The Messianic Secret
Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ. Matthew 16:20 NASB
Warned – As a result of Nineteenth Century German criticism, the idea of the Messianic secret was born. From that point on, certain theologians began to proclaim that Yeshua never really claimed He was the Messiah. In fact, according to the “Messianic Secret” theology, Yeshua actually told His disciples not to spread this false claim. The Christian world was plunged into all kinds of arguments about whether or not “Jesus” thought He was God/Messiah. We live with the leftovers of this thinking today. So when we read verses like this one, we might be concerned. After all, it certainly looks as if Yeshua doesn’t want anyone to know who He really is. Given the fact that Yeshua virtually announces His role as the chosen one in almost every citation from the Tanakh and in one Hebrew idiom after another (although we don’t see many of them in English), what is really going on in this verse? Is Yeshua really telling his closest friends not to let anyone know that He is the Messiah?
The answer depends on what we think Peter actually meant when he said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Here’s the problem. The Jews had two conceptions of the Messiah; one was the Son of David, a warrior-hero who would restore the kingdom and rid the land of its oppressors; the other was the Son of Joseph, the Suffering Servant of Isaiah who would deal with the guilt of the people in some way. In first century, occupied Israel under Roman oppression, which one do you think most people were looking for? That’s right, they wanted the Messiah ben David (son of David). They wanted the conquering hero. And many of the miracles Yeshua performed certainly fit this kind of thinking. What better general than one who can feed an army with a few fish and loaves, heal the wounded on the spot, even bring the dead back to life? That Messiah would be unstoppable.
But that isn’t the role Yeshua plays, at least not at this moment. He comes as the Suffering Servant, the one who must die. No one, not even Peter, understood that. So if the disciples started proclaiming that Yeshua was the Messiah, what do you suppose the crowds would have thought? Probably the same thing that Peter was saying when he told Yeshua that He should not even think of dying. As far as the disciples and the crowds were concerned, there was only one Messiah on the horizon – the victorious King!
The Greek text here uses a very strong verb, diastellomai. It means “to express in no uncertain terms what must be done.” It isn’t just a warning. It’s a serious command! “Do not, under any circumstances, tell anyone that I am the Messiah!” Since Yeshua goes right on speaking and acting as the Messiah, this command can only mean one thing: His disciples had the right words but they had the wrong concept – and Yeshua did not want them to teach the wrong thing even if they had the right title. Spreading a false idea of who He is, even if the words are correct, is a serious offense.
Oops! I wonder if we aren’t subject to the same warning. I wonder if we haven’t spread the wrong concept with the right words. It certainly seems as though the replacement theologians have a very different view of the Christ than the Jewish-Gentile Messianic believers in the first century. They have the right words, but . . . .
Maybe our view of who Yeshua is also needs to be re-evaluated. Maybe we have a lot of the right words but we have failed to understand what they really mean. Maybe we are perpetrating false teachings about His role, His place, His instructions. Maybe we are just like Peter, thinking that we know what we are saying but really in need of some serious correction.
Topical Index: warning, diastellomai, Messianic secret, Matthew 16:20
Maybe it is a matter of timing. As we (now) know “timing” is more important to YHWH than time. And His “timing” is perfect. In all things, at all all times, ours is a “on-time” G-d. He always “shows up” when and where we need Him. Every time and without fail- If you haven’t “seen” it or been witness to it- you will. If you belong to the Good Shepherd, He will “deliver” you. He is our Savior and Deliver. He (Himself) is the answer to our prayers.
Yeshua was very pleased with Peter’s confession. So pleased, in fact, He then proceeded to give him a “new name.” (names in Hebrew are very important..) Upon “this rock” I will build my church. The bedrock, solid rock, the unmoving, unshakeable foundation- Jesus (who is the) Christ is LORD (ADONAI in Hebrew).
“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.” (Luke 24.27) (“all the things in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.”)
So many mysteries. A mysterious love story? -Why should He love me so? Amen.
Yes, dear family- the Bible is our “Him-book.” The revelation (unveiling) of Jesus (who is the) Christ. Son of G-d AND Son of Man. The Second Adam. Our Kinsman-Redeemer. The CHOSEN ONE. Redeemer. Savior. Lover. Friend. My “confession” will be the same as Peter’s. He IS the Christ, the Son of the living G-d. And now, “post-resurrection” I am free to proclaim it to whoever has ears to hear:- He is the Christ, the Annointed ONE, Yeshua HaMashiach, victorious Savior and LORD. The ONE who is the Victor. Over separation (death), sin, and satan- He is ever victorious. Israel, behold your King. All nations, all peoples of the earth- “hear ye Him” and bow the knee. Bow the knee, -now, while it is called today. Jesus Christ is Savior to all. He is LORD of heaven AND earth. LORD of the telescopic. LORD of the microscopic. LORD of the living. LORD of the dead. LORD of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Reigning, interceding, loving, ever near. King of kings and LORD of lords.
The next day, Yochanan saw Yeshua coming toward him and said, “Look! G-d’s lamb! The One who is taking away the sin of the world! This is the man I was talking about when I said, `After me is coming Someone who has come to rank above me, because He existed before me.’ I myself did not know who He was, but the reason I came immersing with water was so that He might be made known to Isra’el.”
“Behold, the Lamb.”
Skip, if one did not read the words South Africa, one may have thought you were speaking of the US! With the minor exception of the stat for the percentage of believers:US=80+-%.
It appears the charismatics have gone before you and the multi thousands they claim to have converted and saved have been fed gagging spoonfuls of prosperity gospel. Of course, the few prospering are their leaders who are reaping the harvest of seed faith $. That is the same gospel that is wreaking havoc elsewhere.
