Luke 9:21

Luke 9:21 Meaning and Explanation

And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing;

King James Version (KJV)

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Jesus strictly orders the disciples not to tell anyone that he is the Christ.

What Does Luke 9:21 Mean?

The true confession is immediately sealed under orders: tell no man. The command seems strange after such a breakthrough, but the title Christ carried explosive expectations of a political deliverer who would break Rome. Announced too soon, it would have raised an army, when Jesus had come to bear a cross.

Jesus will define his calling before he publicizes it, and the very next verse begins that definition with suffering, rejection, death, and rising. Truth out of order can become untruth; the right word at the wrong time misleads. There is wisdom here for every witness: Christ must be presented as he actually is, the crucified and risen Lord, not repackaged to fit the deliverer people happen to want.

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What does Luke 9:21 mean?

Jesus strictly orders the disciples not to tell anyone that he is the Christ.

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