In 1901 a German Lutheran theologian called William Wrede wrote a book called The Messianic Secret. It was an attempt to answer the question, Why does Jesus spend so much time forbidding people (and demons) to tell anyone that he is the Messiah?

As in today’s gospel reading (Mark 3.7–12):

Whenever the unclean spirits saw (Jesus), they fell down before him and shouted, ‘You are the Son of God! ’ But he sternly ordered them not to make him known.

Perhaps here, it’s because not all publicity is good publicity. If you are the Son of God, you might not want a bunch of demons doing your PR.

Wrede’s argument was that Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah, which was a bit embarrassing to the early church which believed that he was, and so the evangelist made up the idea that Jesus had claimed to be the Messiah, but told everyone to keep schtum.

Wrede’s view was that we know very little about who Jesus was; all we know is what the early church wanted to say about Jesus. There are still people who hold similar views. It is true that the gospel writers are more interested in preaching the gospel than they are in giving us a history lesson. But there’s no need to take such a negative view.

I think that the dynamic of the so-called ‘messianic secret’ goes like this:

You have a group of people who are looking forward to the coming of God’s promised messiah. They have a clear view of what God’s messiah will do when he comes. He will kick out the Romans and put himself on the throne in place of the pagan emperor. And God will be back!

When Jesus arrives on the scene, looking and acting like the messiah, some will see in him as their best hope of getting an army together and re-establishing the kingdom of Israel.

In John 6, in the story of Jesus feeding the multitude, we read

When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.’

When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

The book of Acts starts with the disciples asking Jesus that very question:

So when they had come together, they asked him,
‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ (Acts 1:6)

Jesus has to deal with that question – after his resurrection and before his ascension into heaven. They still haven’t grasped it! That God’s messiah is not the warrior king, but the suffering servant, the one who wraps himself in a towel and washes feet; the one who, rather than attacking Pontius Pilate with a sword, submits humbly. As Philippians (2:6ff) says, Christ Jesus:

…though he was in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God

as something to be exploited,

but emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave,

being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to the point of death—

even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him…

You think you know what the messiah will be like? Let me enlighten you. You think you know what sort of God you want? Let me paint you a picture: that God is humble and gives up the way of power, choosing rather the path of suffering.

So, in order to paint that picture – the messiah as humble, suffering servant – Jesus needs to make sure that the news doesn’t get out too quickly. If all the world hears that Jesus is the messiah, before he has had chance to define what messiah is, then Jesus will not be able to walk the path that will lead him to the Cross, to death and resurrection. They’ll want an earthly king, not a humble servant.

Jesus’s kingdom is “not of this world” (John 18:36), as he tells Pilate. If it was, my disciples would be fighting you with weapons. Its values are not those of earthly power but of heavenly love, compassion and mercy. Jesus’s kingship will be established only the other side of the cross and resurrection.

What do we want from God? A mighty king who will sort out our problems? Or one who humbly loves us and shares our earthly life with us?

As a footnote, let me say that the church has invented its own version of the messianic secret. We believe in the God whom Jesus makes known, but we keep it to ourselves. It’s a little secret, just for us. Let me tell you the embargo has been lifted. Please feel free to share your faith with those around you!