Greetings in Christ,
One thing has always baffled me as I read the different accounts of Jesus in the scriptures. He tells those who He had healed not to say anything to anyone. He also has admitted to the apostles He spoke in parables so the people would not know what He was really trying to say. Jesus goes even further to tell the disciples they are not to tell the people who He was. He takes it step farther to command the demons not to say who He was after He has cast them out of people. I have a hard time believing the Son of God did not want people to know who He was as He walked the earth.
There is a certain amount of recognition Jesus wanted to keep under control. He wanted to be able to move in the shadows to come and go as He felt He needed to move. He chose times to be private with those who He reached out to heal, and He only disclosed the true meaning of the parables to the disciples. He wanted to keep private in many instances to help minimize any unnecessary attention He felt would distract His ministry on earth.
My first thoughts. Jesus was being humble in His approach to the people. He did not want to be a showboat in what He could do so that it would create the wrong outcome He desired. While this may be a good answer to how Jesus may have been handling the situation at the time, I do not think it is the whole reason for His actions. Being humble certainly has its qualities and is necessary for Jesus to have humbleness which He demonstrated by coming to earth as a child. Humbleness was not the real driving source behind His actions.
The more I considered it and thought about it, it hit me. Jesus wanted the people to seek Him out intentionally. While His recognition was overwhelming and His desire to heal the people was present, His real desire for the people was for them to purposely seek Him. He knew the only way people would truly appreciate Him was for them to want to know Him, and for them to know Him beyond the surface of what was going on physically. Jesus wanted the people to seek Him with their hearts.
Paul writes to the Galatians telling them to not forget what it looks like to be a Christian-to know Jesus. Paul reminds them they must set aside the desires of the flesh and seek the desires of the Spirit. He writes to them in detail what it looks like to live in the flesh, but then gives them what it looks like to live in the Spirit. The two cannot coexist in a person’s life and they must choose which way they desire to live their lives. They cannot go back and forth in their lifestyle.
This is what Jesus was trying to establish with the people as He walked the earth. Life was more than the surface of the physical realm. While He wanted to heal the sick and tell them He was the Son of God, He knew there had to be more depth to their desire; a desire which comes from within the heart. He wanted them to realize their actions were more than being able to walk, talk, or hear; they needed to have hearts opened to realize the truth He had to share.
Jesus wanted them to have the desire to possess the qualities Paul shared with the Galatians. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”
Jesus had a method to His approach to the people, and it was truly for their purpose He did. It was not about the physical change, but rather the spiritual change He desired for them to seek with their whole heart.
“How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion! Passing through the valley of Baca they make it a spring; the early rain also covers it with blessings. They go from strength to strength, every one of them appears before God in Zion. O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah. Behold our shield, O God, and look upon the face of Your anointed. For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts, how blessed is the man who trusts in You!” Psalm 84:5-12
Lord may we seek You with our whole heart, and may we possess the fruits of the Spirit. Amen
Blessings,