{"id":16076,"date":"2022-06-02T11:03:19","date_gmt":"2022-06-02T18:03:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/kermitzarleyblog\/?p=16076"},"modified":"2022-06-02T11:03:19","modified_gmt":"2022-06-02T18:03:19","slug":"what-is-the-messianic-secret","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/kermitzarleyblog\/2022\/06\/what-is-the-messianic-secret\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is “The Messianic Secret”?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/a>Jesus was a citizen of Nazareth in Galilee. Yet, like any righteous Jewish man, he attended many of the feasts at Jerusalem. Once, he was at the Feast of Dedication and walking in the temple. We read in the Gospel of John, \u201cSo the Jews gathered around him and said to him, \u2018How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly'\u201d (John 10.24 NRSV).<\/p>\n

This question, about whether Jesus was the Messiah, reflects what New Testament (NT) scholars call \u201cthe Messianic Secret.\u201d It refers to a situation that appears multiple times in all four NT gospels; but it emerges more prominently in the Gospel of Mark.<\/p>\n

The Messianic Secret means that during Jesus\u2019 itinerant ministry of 2-3 years, he didn\u2019t go around proclaiming publicly that he was Israel\u2019s Messiah promised in its scriptures. Why? It was because God had an exact date when he planned for Jesus to die on the cross. It was to be during Passover due to its meaning that applies to Jesus\u2019 death as the passover lamb.<\/p>\n

However, Jesus did on occasion admit privately that he was the Messiah. He did so to the Samaritan woman at Jacob\u2019s well. Not knowing her, Jesus told her she had been married and divorced five times. She then said Jesus must be a prophet. We read, \u201cThe woman said to him, \u2018I know that Messiah is coming\u2019 (who is called Christ). \u2018When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.\u2019 Jesus said to her, \u2018I am he, the one who is speaking to you'\u201d (John 4.25-26).<\/p>\n

Another time, Jesus got away from the crowds by taking his apostles to Caesarea Philippi for some important, private teaching. Matthew reports, \u201che asked his disciples, \u2018Who do people say that the Son of Man is?\u2019 And they said, \u2018Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets'\u201d (Matt. 16.13-14). Here arises an important point about the identity of \u201cthe Son of Man\u201d whom Jesus spoke about so much, sometimes in the third person as here. Some distinguished NT scholars, e.g., Rudolf Bultmann, have said that Jesus never identified himself as the Son of Man. But then, Bultmann was a form critical scholar who sought to de-mythologize the NT gospels and therefore did not accept this Matthew account as reliable.<\/p>\n

For, we read next, \u201cHe said to them, \u2018But who do you say that I am?'\u201d (Matt. 16.15). This remark shows that Jesus previously applied the title Son of Man to himself.<\/p>\n

We read next, \u201cSimon Peter answered, \u2018You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.\u2019 And Jesus answered him, \u2018Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven'\u201d (Matt. 16.16-17). Although Jesus did not respond by saying more expressly that Peter had answered correctly, their Master\u2019s response is an obvious admission that Peter was indeed correct, that Jesus is the Messiah. But again, this revelation was made made privately, this time to his apostles.<\/p>\n

When the proper time came, Jesus admitted publicly that he was indeed the Messiah. Matthew relates that at Jesus\u2019 hearing before selected members of the Sanhedrin, the High Priest Caiphas asked him, as those Jews had done earlier at the festival, \u201c\u2018Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.\u2019 Jesus said to him, \u2018You have said so'\u201d (Matt. 26.63-64 NRSV; cf. Luke 22.70). Jesus answered them vaguely to avoid being a witness to himself. But Mark records that he answered, \u201cI am\u201d (Mark 14.62; cf. 15.2). Matthew likely provides Jesus\u2019 answer as the ipsissma verba<\/em> (exact words). Mark\u2019s definitive \u201cI am\u201d probably represents the ipsissma vox<\/em> (similar words).For more information about this difference in gospel reporting, see my The Gospels Interwoven<\/em><\/a> (pp. 279, 365-66).<\/p>\n

Many people think that the Sanhedrin\u2013Israel\u2019s ruling council at Jersusalem\u2013condemned Jesus to death because he admitted to being the Messiah. Not so! In the history of Israel, or the Jews, there were many false messiahs; but Israel didn\u2019t condemn them to death and have them executed for it. Rather, the Sanhedrin condemned Jesus as a blasphemer worthy of death because of what he said next.<\/p>\n

Matthew records that after Jesus answered them, \u201cYou have said so,\u201d he added, \u201cBut I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven\u201d (Matt. 26.64). In saying this, Jesus joined together two prophecies in scripture about the Messiah and the Son of Man, in Psalm 110.1 (cf. Ps 2) and Daniel 7.13.<\/p>\n

Then Matthew records next, \u201cThen the high priest tore his clothes and said, \u2018He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?\u2019 The answered, \u2018He deserves death'\u201d (Matt. 26.65-66).<\/p>\n

I conclude this section in my book by saying (p. 366), \u201cIn conclusion, some uncertainty exists regarding the exact wording and chronological order of statements in this part of Jesus\u2019 trial. Although some ambiguity exists in Jesus\u2019 answer to the high priest, his quotations from the OT [Old Testament] unequivocably [sic.] identified himself to the Sanhedrin as the Messiah, the Son of God, for which his accusers charged him with blasphemy and condemned him to death.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jesus was a citizen of Nazareth in Galilee. Yet, like any righteous Jewish man, he attended many of the feasts at Jerusalem. Once, he was at the Feast of Dedication and walking in the temple. We read in the Gospel of John, \u201cSo the Jews gathered around him and said to him, \u2018How long will […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1477,"featured_media":16079,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,494],"tags":[846,6154,6638,6635,785],"class_list":["post-16076","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-christology","category-jesus","tag-high-priest-caiaphas","tag-jesus-of-nazareth","tag-jesus-identity","tag-the-messianic-secret","tag-the-son-of-man"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Is "The Messianic Secret"?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Jesus was a citizen of Nazareth in Galilee. 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