(7) And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.
(7) Christ has appointed certain times for the preaching of the gospel, and therefore here defers it to a more appropriate time, lest sudden haste should rather hinder than further the mystery of his coming.

And he charged them,.... His disciples, after he had declared his approbation of Peter's confession of faith, and signified he would build his church on that rock, and the gates of hell should not prevail against it: and promised Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and that whatsoever was bound, or loosed by him on earth, should be bound and loosed in heaven; which are omitted by Mark, but related by Matthew, Matthew 16:17, after this he gave a strict and severe charge,
that they should tell no man of him; that he was the Messiah, and the Son of God; See Gill on Matthew 16:20.

He enjoined them silence for the present, That he might not encourage the people to set him up for a temporal king; That he might not provoke the scribes and Pharisees to destroy him before the time and, That he might not forestall the bright evidence which was to be given of his Divine character after his resurrection.