Why is Jesus So Secretive?

[Nemo Neem]

This verse is from Luke 8, where He heals the dead girl:

Her parents were astounded; but He ordered them to tell no one what had happened.—Luke 8:56

Why would Jesus want His healing powers to be kept a secret?

 

[dysert]

This verse is from Luke 8, where He heals the dead girl:



Why would Jesus want His healing powers to be kept a secret?

The popular answer is that Jesus told some of His "miraclees" to remain quiet about it because His time had not yet come. He didn't want to become too well known too early because His ministry might be interfered with.

I'd be eager to hear other explanations myself.

 

[ebia]

This verse is from Luke 8, where He heals the dead girl:

Why would Jesus want His healing powers to be kept a secret?

Firstly he needs to be careful about attracting too much attention from the authorities too quickly.
Secondly he doesn't want his work to become simply a mobile hospital with no time for the rest of what he has to do.
Thirdly, and possibly most importantly, "The devil brought him into Jerusalem and stood him at the highest point of the temple. He said to him, "Since you are God's Son, throw yourself down from here; 10 for it's written: He will command his angels..."

 

[Gottservant]

the longer the work of God grows, innocently, the stronger it gets.

 

[LostMarbels]

This verse is from Luke 8, where He heals the dead girl:



Why would Jesus want His healing powers to be kept a secret?

Well, it's a matter of context. You have to read and understand the entire story. In the first part of this we see a ruler of a synagog, having faith and bowing in front of Jesus in public.

Luk 8:40 And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.
Luk 8:41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house:
Luk 8:42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.

Now we see that a servant of the house comes out and says not to worry about it, it's too late.

Luk 8:49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.
Luk 8:50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

In this, Jesus was speaking of the same kind of faith shown by the centurion shown in: (Mat 8:8-10), but the man did not have that kind of faith, so Jesus went to his house.

Luk 8:51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.
Luk 8:52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
Luk 8:53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.

They made fun of Jesus, laughing at him, thinking he was an idiot. Maybe even calling him one.

Luk 8:54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.

An interesting parallel is the ending of Jesus's conversation with the centurion in: (Mat 8:11-13) It states that those with no faith will be "cast out".

Luk 8:55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.
Luk 8:56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

This is an admonishment for disbelief. A rebuke for doubting in Jesus's authority over death. Why would you want an unbelieving scoffer to testify your miraculous deeds? Also, if you read the entire chapters surrounding this one event you will see there were people in the crowd wanting to do away with Jesus. With it not yet being the appointed time, he may have chose discretion in order to "keep the peace".

 

[judechild]

Simply put, Jesus' miraculous healings are a sign of a greater healing: the healing of the soul. When Jesus heals the body, He also forgives sins, thereby repairing the damage done by sin to the soul. The most explicit examples of this are in Mark 1 and 2, along with the passage in James 5 that speaks of annointing a sick person. In all three of those passages, the person healed in the body is also healed in the soul. It is, of course, appropriate that the healings of Jesus be made known after the event that effected salvation for all people. The healings before the Crucifixion were a kind of pre-emptive sign that was fulfilled in the Cross; prior to the Cross, though, they were still a somewhat veiled sign.

 

[LemonAidStand]

I would agree with the popular belief that His time had not yet come. But as far as being secretive, He isn't in the scriptures. His life is an open book. No punn intended. I personally believe Jesus had a strict agenda. And in keeping with it as He would have planned.. He would have had to keep some of those miracles secretive. So that His end here would not become accelerated. And thereby missing its most impact. But as the Merciful God that He truly is. He would rather show his mercy to those people, than turn anyone away. Then after the fact address the absolute need for secrecy. Hope this helped.

 

[Jpark]

Jesus did not come for everyone's repentance.

Firstly he needs to be careful about attracting too much attention from the authorities too quickly.

It wouldn't matter.

 

[Gottservant]

You won't ever know how much God loves you, unless you keep it a ******

 

[Dragnog]

Well, it's a matter of context. You have to read and understand the entire story. In the first part of this we see a ruler of a synagog, having faith and bowing in front of Jesus in public.

Luk 8:40 And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.
Luk 8:41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house:
Luk 8:42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.

Now we see that a servant of the house comes out and says not to worry about it, it's too late.

Luk 8:49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.
Luk 8:50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

In this, Jesus was speaking of the same kind of faith shown by the centurion shown in: (Mat 8:8-10), but the man did not have that kind of faith, so Jesus went to his house.

Luk 8:51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.
Luk 8:52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
Luk 8:53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.

They made fun of Jesus, laughing at him, thinking he was an idiot. Maybe even calling him one.

Luk 8:54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.

An interesting parallel is the ending of Jesus's conversation with the centurion in: (Mat 8:11-13) It states that those with no faith will be "cast out".

Luk 8:55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.
Luk 8:56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

This is an admonishment for disbelief. A rebuke for doubting in Jesus's authority over death. Why would you want an unbelieving scoffer to testify your miraculous deeds? Also, if you read the entire chapters surrounding this one event you will see there were people in the crowd wanting to do away with Jesus. With it not yet being the appointed time, he may have chose discretion in order to "keep the peace".

I like this answer, but I would like to add something to it. Jairus was the head of the synagogue and him appearing to consort with Jesus who at the time was under scrutiny would put him in a difficult position. Jesus showed mercy to Jairus by not having this come to light publicly which would have made his position difficult.

 

[dana b]

Maybe the miracoulous healings were kept more for the believers. Remember how Jesus said "there will be no signs for the unbeilivers but that of Jonah's three days and nights. So maybe the descriptions of the miracles in the Gospels were actually only shown to "believers."

 

[revrobor]

Jesus didn't want to be mobbed by people wanting physical healing which was not His primary ministry.