Why did Jesus often perform a miracle on people and then charge them not to tell anyone what was done?

[Pat]

WHAT mATTERS? WITNESSING​

Why did Jesus often perform a miracle on people and then charge them not to tell anyone what was done? Matthew8:4 Or at times, He would reveal a spiritual truth and tell His disciples to not reveal that truth until after His resurrection? Mark9:9 I don’t know the answer. What do you think?

Then I found an exception to this pattern that has made me even more curious. As recorded in the account given in Mark 5:1-20, Jesus met a man possessed by 2,000 demons named Legion. Jesus ordered them out of the man and into a herd of swine that then ran down a cliff and drowned in the sea. Being freed from his prison, the former demoniac now asked to go with and follow Jesus. “However, Jesus permitted him not, but said unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. And he departed and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.”

There are four main English words we use for the Greek word, martus, (meaning martyr, as in someone being killed for their faith.) The other three words are, 1) witness, 2) testify or testimony, and 3) record. These have slightly different meanings depending on the context. In the account above, the freed man went home and gave witness of what occurred, relating the facts of the case as one would in a courtroom. He then gave his unique testimony, preaching what Jesus did for him personally. Lastly, those who knew and heard him in his hometown marveled, repeating the record of his story. (Also see 1 John 5:6-13 where these three words occur together.)

What matters is that we consider copying this example ourselves. The Bible tells us to witness to others the facts of the Gospel, that God promises eternal life to whosoever repents and believes in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Then, those facts will be re-enforced when giving our personal testimony of how we became a brand-new, born-again person. Lastly, we trust that whoever we speak with will remember the record we leave with them, of seeing a miraculously changed life. Thus, Jesus is exalted and glorified for what He has done for us and what He can do for them.

 

[Jojo4124]

WHAT mATTERS? WITNESSING​

Why did Jesus often perform a miracle on people and then charge them not to tell anyone what was done? Matthew8:4 Or at times, He would reveal a spiritual truth and tell His disciples to not reveal that truth until after His resurrection? Mark9:9 I don’t know the answer. What do you think?

Then I found an exception to this pattern that has made me even more curious. As recorded in the account given in Mark 5:1-20, Jesus met a man possessed by 2,000 demons named Legion. Jesus ordered them out of the man and into a herd of swine that then ran down a cliff and drowned in the sea. Being freed from his prison, the former demoniac now asked to go with and follow Jesus. “However, Jesus permitted him not, but said unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. And he departed and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.”

There are four main English words we use for the Greek word, martus, (meaning martyr, as in someone being killed for their faith.) The other three words are, 1) witness, 2) testify or testimony, and 3) record. These have slightly different meanings depending on the context. In the account above, the freed man went home and gave witness of what occurred, relating the facts of the case as one would in a courtroom. He then gave his unique testimony, preaching what Jesus did for him personally. Lastly, those who knew and heard him in his hometown marveled, repeating the record of his story. (Also see 1 John 5:6-13 where these three words occur together.)

What matters is that we consider copying this example ourselves. The Bible tells us to witness to others the facts of the Gospel, that God promises eternal life to whosoever repents and believes in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Then, those facts will be re-enforced when giving our personal testimony of how we became a brand-new, born-again person. Lastly, we trust that whoever we speak with will remember the record we leave with them, of seeing a miraculously changed life. Thus, Jesus is exalted and glorified for what He has done for us and what He can do for them.

Good Q! I am interested to learn more about this...

 

[Everlasting Life]

Good Q! I am interested to learn more about this...

I believe that part of why He admonished not telling was because of His mission. He didn't come to just be King over Israel but Savior of the World. Nor did He come to be an earthly king but an eternal king. Israel was looking for an earthly King for their nation only, not recognizing the passages in Isaiah referring to Him as being the light of the Gentile nations as well.

The New Testament talks about how the people were about to force Him to be king and He shut that down pretty quick

When the people saw him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!” When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself.

John 6:14-15

Sometimes Jesus had gone out of Israel into Gentile territory to get some rest (at the time of His earthly ministry His focus was to Israel first, He would turn His attention soon enough to the Gentile areas through the Apostles when the church age started at Pentecost - and will end with the Rapture) but His compassion compelled Him to heal even Gentiles who showed even more faith than Israel at times, word got out and then the crowds came. Thus limiting Jesus' needed rest, however even in His fatigue He made people important when they pressed into His path.

In Mark 6 Jesus had, had a long day teaching the people, feeding five thousand, rescuing the disciples from the storm, etc. and also interacting with the pharisees and sadducees (a religiously toxic bunch of guys) and in His humanity he needed rest. So, notice He goes into Tyre (a Gentile region), hopefully out of the way of the Pharisees and Sadducees and Jewish crowds to get a bit of a break (and possibly spend time to teach the disciples a bit more). You'll notice below how Jesus didn't want anyone to know which house he was staying in:



Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre [Gentile territory here]. He didn’t want anyone to know which house he was staying in, but he couldn’t keep it a secret. Right away a woman who had heard about him came and fell at his feet. Her little girl was possessed by an evil spirit, and she begged him to cast out the demon from her daughter.

Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews. It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”


She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s plates.”


“Good answer!” he said. “Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter.” And when she arrived home, she found her little girl lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone.

Jesus left Tyre and went up to Sidon before going back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns. A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him.


33 Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then, spitting on his own fingers, he touched the man’s tongue. Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened!” Instantly the man could hear perfectly, and his tongue was freed so he could speak plainly!


Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news.

Mark 7:24-36