elite followers

March 3, 2019

Tell no one (Lk 9:21-9:21)

“Jesus sternly ordered them.

He commanded them

Not to tell anyone.”

 

ὁ δὲ ἐπιτιμήσας αὐτοῖς παρήγγειλεν μηδενὶ λέγειν τοῦτο,

 

Luke said that Jesus sternly ordered them (ὁ δὲ ἐπιτιμήσας αὐτοῖς) and commanded them (παρήγγειλεν) not to tell anyone (μηδενὶ λέγειν τοῦτο).  This warning about the messianic secret can be found in all 3 synoptic gospels, Matthew, chapter 16:20, Mark, chapter 8:30, and here.  However, this warning came right after Peter’s response in Mark and Luke, since they did not have the unique Matthew comment about the reward for Peter.  Jesus, in some ironic way, did not want the people to know that he was the Messiah or the Christ.  Thus, the name “Jesus Christ” did not take hold until after his death and resurrection.  Mark simply said that Jesus sternly ordered, instructed, or charged his disciples that they were not to tell anyone that Jesus was the Christ or the Israelite Messiah.  Matthew also said that Jesus sternly ordered, instructed, or charged his disciples so that they were not to tell anyone that he was the Christ or the Israelite Messiah, just like he had done earlier.  This messianic secret was even stronger in Mark.  Only the elite followers of Jesus knew that he was the Christ messiah, much like a gnostic special knowledge.  How much knowledge do you have about Jesus?

September 25, 2018

Jesus says to tell no one (Mk 8:30-8:30)

“Jesus sternly

Ordered them

Not to tell

Anyone

About him.”

 

καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτοῖς ἵνα μηδενὶ λέγωσιν περὶ αὐτοῦ.

 

This warning about the messianic secret can be found in all 3 synoptic gospels, Matthew, chapter 16:20, Luke, chapter 9:21, and here.  However, this warning came right after Peter’s response in Mark and Luke, since they did not have the unique Matthew reward for Peter.  Jesus, in some ironic way, did not want the people to know that he was the Messiah or the Christ.  Thus, the name “Jesus Christ” did not take hold until after his death and resurrection.  Mark said that Jesus sternly ordered, instructed, or charged his disciples (καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτοῖς) that they were not to tell anyone about Jesus (ἵνα μηδενὶ λέγωσιν περὶ αὐτοῦ) that he was the Christ or the Israelite Messiah.  Only the elite followers of Jesus knew that he was the Christ messiah, much like a gnostic special knowledge.

August 27, 2018

The Messianic secret (Mk 3:12-3:12)

“Jesus sternly ordered them

Not to make him known.”

 

καὶ πολλὰ ἐπετίμα αὐτοῖς ἵνα μὴ αὐτὸν φανερὸν ποιήσωσιν.

 

Mark said that Jesus strictly or sternly ordered, rebuked, chided, warned or admonished these unclean spirits (καὶ πολλὰ ἐπετίμα αὐτοῖς) that they should not make it known that he was the Son of God (ἵνα μὴ αὐτὸν φανερὸν ποιήσωσιν).  This warning about the messianic secret can be found in all 3 synoptic gospels.  Jesus, in some ironic way, did not want the people to know that he was the Messiah, the Christ, or the Son of God.  Thus, the name “Jesus Christ” did not take hold until after his death and resurrection.  Only these unclean spirits and a few elite followers of Jesus knew that he was the Christ messiah, the Son of God, much like a gnostic special knowledge.  Somehow, Jesus had power over these unclean spirits.

May 17, 2018

The Messianic secret (Mt 16:20-16:20)

“Then Jesus sternly instructed

The disciples

Not to tell anyone

That he was the Christ.”

 

τότε ἐπετίμησεν τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἵνα μηδενὶ εἴπωσιν ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός.

 

This warning about the messianic secret can be found in all 3 synoptic gospels, Mark, chapter 8:30, Luke, chapter 9:21, and here.  However, this warning came right after the Peter’s response in Mark and Luke since they did not have the unique Matthew reward for Peter.  Jesus, in some ironic way, did not want the people to know that he was the Messiah or the Christ.  Thus, the name “Jesus Christ” did not take hold until after his death and resurrection.  Then Jesus sternly ordered, instructed, or charged his disciples (τότε ἐπετίμησεν τοῖς μαθηταῖς) that they were not to tell anyone (ἵνα μηδενὶ εἴπωσιν) that he was the Christ (ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός) or the Israelite Messiah, just like he had done in chapter 8:4 and chapter 12:16.  This messianic secret was even stronger in Mark.  Only the elite followers of Jesus knew that he was the Christ messiah, much like a gnostic special knowledge.