Question - Your Thoughts?

In Luke 9:21 Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone who he was. (NLT)
Why would he do that when he has been preaching and teaching all over the region? This is a question I would love to hear YOUR thoughts on.
I'll go first: I think it has a lot to do with the timeline, that he hadn't gone to the Cross yet.
But I'm not sure...
Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below. Thank you.