Matthew 16:20 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Then charged he his disciples, &c.— Jesus forbade his disciples to tell any man that he was the Messiah, because he was to suffer the punishment of death;—a circumstance, which could not fail to give his followers great offence, as they did not yet understand the nature of his kingdom; for which reason he thought it better to leave every one to form a judgment of his character from his doctrine and miracles, than in all places to assume the title of Messiah publicly under such disadvantages. Or, his meaning may have been, "Because it is determined that the Messiah shall suffer death, it is not proper to assume that title publicly, lest the people, declaring in my behalf, endeavour to prevent the execution of the divine counsel." The Romans certainly, say some, would not have suffered him to proceed, if he had gone about preaching that he was the king whom the Jews expected; unless he had interfered by his divine and irresistible power. Such an accusation would have been instantly brought against him by the Jews, if they could have heard it out of his own mouth; and if that had been his public doctrine to his followers, which was openly preached by his Apostles after his death, and of which they are accused, Acts 17:5-9. Though the magistrates of the world had no great regard to the talk of a king who had suffered death, and appeared no longer upon earth; yet, if our Saviour had openly declared this of himself in his lifetime, with a train ofdisciples and followers everywhere owning and crying him up for their king, the Roman governors of Judea could not have forborne to take notice of it, and to make use of their force against it. In this the Jews were not mistaken, and therefore they made use of it as the strongest accusation, and the likeliest to prevail with Pilate against him, for the taking away his life; it being treason, and an unpardonable offence, which could not escape death from a Roman deputy, without the forfeiture of his own life. See Luke 23:2 and the note on Matthew 12:16. Dr. Campbell, following many of the manuscripts, leaves out the word Jesus: then he forbade his disciples to tell any man that he is the Messiah.