Evangelical Theological College

Essay on Mark

Investigating the Authorial Intent Behind the

Messianic Secret in the Gospel of Mark

Submitted to: Nathan Kidder

Course: New Testament 1

Natnael Emishaw

Id 202271, Box I-5

Addis Ababa

25 October 2023
The Gospel of Mark is traditionally attributed to John Mark, who is widely regarded as a close
associate and interpreter of the Apostle Peter. According to early church father Eusebius, Mark
meticulously adhered to Peter's teachings, faithfully preserving every detail without introducing
any false statements or omitting essential information from his account. This strong connection
between Mark and Peter has long been held in high regard within the Christian tradition,
reinforcing the authenticity and reliability of the Gospel of Mark.1

As the concept of Markan Priority gained prominence, it became widely accepted that the Gospel
of Mark aimed to provide a historical account of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. This
perspective, which prioritizes Mark as the earliest of the synoptic Gospels, emphasized its role as
a foundational source for the narratives of Jesus' life. Scholars and theologians alike saw Mark's
Gospel as a crucial link in understanding the development of Christian scripture.

However, this perception of Mark's purpose and historical significance faced a notable challenge
with the publication of William Wrede's groundbreaking work, "Messianic Secrets." Wrede's
book introduced a novel interpretation of the Gospel of Mark, suggesting that it was not simply a
historical narrative but contained deliberate theological elements known as "Messianic Secrets."
This critical insight challenged prevailing assumptions about the Gospel's intent, marking a
significant turning point in the scholarly study of Mark's Gospel and opening up new avenues for
understanding its complexities.2

The idea of the messianic secret is introduced in Mark 1:24 when a man possessed by an unclean
spirit recognizes Jesus as the "Holy One of God." Jesus silences the spirit and forbids it from
speaking. This subject continues in Mark 1:34 when Jesus prevents demons from revealing his
true identity as the Son of God. The secret motif is also seen in instances of miraculous healing,
such as when Jesus heals a leper in Mark 1:40-45 and instructs him to keep it quiet. Similarly, in
Mark 7:31-37, Jesus heals a deaf man and tells him not to speak about it, although he disregards
the command. In Mark 8:22-26, Jesus heals a blind man and advises him not to return to the
village. The secret motif is also associated with Jesus being a heavenly being, as seen in Mark
8:27-30 when Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ, but Jesus commands his disciples to keep it a
secret. In Mark 9:2-9, Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John, revealing his divine
nature, yet he again orders them to remain silent. The purpose of keeping this secret is unclear,
1
Mark L. Strauss, Four Portraits One Jesus (Michigan, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007) 143-147
2
Adam Winn, The Purpose of Mark’s Gospel (Germany: Mohr Siebeck, Tubingen, 2008) 5-6
considering that Jesus came to bring salvation to the world. However, at the beginning of his
ministry, he instructs those who know the truth to keep it hidden, but why?

William Wrede, a theologian with a liberal and rationalistic perspective, developed an

interpretation of the Messianic Secret that centered around two key ideas. Firstly, Wrede argued
that Jesus did not openly proclaim himself as the Messiah during his earthly ministry. Instead,
according to Wrede, the notion of Jesus as the Messiah was a later invention by his disciples.
Wrede proposed that the disciples fabricated this story in order to explain why Jesus never made
a public declaration of his Messiahship.3

Wrede believed that the disciples claimed Jesus had privately revealed his Messiahship to them.
This private revelation, according to Wrede, allowed the disciples to maintain their belief in
Jesus as the Messiah, despite the lack of public confirmation. By creating this narrative, the
disciples could explain why Jesus instructed them to keep his Messiahship a secret.

Wrede's interpretation suggests that the purpose of the Messianic Secret was to reconcile the lack
of public messianic claims by Jesus with the later belief in him as the Messiah. It served as a way
for the disciples to explain why Jesus did not openly declare himself as the Messiah during his
lifetime. This interpretation reflects Wrede's skepticism towards supernatural elements and his
inclination to view religious beliefs as products of human invention.4

Contrary to Wrede’s assumptions, the selective silence in certain instances can be understood as
a narrative technique employed by the author to create suspense and gradually unveil Jesus' true
identity as the Messiah. This suggests that the Messianic Secret in the Gospel of Mark is not
solely about concealing Jesus' Messiahship itself, but rather about the timing and manner in
which it is revealed. By strategically withholding information and then punctuating the narrative
with explicit messianic references, in instances like (Mk. 1.44; 7.36) and Bartimaeus'
proclamation (Mk. 10.47-49), the author emphasizes the significance of these moments and
reinforces the belief in Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. Therefore, while Wrede's
interpretation sheds light on the disciples' role in shaping the narrative, it is essential to consider
the nuanced portrayal of silence and revelation throughout the Gospel of Mark.5
3
Ronal V. Huggins, “The Messianic Secret in Wrede Versus The Messianic Secret in Mark” Midwestern Journal of
theology 13.1 (2014): 118-119
4
Ibid.,
5
N.T. Write and Michel F. Bird, The New Testament in Its World (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2019) 514-
515
Investigation and Analysis of the Secrecy Motif in Mark

In investigating the authorial intent behind the Messianic Secret, it is important to note that Jesus'
commands for silence are part of a larger arrangement in which he simultaneously reveals and
conceals his true identity. On one hand, Jesus openly preaches and proclaims the coming of the
kingdom (1:14-15), performs supernatural acts in public (1:34; 2:1-2; 4:35-41; 6:30-44), and
even pronounces his messianic mission of atonement (10:45). These actions clearly indicate that
Jesus is not hesitant to reveal who he is and what his mission is.

