Muzzled Demons
| As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. So He went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. (Mark1:29-34) |
This refers to a phenomenon in Mark's Gospel where Jesus doesn't allow demons to speak because they identify Him as the Son of God. Also, often when Jesus heals people, He instructs them not to make it public.
There are two reasons for this, one practical and one principle.
The practical reason is that when it becomes known that Jesus can heal and drive out demons, He gets swamped by those in need and those who want to watch a show. On more than one occasion in Mark we will see that someone is not discreet about the healing they've received from Jesus and it results in masses of people thronging about Jesus and this makes it very difficult for Him to exercise His teaching and preaching ministry. Also, if the talk of Jesus being the Son of God, Messiah and King of Jews got too loud and reached the ears of the Roman army, it could result in them interfering in His ministry. On Palm Sunday it was time for His full identity to be revealed and He was crucified within a week.
The principle reason lies in Jesus mission statement in Mark 10:35 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." The demonic proclamation that Jesus was the Son of God was not untrue, but, during His three year ministry, Jesus wanted to exercise and emphasise His ministry as the Son of Man. As with the first reason, the right time for "Son of God" was at the end of His three year ministry.
So the so-called "Messianic Secret" was not so much a secret as an emphasis. The emphasis was that the "Word had become flesh" and needed the freedom to "dwell among us. It is perfectly feasible that Jesus could have "powered up" (like at the Transfiguration) every time He dealt with demons so that everyone could see that He was not to be messed with. But Jesus' focus was not on Himself or His ego, it was on reaching us.
And the demons trembled anyway....
