“And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.”
Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him — the Messianic Secret command is applied to Peter's correct confession: no one is to be told. The reason is that the confession you are the Messiah without the passion predictions that follow is incomplete and potentially misleading — the crowd's messianic expectations would lead them to expect a political deliverer, not a suffering servant. The full disclosure of who Jesus is must wait until the cross and resurrection clarify what Messiah means.
Church Fathers on Mark 8:30
After taking His disciples afar from the Jews, He then asks them concerning Himself, that they might speak the truth without fear of the Jews.
Philip was that brother of Herod, of whom we spoke above, who in honour of Tiberius Caesar called that town, which is now called Paneas, Caesarea Philippi.
Or else, Mark and Luke, as they wrote that Peter answered, 'Thou art the Christ,' without adding what is put down in Matthew, 'the Son of the living God,' so they omitted to relate the blessing which was conferred on this confession.
Read all 11 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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