However, at other times, Jesus strictly commands demons and unclean spirits (1:24; 1:34; 3:12)
not to speak or silently leave. It seems that supernatural beings, such as demons, have knowledge
of Jesus' true identity as the divine one from God. However, at this point, Jesus either did not
want this message to be spread or he did not want the demons to be the ones announcing him, or
possibly both. This selective silence suggests that Jesus is intentionally controlling the narrative
and the manner in which his Messiahship is revealed.6

In other instances, Jesus orders those whom he healed to tell no one about what happened to
them including his disciples (1:43; 5:43; 7:33-36; and 8:22-26, 8:30; 9:9). The crowd was
already speculating about who Jesus was, with some calling him Elijah or a prophet of old
(6:15), John the Baptist (6:14; 8:28), or even a political leader like David (11:10). Therefore,
silencing the crowd may have served at least two purposes. First, it allowed Jesus to have space
for himself and solitude for prayer, as he needed moments of retreat and connection with God.
Second, it aimed to lessen the misrepresentation and misunderstanding that was increasing
among the crowd. By controlling the narrative, Jesus could ensure that the true nature of his
Messiahship was not distorted by misguided interpretations.7

Overall, the selective silence in the Gospel of Mark can be seen as a narrative technique
employed by the author to create suspense and gradually unveil Jesus' true identity as the
Messiah. It is not solely about concealing Jesus' Messiahship itself, but rather about the timing

6
Greg Lanier, Why Did Jesus Commanded Others to Be Silent About Him? July 21, 2020
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/jesus-command-others-silent-messianic-secret/ (Accessed October 10,
2023)
7
Ibid.,
and manner in which it is revealed. By strategically withholding information and then
punctuating the narrative with explicit messianic references, the author emphasizes the
significance of these moments and reinforces the belief in Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah.
Therefore, while Wrede's interpretation sheds light on the disciples' role in shaping the narrative,
it is essential to consider the nuanced depiction of silence and revelation throughout the Gospel
of Mark.8

Jesus in Gentile Territory

This episode in Mark chapter 5:1-20 provides an interesting contrast to the instances of selective
silence discussed earlier. In this Gentile territory, Jesus encounters a man possessed by multiple
demons. Unlike in previous instances, Jesus does not command silence or conceal his true
identity. Instead, the demons themselves recognize Jesus as the Son of the Most High God and
openly acknowledge his power.

The demons urgently request Jesus to allow them to enter a herd of pigs, and Jesus grants their
request. The pigs then rush into the sea and drown. The herders witness this extraordinary event
and go to the nearby town to inform everyone about what had happened. The people from the
town come to see for themselves and find the formerly possessed man sitting calmly and in his
right mind.

In response to this miraculous transformation, fear fills the witnesses, and they request Jesus to
leave their region. However, the healed man implores Jesus to let him come along. Instead of
allowing him to join his disciples, Jesus instructs him to go back to his home and share what had
happened to him and how the Lord had shown him mercy.

The man obeys Jesus and proclaims throughout the Decapolis what Jesus has done for him. The
people in the Decapolis are amazed at the miraculous transformation of the formerly possessed
man.9

In this episode, there is no command for silence or concealment of Jesus' Messiahship. This can
be attributed to the fact that this is Gentile territory, where people would not have the same
8
Ibid.,
9
Kelly R. Iverson, Gentiles in the Gospel of Mark (New York: T&T Clark Int., 2007) 25-33
expectations of a conquering Messiah as the Jewish audience. Therefore, Jesus does not need to
redefine his role for them or control the narrative in the same way as he does with his Jewish
audience. Instead, the focus is on the power and mercy of Jesus, as demonstrated through the
healing of the possessed man. The man's proclamation of what Jesus has done for him serves as a
testimony to the Gentiles in the Decapolis, who respond with amazement.

This episode highlights the nuanced portrayal of silence and revelation in the Gospel of Mark.
While the Messianic Secret is a recurring theme in the narrative, its application is not universal.
The author strategically employs silence and revelation to emphasize the significance of certain
moments and reinforce the belief in Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. In this particular
instance, the absence of the Messianic Secret serves to highlight Jesus' power and mercy in a
Gentile context.10

In conclusion, the investigation of the authorial intent behind the Messianic Secret in the Gospel
of Mark reveals a deliberate and strategic use of silence and revelation by the author. The author
employs this literary device to highlight key moments in Jesus' ministry and to reinforce the
belief in him as the long-awaited Messiah. However, the application of the Messianic Secret is
not universal, as seen in episodes like the one in Mark 5:1-20, where Jesus openly reveals his
identity in a Gentile context. This nuanced portrayal of silence and revelation underscores Jesus'
power and mercy, ultimately serving to deepen the readers' understanding of his divine nature
and mission.

10
Mark Strauss, A Commentary by Mark Strauss https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/mark/ (Accessed
October 10, 2023)
Bibliography

Huggins, Ronald V. “The Messianic Secret in Wrede Versus The Messianic Secret in Mark”

Midwestern Journal of Theology 13.1 (2014): 118-119

Iverson, Kelly R. Gentiles in the Gospel of Mark (New York: T&T Clark Int., 2007)

Lanier, Greg. Why Did Jesus Command Others to Be Silent About Him? July 20, 2020

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/jesus-command-others-silent-messianic-secret/

(Accessed October 10, 2023)

Strauss, Mark L., Four Portraits One Jesus (Michigan, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007)

Strauss, Mark L. A Commentary by Mark Strauss.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/mark/

(Accessed October 10, 2023)

Winn, Adam, The Purpose of Mark’s Gospel (Germany: Mohr Siebeck, Tubingen, 2008)

Write, N.T. and Michel F. Bird. The New Testament in Its World (Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Zondervan, 2019)