Mark 3:7-12-- Jesus' Work and Humility

Jesus withdrew to the sea with His disciples; and a great multitude from Galilee followed; and also from Judea, and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, a great number of people heard of all that He was doing and came to Him. And He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the crowd, so that they would not crowd Him; for He had healed many, with the result that all those who had afflictions pressed around Him in order to touch Him. Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they would fall down before Him and shout, "You are the Son of God!" And He earnestly warned them not to tell who He was.

This is a summary of Jesus’ ministry, as stated already. Many people from different places are coming to gain healing from him and to learn his teaching. Although these people are coming from such a variety of places—some of which are Gentile regions— they are religiously all Jews, committed to the covenant of Moses. The crowds made it difficult for Jesus to teach, and so he sometimes taught from a boat, or just sailed away to escape the large crowds. Again, the spirits who were attacking people because of their sins were trying to expose Jesus, but Jesus wanted his identity well-known in the spirit world to be kept quiet on earth.

Jesus wanted his identity to be kept secret because he was told by God that he was the Son of God in a secret manner. He had no right to announce boldly who the Father said who He was until the Father told him to. He acted like He was the Son of God, the Messiah. He acted like the healing king supporting the poor wherever he want. And some recognized his actions for what they were. But he remained quiet and asked others to do the same.

Even so, we need to remain silent about our gifts and the things God has told us. We can tell a select few, but we must not proclaim that which is told privately to us. If it is told privately, then it is to remain private. This is a part of our humility, a part of our submission to God.