Life of Jesus: The Hero’s True Identity

All throughout the gospels, and specifically in the book of Mark, we see Jesus telling people to “remain silent” and “not tell anyone” about who He is or what He’s done for them. These moments seem odd if Jesus’ calling was to proclaim His identity as God’s promised Messiah. Why does Jesus on one occasion share His identity while at the next seem to prohibit people from sharing? What does this seeming back-and-forth mean and how, if in any way, does it impact us today?