Matthew 12:16
in Matthew 12warning them not to make Him known.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and charged them that they should not make him known:
KJV
And charged them that they should not make him known:
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This verse in Matthew 12
Commentary
15 notes on this verseOn those whom He healed He enjoined silence, whence it follows, And he charged them that they should not make him known. For his restored health was a witness to each man. And by commanding them to hold their peace, He avoids all ostentation of Himself, and at the same time notwithstanding affords a knowledge of Himself in that very admonition to hold their peace; for the observance of silence proceeds from that very thing which is to be kept silent.
This site's exposition
Jesus withdrew from that place
on Matthew 12:15-16
Aware of the plot, Jesus “withdrew from that place”, and he healed the crowds that followed, “warning them not to make Him known”. The charge to silence fits the Gospel’s pattern, which keeps popular acclaim from forcing an early crisis. Matthew then explains the withdrawal itself as prophecy fulfilled.
This site's exposition
warning them not to make Him known
Matthew Henry reads the warning as prudence, since the public talk about the miracles enraged the Pharisees more than the miracles did. Thomas Aquinas sees an example of shunning human glory. Remigius of Rheims says it kept the Pharisees from sinning worse by persecuting him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
What does it mean that it is written in Matthew: 'A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench' (Matthew 12:20). For the explanation of this passage, the whole testimony that Matthew takes from the Prophet Isaiah must be set forth, even the words of Isaiah (Isaiah 42): according to the Septuagint interpreters and the Hebrew itself, to which Theodotus, Aquila, and Symmachus agree. Thus of the four Evangelists, only Matthew relates: "And Jesus knowing it, retired from thence: and many followed him, and he healed them all.
"But when Jesus knew their devices, He withdrew Himself," it is said, "from them." Where now are they who say, miracles ought to be done? Nay, by these things He signified, that the uncandid soul is not even thereby persuaded; and He made it plain that His disciples too were blamed by them without cause. This however we should observe, that they grow fierce especially at the benefits done to their neighbors; and when they see any one delivered either from disease or from wickedness, then is the time for them to find fault, and become wild beasts. Thus did they calumniate Him, both when He was about to save the harlot, and when He was eating with publicans, and now again, when they saw the hand restored. But do thou observe, I pray thee, how He neither desists from His tender care over the infirm, and yet allays their envy. "And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all; and He charged them that were healed, that they should make Him known to no man." Because, while the multitudes everywhere both admire and follow Him, they desist not from their wickedness.
He ordered those whom he healed to be silent. Was it silence about the healing that he ordered? Not at all. For the salvation that was given to each one was its own testimony. But by ordering it to be kept secret Jesus also shunned boasting about himself. It was better that knowledge of him remains in himself. So he admonished them to remain silent about him. The observance of silence springs from that about which one must keep silent.
And He also gives them command that they should not make Him known, that they might not by persecuting Him be put into a worse state.
The Medieval Church1 voice
How? He ordered them not to make him known. Why? In order to give us an example to avoid human glory, as it says above (6:1), and to spare the Pharisees, who were slandering him for his actions.
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
He does not want to be made known so that He might soften the spite of the Pharisees, for He was eager to heal them in any way possible.
In this also He instructs us, that when we have done any thing great we are not to seek praise abroad.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
), charged them that they should not make him known; which may be looked upon, 1. As an act of prudence; it was not so much the miracles themselves, as the public discourse concerning them, that enraged the Pharisees (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
And charged them that they should not make him known.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Charged them that they should not make him known - See Mat 8:4. Jesus Christ, as God, could have easily concealed himself, but he chooses to do it as man, and to use no other than human means, as these were quite sufficient for the purpose, to teach us not to neglect them in our necessity. Indeed, he always used his power less on his own account, than on that of men.
The first thing which demands our notice in this passage is the desperate wickedness of the human heart, which it exemplifies. Silenced and defeated by our Lord’s arguments, the Pharisees plunged deeper and deeper into sin. They “went out and held a council against Him how they might destroy Him.” What evil had our Lord done, that he should be so treated? None, none at all. No charge could be brought against his life. He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners; his days were spent in doing good. No charge could be brought against his teaching.
The first thing which demands our notice in this passage is the desperate wickedness of the human heart, which it exemplifies. Silenced and defeated by our Lord’s arguments, the Pharisees plunged deeper and deeper into sin. They “went out and held a council against Him how they might destroy Him.” What evil had our Lord done, that he should be so treated? None, none at all. No charge could be brought against his life. He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners; his days were spent in doing good. No charge could be brought against his teaching. He had proved it to be agreeable to Scripture and reason, and no reply had been made to his proofs. But it mattered little how perfectly he lived or taught: he was hated. This is human nature appearing in its true colors! The unconverted heart hates God, and will show its hatred whenever it dares, and has a favorable opportunity. It will persecute God’s witnesses; it will dislike all who have anything of God’s mind and are renewed after his image. Why were so many of the prophets killed? Why were the names of the apostles cast out as evil by the Jews? Why were the early martyrs slain? Why were John Hus, and Jerome of Prague, andRidley and Latimer burned at the stake? Not for any sins that they had sinned, not for any wickedness they had committed. They all suffered because they were godly men. And human nature, unconverted, hates godly men because it hates God. It must never surprise true Christians if they meet with the same treatment that the Lord Jesus met with. “Marvel not if the world hates you” ( 1 John 3:13 ). It is not the utmost consistency or the closest walk with God that will exempt them from the enmity of the natural man. They need not torture their consciences by fancying that if they were only more faultless and consistent, everybody would surely love them. It is all a mistake.
The words behind it
8 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐπετίμησεν | epetimesen | He warned | G2008 → | 29 times |
| αὐτοῖς | autois | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἵνα | ina | that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| φανερὸν | phaneron | known | G5318 → | |
| αὐτὸν | auton | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ποιήσωσιν, | poiesosin | they may make — | G4160 → | 569 times |
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐπετίμησενHe warned
epetimesenG2008 →29 times
αὐτοῖςthem
autoisG846 →5565 times
ἵναthat
inaG2443 →668 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
φανερὸνknown
phaneronG5318 →
αὐτὸνHim
autonG846 →5565 times
ποιήσωσιν,they may make —
poiesosinG4160 →569 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 8:4Then Jesus instructed him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift prescribed by Moses, as a testimony to them.”
it leads to
- Leviticus 14:2–32
“This is the law for the one afflicted with a skin disease on the day of his cleansing, when he is brought to the priest.
- Luke 5:14
“Do not tell anyone,” Jesus instructed him. “But go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 17:14
When Jesus saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were on their way, they were cleansed.
- Mark 7:36
Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more He ordered them, the more widely they proclaimed it.
- Leviticus 13:2–46
“When someone has a swelling or rash or bright spot on his skin that could become an infectious skin disease, he must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons…
- Leviticus 14:2–32
Through
Mark 7:36Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more He ordered them, the more widely they proclaimed it.
it leads to
- Matthew 8:4
Then Jesus instructed him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift prescribed by Moses, as a testimony to them.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Mark 5:43
Then Jesus gave strict orders that no one should know about this, and He told them to give her something to eat.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 8:4
Through
Matthew 17:9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Do not tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
it leads to
- Mark 8:30
And Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about Him.
- Mark 8:30
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies24
On this verse
About Matthew
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Hilary of Poitiers, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew 12.9; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jerome, Letter 121, Chapter 2; John Calvin, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 40; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Rabanus Maurus, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Remigius of Rheims, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.