“And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” (Matt. 8:4)
Our Lord is in the midst of a large crowd, a person requests healing of the flesh, of an infirmity removed, He in all mercy grants that request and heals them, and then many times in the middle of a large group of onlookers, He tells them not to tell anyone.
I mean this in no offensive way, but isn’t it a little late for that, everyone present just witnessed another of perhaps thousands of such miracles.
I know there should be an answer for this, but I cannot figure it out and I have never read a good explanation for it.
“And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” (John 5:40)
They came for physical healing, they came to ask for healings for others, they approached Him in humility and yelled for Him from great distances, all wanted something from Him, and when they received what they asked for, in many cases, He told them not to speak of what He had done for them to anyone. It was not because of the possibility of pride entering into our Lord, that is impossible.
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:” (James 1:13)
And the Lord Jesus Christ is God, whether at the right hand of the Father in heaven or when He was walking amongst us in the flesh.
In the loosest terminology, the Almighty created pride, or if you prefer, the ability of angels and man to move toward that sin against Him. The Lord Jesus Christ could not fall into a creation of His own design, so then because of pride is completely out of the question.
“And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.” (1st John 3:5)
“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb. 4:15)
Hundreds of people right there to witness another miracle, and He tells them not to tell anyone about it. Again, no offense, but it’s a little late for that, isn’t it?
Jesus Christ is God, God is the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is Jesus Christ.
“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” (1st John 5:7)
The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, He was tempted just as we are, yet it was impossible for Him to sin, so the question of why He told so many, whether in those large crowds or in one on one settings not to tell anyone about what He had done for them has nothing to do with pride, vanity or any other sin we are susceptible to.
“For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.” (John 12:49)
Doing all that we do for the glory of God is to draw attention away from ourselves and to let others know that whatever good we do for others is not in us but comes from the Almighty. Our Lord made it quite clear while He was here that it was our Father in heaven that our focus was to be upon.
“And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40)
“Thy will be done” was the centralized focus of everything our Savior did.
“And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:17)
So, if nothing else, why not tell them to give God the glory instead of telling them to speak to no one about what had been done for them?
I fear I have failed you in this short letter today, for I have no answers for you on this subject, only more questions, but perhaps that is a good thing. When our faith is tested beyond physical infirmities, beyond the trials and tribulations of this life, when our faith is tested with questions from the Word of God that have no answers in this life, then it is the Rock of our salvation we must remain upon, for if we do not, our adversary will do all he can to create doubts in our minds, and doubts weaken faith.
Our Lord said what He said to those people, and again, in no disrespectful way, I am glad they disobeyed Him and told all who would listen.
You do the same.
