The Messianic Secret suggests that Jesus wanted to keep the truth about his being a Messiah secret. “The central locus of Mark's theory of concealment is the messianic secret proper, defined here as instances in which Jesus deliberately conceals his identity” (Steele 1). This idea is only represented through the Gospel of Mark. In other gospels, Jesus does not specifically try to diminish rumors about the Messiah. This theme of secrecy and privacy is evident throughout the Gospel, from the stories of John the Baptist to the Passion of Christ. One of the primary developers of the Messianic Secret was William Wrede. Born in Germany in 1859, Wrede spent his life developing Das Messiasgeheimnis in den Evangelien, which in English translates to “The Messianic Secret” (Belvins 2). Starting from Mark's first story, John the Baptist is presented as a messenger who is told to "prepare the way of the Lord" (Mk 1:3). John did as God told him and prepared for the coming of Jesus. This moment informs readers that Jesus' coming was expected and that the people were awaiting his arrival. John excitedly told the others that someone greater than him would come and that he would not be worthy to touch his feet. When Jesus arrived at the Jordan River where John the Baptist was, God told John that Jesus was the one he was waiting for by opening the heavens and sending down a dove (Mark 1:9-11). This first section provides the idea that Jesus is Lord and is on Earth to share God's love by living as His son. One of the earliest examples of the Messianic Secret is in Mark 1:21-28. In this verse Jesus is with his disciples in the synagogue and studies. Suddenly a man suffers from an unclean spirit within him. Jesus reacts by telling the spirit to leave and he d...... middle of paper...... Mark's Gospels explicitly state that Jesus did not want witnesses to share his miracles, it could be possible that Jesus' intentions they were not to keep secret the fact that he was in fact the Messiah. Works Cited Blevins, James L. “Seventy-Two Years of the Messianic Secret: A Review Article.” Perspectives in Religious Studies 1.2 (1974): 192-200. ATLA Religions Database with ATLASerials. Network. March 18, 2014. Dunn, James D G. “The Messianic Secret in Mark.” Tyndale Bulletin 21.(1970): 92-117. ATLA Religions Database with ATLASerials. Network. March 18, 2014. “King James Version (KJV).” Encyclopædia Britannica (2013): Research Starter. Network. March 18, 2014.Steele, Greg. "The Theology of Concealment in the Gospel of Mark: An Exploration of the Messianic Secret and Corollars." Restoration Quarterly 54.3 (2012): 169-185. ATLA Religions Database with ATLASerials. Network. March 18. 2014.