The Messianic Secret in the Gospel of St. Mark the Evangelist

What is the Messianic Secret?

The Messianic secret is a theological characteristic of the Gospel of Mark

Jesus did not want His identity known

In the very first chapter of Mark, as Jesus was performing miracles and driving away demons, He did not permit the unclean spirits to speak. These unclean spirits knew who Jesus was [as the Holy One of God][Mark 1:34]. Jesus drove out these unclean spirits who would fall down before him and shout, "You are the Son of God." Jesus warned them not to make him known [Mark 3:12]. Other examples in the gospel is the story of Jairus' daughter raised from the dead [Mark 5:43]. Another incident is the healing of the Blind Man of Bethsaida. After healing the blind man, Jesus sent him home and said, "Do not even go into the village." [Mark 8:26]

The Messianic secret is part of the way Mark constructs his gospel

Bible scholars teach that the pivotal and key passage of the gospel of Mark is found in the confession of Peter in Mark 8:27-33. Before Peter confession, Mark leaves us in a state of mystery as to the identity of Jesus. It was this key passage at Caesarea Philippi when Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ that clearly confirms Jesus as the Messiah. It needs to be noted that though the identity of Jesus was clearly confirmed among his apostles, Jesus still warns them not to tell anyone about Him. And as the gospel of Mark slowly unfolds, one can understand why Jesus did not want Himself to be fully known as the Messiah. One reason was because His being a Messiah is not according to what the apostles and the Jewish people know a Messiah should be. Yes, he was the Messiah as exclaimed by Peter, but his being a Messiah involved suffering and great hardship. [This was in opposition to the expectation of the Jewish people who believe that the Messiah is a political figure - one who will deliver them from their colonizers]. Peter himself did not understand at first though he correctly exclaimed the truth. Peter was also thinking along the same lines as the Jewish people. Therefore, the Messianic secret was constructed by the evangelist Mark to make his readers gradually perceive who Jesus is and what his Messiahship involves and entails.

The Messianic secret partly revealed in Peter's confession is further revealed by Jesus' three predictions of his passion and his teaching on discipleship

Jesus slowly reveals that his being a Messiah is a call to be the suffering servant of God. This is backed up by Jesus announcing three times how he must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, condemned to die on the cross, and rise after three days [Mark 8:31; 9:31; and 10:32-34]. Three predictions of the passion were given after that pivotal and key passage of the confession of Peter. This is the development of the meaning of Jesus being the Messiah: from the politically-influenced concept known by the people of Israel, to the real meaning of Messiah as the suffering servant of God. This also has an implication to the life of the apostles: since Jesus taught that his being a Messiah involved great suffering and rejection from the people, He says that those who follow him also need to take up the conditions of discipleship: one that involves service, self-denial, taking up one's cross and giving one's life for others to gain eternal life.

The Messianic secret is totally lifted at the end of the Gospel

During the account of the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin, the titles 'Christ', 'Son of God', and 'Son of Man' are brought together. These titles slowly moves into the full revelation of the Messianic secret in the gospel of Mark. The full revelation of this Messianic secret is found in the centurion confession at the foot of the Cross. When the centurion who stood facing Jesus at the cross saw how Jesus breathed His last, the centurion exclaimed, "Truly this man was the Son of God!" [Mark 15:39]. In summary, this is how the Messianic secret was revealed: First was Peter's confession. Second were the three predictions of Christ's passion and death, together with the conditions of discipleship for the apostles. Third and last was the centurion's confession. The Messianic secret is: Jesus is not a glorious King who will save Israel from its oppressors; rather, He is the suffering servant [prophesied by Isaiah] who will die on a cross but rise again to save mankind from its sins.

What does the Messianic secret have to do with our Christian living?

Oftentimes, in every Christian's life, the sacrifice that Christ has made for all is taken for granted. The faithful forget that Jesus did this at a great cost - by His suffering and death on the cross. But, Christ has revealed to us that sin and death are not the end realities of man. It is only the beginning of new life in His name. Therefore, in the journey of living as Christians, every experience of difficulty must be seen in the light of Christ's life. Christians are called to see the difficulties of their state in the light of the cross of Christ. But this should be seen in the context of His resurrection. Human suffering and death is not the end. Eternal life with Christ is the end. As Jesus the Son of God suffered, died and rose again from the dead, all who have place their faith and hope in Him, shall also overcome sin and death, and rise again with Christ to eternal life and glory in His kingdom.