And Jesus strictly commanded them to tell no one about Him.
This command to keep silent may seem strange at first glance, but in fact it has deep meaning. The disciples had rightly confessed that He is the Christ, yet they still did not fully understand what kind of Christ He was going to be. In their understanding, expectations of earthly glory, national liberation, and an outward kingdom could still have been mixed in. If at this stage they began to proclaim Jesus as the Christ, people would interpret that truth through their mistaken ideas. Jesus did not want His messianic calling to be proclaimed apart from the truth of the cross. This shows that even correct words, if spoken at the wrong time or without right understanding, can become a cause of deception. In the Lord’s work, not only the truth of what is said is important, but also the timing and spiritual maturity.