GREAT THINGS ENTERPRISE
CLAUDE BLACK
Mark 7:36
Gotta Tell Someone
Sometimes, new information is too much to contain; it must be told. Alice and I were married for five years before our first son was born. When Alice found out she was pregnant, she waited three months before announcing it. It was hard for her to keep the new information secret, but she managed. She charged me not to tell anyone. She made a pretty, colorful maternity dress. Then, on a Sunday evening, she walked into my parents’ home at dinnertime, and everyone was surprised. When she went to her parents’ home, she received the same surprised, happy reception. At the church that evening, she was the center of attention.
St. Mark wrote about Jesus’ return to the Sea of Galilee from Tyre, and the healing of the deaf and stuttering man. “And he charged them that they should tell no one, but as much as he charged them, all the more they proclaimed it.” (Mark 7:36) The people who saw this miracle were “exceedingly amazed,” and the more Jesus urged them not to spread word of the event, the more they told others. Yes, some information is just too good or important to keep secret. It would be difficult for the deaf and stuttering man not to explain what happened to him. He could now hear and speak clearly.
Writers offer many explanations for Jesus’ command to avoid publicizing the healing—something he did frequently throughout his ministry. He may not have wanted to stir up additional conflict with the Pharisees and scribes; to avoid conflict with the Roman authorities; to prevent an early proclamation of his kingship; to prevent a misinterpretation of his ministry; or to teach his disciples to focus on substance, not sensation. But that time has passed: “But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
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