Matthew 12 16

Matthew 12:16 kjv

And charged them that they should not make him known:

Matthew 12:16 nkjv

Yet He warned them not to make Him known,

Matthew 12:16 niv

He warned them not to tell others about him.

Matthew 12:16 esv

and ordered them not to make him known.

Matthew 12:16 nlt

but he warned them not to reveal who he was.

Matthew 12 verses

Matthew 12 16 Meaning

This verse describes Jesus instructing those He had healed not to reveal His identity or what He had done for them. This command to secrecy, often referred to as the "Messianic Secret," was a recurring pattern in Jesus' ministry. It indicates His intentional control over the disclosure of His divine person and mission, particularly to avoid premature or misunderstood revelations that could hinder His ultimate purpose, which included His suffering and death on the cross.

Matthew 12 16 Context

Matthew chapter 12 details increasing opposition from the religious authorities against Jesus' ministry. It opens with Jesus' disciples plucking grain on the Sabbath, followed by Jesus healing a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, directly challenging Pharisaic interpretations of the law. These actions lead the Pharisees to plot against Him (Mt 12:14). Jesus, aware of their intentions, withdraws from there, yet crowds follow Him, and He heals all of them (Mt 12:15). Verse 16, where Jesus commands them not to make Him known, immediately follows these events. This directive for secrecy sets the stage for the following verses, where Matthew explicitly links Jesus' actions to the prophetic servant described in Isaiah 42:1-4, who will not strive nor cry out publicly. This portrays Jesus as the quiet, humble Servant rather than an overt, political revolutionary.

Matthew 12 16 Word analysis

• and charged them:

  • Greek: kai parēngeilen autois (καὶ παρήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς).
  • Parēngeilen comes from paraggellō, which means to command, instruct, give an authoritative order, or charge. It denotes a strong, authoritative directive, not merely a polite request. It emphasizes Jesus' authority over those He healed and their implicit obligation to obey.
  • This phrase indicates Jesus' deliberate control over the narrative and the timing of the full revelation of His identity.

• that they should not:

  • Greek: hina mē (ἵνα μὴ).
  • This grammatical construction functions as a negative purpose clause or a negative command, explicitly conveying the strong prohibition against their actions. It reinforces the authoritative nature of the "charged" verb.

• make him known:

  • Greek: phaneron poiēsōsin (φανερὸν ποιήσωσιν).
  • Phaneron (φανερὸν) means "manifest, visible, evident, clear, public."
  • Poiēsōsin (ποιήσωσιν) from poieō means "to do, to make, to render."
  • Combined, the phrase means "to make Him manifest" or "to make Him evident/public." This refers to publicly disclosing His person, His divine nature, or the specific miraculous works He had performed.
  • The secrecy was about preventing public proclamation that could lead to misunderstandings, political uprisings against Rome, or an attempt to force Jesus into a role (e.g., political king) contrary to His divine mission. It ensured that His suffering servant role and ultimate death and resurrection, rather than popular acclamation, defined His Messiahship.

• "and charged them that they should not make him known":

  • This phrase captures the essence of the "Messianic Secret" within Matthew's Gospel. The Messianic Secret served several theological and practical purposes in Jesus' ministry:
    • Controlling the Pace of Revelation: Jesus was revealing His identity progressively. Premature or uncontrolled proclamation might have led to an immediate, politically-driven rebellion, diverting from God's intended spiritual and redemptive plan culminating in the cross.
    • Avoiding Misunderstanding: Many Jews expected a conquering king or political liberator. Publicizing miracles without proper context might reinforce these earthly expectations, leading people to embrace the wrong understanding of the Messiah. Jesus desired faith rooted in His true nature and mission, not sensationalism.
    • Protecting His Ministry's Timetable: Public fame and direct confrontation with authorities before His "hour" had come could prematurely end His teaching, healing, and discipleship-training ministry.
    • Fulfilling Prophecy: As evidenced by Matthew's direct reference to Isaiah 42:1-4 immediately following this verse, Jesus' quiet and gentle approach, avoiding public outcry, was a fulfillment of the Suffering Servant prophecy. His humility and reluctance for public show aligned with the Father's purpose for Him.

Matthew 12 16 Bonus section

The "Messianic Secret" is a prominent scholarly concept, especially discussed in relation to Mark's Gospel. While more explicit in Mark, its presence in Matthew 12:16 (and other instances like Mt 8:4, 9:30, 16:20) shows Matthew's portrayal of Jesus as careful and strategic in His self-revelation. This temporary command contrasts sharply with Jesus' post-resurrection Great Commission (Mt 28:19), where disciples are explicitly commanded to "go and make disciples of all nations." This progression demonstrates that the secrecy was for a specific, preparatory phase of Jesus' earthly ministry, concluding with the triumph of the cross and empty tomb, which provided the ultimate, non-misleading revelation of His glory and purpose.

Matthew 12 16 Commentary

Matthew 12:16 underscores Jesus' strategic and deliberate approach to His public ministry. Following a string of healing miracles, which would naturally attract widespread attention and adoration, Jesus issues a strict command for secrecy. This was not a desire to hide His identity forever, but a calculated measure to manage the public perception of His Messiahship according to God's divine timetable and purpose. At this stage, open declarations of His power or divine identity by those He healed might have fueled misinformed political expectations of the Messiah, turning Him into a revolutionary leader against Rome, which was not His primary mission. Furthermore, such early widespread fame could hinder the quieter work of discipling and teaching necessary to lay the foundation for the kingdom of God. Importantly, as subsequent verses reveal, this quiet approach fulfilled specific Old Testament prophecy concerning the Messiah as God's humble and gentle Servant (Isa 42:1-4), rather than a public figure seeking renown. The command for silence highlights Jesus' sovereignty over His mission, ensuring that His life would progress according to the Father's will, culminating in His redemptive suffering and resurrection, which alone could fully reveal His true glory.