That being said, I applaud your desire to spread the gospel of The Elohim who is mighty to save. What about something to leave with them in order to continue feeding them after you leave, such as reading or recorded material? Being in such poverty, do they have access to Internet or reading materials that they may hear the truth in order to be also a doer of the Word? Maybe we could help in some other ways too?
Amazingly, the boys that I took pictures of in the “informal settlements” asked me if I would put the pictures on their Facebook page! Everyone has TV even if they don’t have toilets or sewers. And as for the prosperity gospel, it is so strong among these people that they will give even their last Rand in order to get the “blessing” from the preacher. It’s the worst of imported religion – on steroids.
I left behind a lot of materials and there are a lot more to deliver when I return.
Last night our Torah Community studied Ps 119:9-16 and the ramez found in Luke 2:19. It’s interesting to view the connection between Mary pondering the events of her life in her heart and David centuries earlier staying on track by guarding Torah in his heart. In both scenarios there appears to be a wisdom in silence; silent meditation. Definitely preferred over having the right words, but wrong direction; right words, but wrong perspective.
Please enlighten me further re “son of Joseph” … which Joseph was this?
This would be a reference to Joseph of the Genesis account; the 10th son of Israel.
Simon Peter replied,You are the Christ, the son of the living G-d. Math 16:16
Then Jesus answered him, Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah. FOR FLESH AND BLOOD (men)
HAVE NOT REVEALED THIS TO YOU, BUT MY FATHER WHO IS IN IN HEAVEN. Math 16:17 Ampl
I am confused Skip, what is YOUR version of Yeshua as the Messiah ? I hope the only belief is not one of the two you mentioned in Today’s Word. I believe from the above scripture Peter was given Divine revelation as to exactly WHO Yeshua was or Yeshua would not have responded as he did
The fact that Peter uses the right words, and that these words are revealed to him, does not mean that he understood them as God intended them. In fact, if he actually did understand them as a revelation of Yeshua as the suffering servant, not the Davidic king, then his behavior at the trial and crucifixion is unexplainable. Like all the the disciples, Peter imagines the Messiah as the new ruler, not the one who must die. He has the correct answer but not the correct interpretation of the answer – like so many of us.
This is going to take much more searching out on my part to believe your understanding of Peter not understanding what was revealed to him.Does this mean when He reveals something to us we need to doubt the revelation? oy vey! And later in his denial of Yeshua Peter (like we all are at times) was once again ‘in the flesh’
He had also witnessed Yeshua in all His Glory and had heard the voice of YHWH from a cloud confirming who Yeshua was!!!! Hello!
I also would still like to know what is your understanding of Yeshua as the Messiah. I am still confused by what you wrote. Thanks Skip
The transfiguration is another example of Peter seeing but not seeing. Notice his reaction. He misses the point entirely. None of this suggests that he didn’t receive the correct revelation. It only says that even though he got the words right, he didn’t understand the full meaning of those words. Just as the prophets of the Tanakh often spoke words that had meaning for those born much, much later. Peter’s declaration of the divinity of Yeshua was correct, even if he thought it meant only the son of David, but Peter’s life clearly shows that he did not understand Yeshua as the son of Joseph, the suffering servant.
Just to clarify, I believe Yeshua is the Messiah, both the son of David and the son of Joseph, to use the typology. He is the son of God, the only begotten.
Yeshua knew Peter would deny him three times and told him “it would come to pass.” (Matthew 26.34) But also we need to remember the words: “then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.” (Matthew 26.46) It was Peter who bore the shame of denying (the) Christ, and it again was Peter who was restored to full fellowship by the G-d who graciously forgives and loves at all times.
I certainly don’t want you to think I’m attepting to speak in the place of Skip, but it seems to me that the issue at hand is this. Take as an example the term redemption; when Peter heard it, what probably popped into his mind was the deliverance of the Israelites out from under those who were oppressing them. What we can be pretty sure of is that the deliverance of the world from the bondage of sin NEVER entered into the equation of the purpose and intent of the messiah. Both the thoughts and the lack of thought were because of what he had been taught from the time he was a young man. In other words, he saw the scripyures from a skewed perspective, not seeing them purely. We do the same thing today, especially in things as regarding prophecy. Sometimes we only see “some” of it while not the “whole”. Other times we see the whole but miss the “why” or cause of the event and the purpose of the event. We do this because we have also been “taught” these things. God is asking us in these days to take off our (?) colored glasses and read His words purely and carefully. To question, not the words of God, but rather our perspective and understanding of them.It’s not nessesarily that Peter had a wrong idea about the Messiah as a deliverer, only that he was mistaken about the type and the timing.
Here’s an example of my assumptions (of which I have found many, probably hundreds), I used to think that when the Messiah came back to rule, that the earth would immediatly burst into lavish bloom because of the removing of the curse that was put on the earth for Adams sake. It wasn’t until I found out what the curse was and was for (Zech 5) and what the role of us, the children of God, is in the millenial rule that I began to understand our role in the restoration of the earth through the right application of God’s word (Is. 61), and that it would be a process and not a “supernatural” activity of God. That doesn’t mean that the curse at Adam’s time won’t be removed, or that the restoration won’t have a supernatural aspect to it, only that there is a “fuller” thing, in ADDITION to it in the making. Sorry if I was too lengthy or the comment seems out of place, but that’s what I got out of it.
Thanks, Robert. You are speaking my mind.
Thank you Skip, Robert & Brian
Sister Judith Jeffries,
How many times have we had a true revelation from YHWH and not understand the fullness of what He revealed?
Mr. Petros story is so legitimate and speaks very loudly to my own human situation and predicament.
Mr. Petros got it, but not the fullness and timing of that revelation. This to me is not so hard to relate to and understand.
Shabbat shalom!