Why Jesus Commanded Silence on His Identity

Matthew 16:20

20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Jesus commanded His disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Christ primarily because of the determined opposition of the scribes and Pharisees and the fact that both the public and the disciples held false, worldly conceptions of the Messiah's character and workDA 414.4+1. At that stage of His ministry, a public announcement would not have given the people a true idea of His divine mission as a Saviour from sin, but might have incited movements based on their desire for national exaltation and deliverance from Roman ruleHLv 280.1+1.

The Danger of False Conceptions

The people of that time were looking for a Messiah who would provide national glory and a kingdom ordered with outward judgment and justiceARSH November 11, 1862, page 187.4+1. Even the disciples struggled to comprehend that the Christ must first go to Jerusalem to suffer and be killedHOMI October 1893, page 194.18. Because their understanding was so far from His true spiritual nature, Jesus chose to reveal Himself day by day through His works and teachings to give them a more accurate conception of His identity before a public declaration was madeDA 414.4.

Opposition and Timing

Jesus also gave this charge because of the fierce hostility of the religious leaders14LtMs, Ms 202, 1899, par. 5. The scribes and Pharisees were in such determined opposition that a premature public claim would have hindered His work of teaching and healing among the peopleDA 414.4+1. Furthermore, certain revelations of His glory, such as the Transfiguration, were designed specifically for the future assurance of the church after His resurrection, and were therefore to be kept secret until the Son of Man had risen from the dead Matthew 17:9ARSH June 20, 1854, page 163.14.

The Necessity of the Resurrection

A full understanding of Jesus as the Christ required the perspective of His entire mission, including His death and resurrectionARSH June 20, 1854, page 163.14. After He had been offered up and raised again, the "word of prophecy" became a "more sure word" because the disciples could then compare the literal fulfillment of Messianic predictions with the historical facts they had witnessed 2 Peter 1:16-19HBS 432.1.

• Healing and Proof: His miracles were intended as signs to validate His identity when the proper time for full disclosure arrived John 20:30-31LTJMB5 311.1.

• The Second Advent: This measured revelation also serves to prepare the world for His second appearing, ensuring that faith is based on a true knowledge of His character rather than a profession without genuine love and obedience14MR 90.1+1.

Ultimately, Jesus sought a confession of faith that was not merely a repetition of titles, but an acknowledgement of the truth in word and deed, manifested through a life that possesses His mind and SpiritSPCCSR 37.3+1.