Mark 8:26

26 and he sent him away to his house, saying, `Neither to the village mayest thou go, nor tell [it] to any in the village.'

Mark 8:26 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 8:26

And he sent him away to his house
Which seems to have been in one of the neighbouring villages or was one of the houses scattered about in the fields for the conveniency of rural business.

Saying, neither go into the town:
or "that town", as the Syriac, the town or city of Bethsaida:

nor tell it to any in the town;
to any of the inhabitants of the town that he should meet with any where or at any time: the reason of this was not merely or only because Christ would have the miracle concealed; but chiefly because the inhabitants of this place were notorious for their impenitence and unbelief. Christ had done many wonderful works among them and yet they repented not; nor did they believe in him; but despised him, his doctrine and his miracles; and therefore for their neglect and contempt of such means he was determined to withdraw them from them. So Christ sometimes deals with nations cities and towns that disbelieve reject and despise his Gospel; he takes it away from them he orders his ministering servants to preach no more to them; no more to tell them of the good news of life and salvation by him: thus he dealt with the Jews who contradicted and blasphemed and judged themselves or by their conduct made themselves appear to be unworthy of the words of eternal life; he took away the kingdom of God or the Gospel from them and sent it among the Gentiles: and thus he threatened the church of Ephesus for leaving its first love to remove the candlestick out of its place in case of non-repentance; and a grievous judgment it is upon a place and people when God commands the clouds to rain no rain upon them, ( Isaiah 5:6 ) ; or, in other words when he enjoins his ministers no more to tell, or publish his Gospel to them; he determining to withdraw from them and have no more to do with them; so Christ and his disciples departed from this place, declared in the following verse.

Mark 8:26 In-Context

24 and he, having looked up, said, `I behold men, as I see trees, walking.'
25 Afterwards again he put [his] hands on his eyes, and made him look up, and he was restored, and discerned all things clearly,
26 and he sent him away to his house, saying, `Neither to the village mayest thou go, nor tell [it] to any in the village.'
27 And Jesus went forth, and his disciples, to the villages of Cesarea Philippi, and in the way he was questioning his disciples, saying to them, `Who do men say me to be?'
28 And they answered, `John the Baptist, and others Elijah, but others one of the prophets.'
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.