Frequently in the gospels, we read where Jesus heals people - then immediately instructs them to not tell anyone who he was. Matthew 12:15-16 is just one example - that I read this morning. I've always wondered why Jesus was so adamant about telling the people to hush. I've heard a few different interpretations:
1. That Jesus wanted people to make up their own mind about him - and not be swayed by those who already knew him (but then - what does that say about evangelism today?)
2. That Jesus wasn't ready to reveal himself to the entire nation or world yet (but then - why did live and teach and heal so publicly?)
3. That it was some sort of reverse psychology - that Jesus actually wanted them to tell about him - so he forbid it - knowing full well it would make the rumours and stories about him even more prominent. (But where else does Jesus tell people to do something - and actually expect something else? This opens up a huge can of worms...)
But back in Matthew 12:17-21, Matthew gives us a reason by quoting from Isaiah. I have to admit that I'm still left wondering to some degree - but it does help a little...
In verse 19-20 (of Matthew) - the prophecy says that God's servant "will not quarrel or cry out... until he leads justice to victory." While this cannot be taken absolutely literally, since Jesus definitely quarrelled with the Pharisees and made some big public announcements - it can suggest that Jesus deliberately kept a lower profile than possible - until he decided to make his triumphal entry into Jerusalem - a few days before his very public crucifixion (it could also refer to the End Times - when Jesus will come back and establish his kingdom - in the final victory).
But it still leaves me to wonder: Why did he forbid others from talking about him? The quote from Isaiah simply talks about the "servant" - the "Messiah" - keeping a low profile - and not about needing anyone else to hush. Yet Jesus tried to keep others from talking about him as well. But regardless of why Jesus tried to keep the people hushed - we know that it didn't work - because people from all over Israel - and even from neighboring states - knew of him - and flocked to him - to receive teaching and healing. And they still do today...
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I remember an old saying from my days in the military. It went something like this: "It's difficult to remember that your intent is to drain the swamp when you're up to your behind in alligators." That's not to say that Jesus ever forgot why He had come to earth but, as He tells us in Matt. 9:37, the need was great but the workers were few.
And, once the word of His miracles began to spread, how many came, not to listen, but rather just to be healed.
More than once in Matthew we are told that Jesus "healed them all." And we may get some indication of the actual numbers of people that made up the "great multitudes" that followed Him a little later in chapters 14 and 15 when Matthew speaks of the numbers He fed, 5,000 and 4,000. And those numbers most likely only reflect the number of adult males; women and children being excluded from the count. Therefore, it is not difficult to image crowds of tens of thousands of people crowding in around him.
And unless these healings of large numbers of people were done en masse, which I greatly doubt, one can imagine the tremendous amount of time it must have taken just to have all of the sick and lame brought to pass before Him. Or else the time He took in walking among them, healing as He went. He did this, we are told, because "he was moved with compassion on them" (9:36). However, all of this healing undoubtedly took a great deal of His time. Time, I'm certain, He knew He had little of.
Jesus wanted time to spend in prayer with His heavenly Father; He wanted time to teach His disciples; He wanted time to spread His new message about salvation to the people but, wherever He went, the people demanded His time for their physical healings. And He just couldn't say no.
It's one thing to calmly walk into your house and say, "look mom and dad, I can see again." It quite another to go running down main street shouting at the top of your lungs that your sight has been restored by a man a couple of blocks away. I think when Jesus went into new towns and cities, while He couldn't refuse to heal the people, He just wanted them to "keep it down a little" so that He wasn't overrun by the masses. At least not until He had an opportunity to speak about who He was and why He had come.
Rob - thanks. That's another reason to add to my list of uncertainty...
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