Why did Jesus charge His disciples to keep His Identity confidential?

Welcome to our weekly exhortation. Thank you for your time. Thank you for your enthusiasm and dedication with which you follow this podcast. My name is Guy Lamé, Servant of God, Servant of Jesus Christ. Today we want to reflect a bit about the reason why Jesus charged his disciples not to tell anyone that he is Jesus the Christ. Praise the Lord. The coming of Jesus into this world as the Savior of man from their sin is no secret to the Jews. His birth echoed in Israel and in the world because he is God. Years later, in the beginning of his ministry, Jesus did miracles and wonders. Despite all this, the incredulous Jews still doubted his divine identity. Following the confession of Jesus' disciples acknowledging that he is the Christ, son of the living God, Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone that he was Jesus the Christ. Why did Jesus charge his disciples to keep his identity confidential? Praise the Lord. We remember the good profession Peter has professed before Jesus. He says, Thou art Christ, the son of the living God. The Bible says that after this profession, Jesus told his disciples, Tell no man that I am Jesus the Christ, Matthew chapter 16, verse 20. How can we explain this prohibition of Jesus to his disciples? Praise the Lord. Well, the reason was simply that the Jews had a false understanding of the role of Christ. They believed that Christ would be a political leader who would lead Israel to independence to make it a powerful and prosperous country. In fact, many in Israel believed that a revolution would overthrow the Roman Empire and usher in the promised kingdom in the Old Testament. The Jews thought that with the arrival of Jesus, Israel's long-awaited freedom from captivity was imminent. Can you imagine? Even the apostle of Jesus hoped for an earthly kingdom like that of David. That is what their question to Jesus indicates in Acts chapter 1 verse 6. They asked Jesus, Lord, is it at this time that you are restoring the kingdom to Israel? See, after following Jesus for a number of years, the apostles still believe in earthly and material restoration of the kingdom of God. Surprising, isn't it? This shows that at some point, even the disciples have not understood the reason why Jesus came. That is exactly how many Christians especially think as well today. Friend, it is important to remind you the context in which Israel was at that time. The fact is that Israel was captive to the Roman Empire and the Jews were oppressed and controlled by the Roman Empire for a period of approximately 600 years, from 63 before Christ to 135 in the years of the Lord. Even Jewish leaders came under Roman authority to decide how much religious freedom Israel would be permitted to exercise. So for a long time, Jews wanted to see the fulfillment of God's promise to make Israel a great and free nation. Israel was expecting the Messiah to free him from the Roman domination and crush the visible enemy because the Jew knew from prophecy that a Messiah would come. Hallelujah! But that was not God's plan at all. Even the Jew believed that Jesus would come to deliver them from the physical domination of the Roman Empire. God's plan was to deliver them from the bondage of sin. Therefore, to shout from the rooftops that Jesus was the Christ was to excite first messianic hopes among the people and risk a popular uprising to crown him king, I mean to crown Jesus king according to their understanding. And as we know, the Romans would not have tolerated such a move. They would have suppressed it immediately. It certainly didn't fit the plan of God for his people. It is precisely because Jesus was truly the Messiah that he needed to fulfill the scripture, I mean to suffer at the hand of the religious leaders. He put to death and raised the third day. Hallelujah! Matthew chapter 16 verse 21. Conclusion. You know, some wonder why Jesus ordered his disciples to keep secret the revelation that he is the Christ, the promised Messiah. This is because the Jews could not bear the idea that Jesus had not come as a conquering king to put an end to Roman domination. Jesus Christ knew very well how the Jew would react when they learned that he had not come to establish his kingdom yet. Telling his disciples not to tell people that he is the Christ was a way for Jesus to challenge the fact that the Jews think he was coming to establish his kingdom. Now, does this prohibition of Jesus apply to us today? I mean, what Jesus told his disciples not to tell anyone that he is Christ. Does that prohibition, that declaration apply to you and I today? Yes, of course. This could be implicitly applied to us in the sense that it is correct the misconception that Jesus came to automatically bring eternal life to those who believe in him. If Jesus told his disciples to keep his identity confidential, it is precisely because of this mindset of the Jew. Luke chapter 19 verse 11 tells us that the Jews thought that the kingdom of God would appear immediately when Jesus first came. It is against this background that Jesus taught the parable of the miners to correct at least partially that misconception. Hallelujah. Dear listeners, we have come to the end of today's exhortation. I hope you enjoy it. Please don't forget if you need to ask questions in your comments. I appreciate your faithfulness. If the Lord wills, we will be together next time. Shalom. They desired a baby then gold, gave him much fine gold, sweeter also than honey, than honey gold. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous all together. More to be desired are they than gold, gave him much fine gold, sweeter also than honey, than honey gold. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. More to be desired are they than gold, gave him much fine gold, sweeter also than honey, than honey gold.