn to this motif in 1901 by William Wrede .

Several times Jesus commanded those he healed to tell no one about the miracles (see Mark 1:44, Luke 5:14). He even charged the apostles to tell no one that he was the Christ (Matt. 16:20). This is commonly referred to as the “Messianic Secret.” There are two possible reasons why Jesus didn’t want to make his messianic identity known immediately.

2020年7月21日 · Modern debate about this “messianic secret” dates to the 1800s. Though a firm consensus has yet to emerge, we can sketch an answer by tracing the various ways the silence or secrecy motif plays out. To begin, it’s important to note that Jesus’s commands for silence form part of a broader pattern of simultaneously revealing and concealing who he is.

2017年10月11日 · On a number of occasions, Jesus attempts to keep his miraculous deeds a secret. It might seem curious at first, but Mark is using this secret motif to shape the reader’s idea of Jesus as Messiah. This messianic secret motif first appears in Mark 1:24. A man with an unclean spirit identifies Jesus as the “Holy One of God.”

2023年7月13日 · The Messianic Secret is a theme of biblical criticism developed in 1901 by a German Lutheran theologian named Wilhelm Wrede. The Messianic Secret involves Wrede’s explanation for Jesus wanting to hide His identity from His enemies by commanding the disciples to keep silent about His mission on earth and the miracles He performed .

2020年11月16日 · The Messianic Secret in the Gospel of Mark concerns Jesus’ repeated instruction to keep silent about his messianic identity. Jesus instructs various individuals and groups to keep his identity secret. We find that Jesus admonishes the demons to “keep quiet” when they mention his identity as “the Holy One of God” (1:24-25).

2024年9月4日 · Explore the intriguing Messianic Secret in Mark, its interpretations by religious authorities and scholars, and how it compares to other Gospels in this scholarly deep dive.

2025年1月28日 · Thus the “messianic secret” is a later invention put on Jesus’ lips, that then came into Mark’s Gospel. The other Gospels don’t have this view, except in a few places in Matthew and Luke where Mark’s version has not been fully altered by these later editor/authors.

2004年7月20日 · Jesus’ guarding of His identity for most of His earthly ministry is typically referred to as the “Messianic Secret.” At this point we should ask ourselves why Jesus was so careful to keep His identity hidden.

The “Messianic Secret” teaches us that, in light of our impulse to conscript Jesus into our own causes, it’s better to quiet this impulse and let Jesus set his own agenda by his death, resurrection, and present reign.