Messianic Secret

St. Mary's Claddagh

The minute someone tells you that this is a secret, "Don't tell.", your ears perk up.  Well, Jesus was always telling the people "See that you say nothing anyone..." (Mark 1:44)  There are too many examples to list them all, but if you must have some reference: Matt 8: 3-4, Matt 9: 29-30, Matt 12: 15-16, Mark 5: 42-4, Mark 16: 20, Matt 17:9, Mark 9:9, Luke 9:21, Matt 27: 12, Matt 27: 14, Mark 14: 61, etc.

Jesus knows human nature. He knows some secrets are just too juicy not to share.  And something like a healing!! Well, it would be inhuman to keep something like that to yourself.  But why does Jesus keep telling people not to tell.  The catechism gives one reason  CCC 439 

439 Many Jews and even certain Gentiles who shared their hope recognized in Jesus the fundamental attributes of the messianic "Son of David", promised by God to Israel. Jesus accepted his rightful title of Messiah, though with some reserve because it was understood by some of his contemporaries in too human a sense, as essentially political.

In other words, people might place their political aspirations on Him.  If He's the Messiah, He will overthrow the Roman government and free us Jews.

Another reason might be that Jesus didn't want people to only focus on His healing, but rather His teachings. Or maybe because it just wasn't time.

Then again, maybe it's all of these reasons and more.