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MARK 1:34 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Mark 1:33Mark 1:35
“And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.”
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 — the summary is comprehensive in scope while maintaining the Messianic Secret in its final clause. The demons' knowledge of Jesus' identity is the problem: their testimony would be accurate but on their terms. The silencing of demons who know who Jesus is is Mark's distinctive pattern — the irony that the supernatural realm recognizes Jesus while the human community struggles to understand him runs throughout the Gospel. The refusal to let the demons speak is not modesty but strategic: the disclosure of Jesus' identity must come through the cross, not through demonic proclamation.

Church Fathers on Mark 1:34

Because the multitude thought that it was not lawful to heal on the sabbath day, they waited for the evening, to bring those who were to be healed to Jesus.

Theophylact · 11th century

For the devils knew that He was the Christ, who had been promised by the Law: for they saw in Him all the signs which had been foretold by the Prophets; but they were ignorant of His divinity, as also were 'their princes, for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.' [1 Cor 2:8]

Pseudo-Augustine · 5th century · Quaest. e Vet. et Nov. Test. 16

For, Him whom the devil had known as a man, wearied by His forty days' fast, without being able by tempting Him to prove whether He was the Son of God, he now by the power of His miracles understood or rather suspected to be the Son of God. The reason therefore why he persuaded the Jews to crucify Him, was not because he did not think that He was the Son of God, but because he did not foresee that he himself was to be condemned by Christ’s death.

Bede · 8th century
Read all 7 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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