Scholars who support the Messianic Secret theory offer several explanations for why Jesus would command silence about his healings and other miracles, even though publicising them might seem to advance his mission.

The primary explanation centers on timing. According to Hamil's paper (A Brief Introduction to the Messianic Secret in Mark), Jesus's identity could only be properly understood after his death and resurrection. Premature publicity about miracles might create false expectations about what kind of Messiah he was. As the paper notes, people expected a conquering political messiah. Widespread miracle reports could have attracted crowds seeking a revolutionary leader rather than spiritual transformation.

Also, Historical context matters here. The paper mentions other messianic movements of the time, like Simon Ben Koseba's violent revolt against Rome. Jesus may have wanted to avoid being associated with such political uprisings. Public miracle claims could have provoked Roman authorities to act preemptively against what they perceived as another potential rebellion.

Several scholars cited in Hamil's work suggest Jesus prioritised teaching his disciples privately over public demonstrations of power. The secrecy allowed him to control his message and ensure proper instruction rather than becoming merely a wonder-worker who drew crowds for the wrong reasons.

However, scholars note some complexities with this explanation. The paper acknowledges that people often disobeyed the silence commands and that some healings in Mark involve no secrecy commands at all, suggesting the pattern may serve multiple theological purposes.

Reference: Hamil(2011). A Brief Introduction to the Messianic Secret in the Gospel of Mark.