That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
Mark 1:32-34 (ESV)
Why did Jesus not allow the demons to proclaim who he was? This is the second time in this first chapter of Mark that he stopped demons from announcing him as the Holy One of God (Mark 1:23-26). Is it only because he didn’t want the affirmation of demons? Or was there another reason?
Jesus’ teaching and healing ministry lasted about three years. During that time, he traveled around the country teaching about the kingdom of God, healing the sick, casting out demons, and training his disciples. During that time, there was often speculation about his identity as the Christ. The gospel writers make it clear that he was the Christ. And Jesus affirmed Peter’s identification of Jesus as the Christ. But he did not use that title for himself until his final week.
Two Reasons
Why the secrecy? There are at least two reasons for it. The first is that the people’s conception of what the Christ would be was not what he had come to do. He wanted to teach about a different kingdom than what the people were looking for. And publicly identifying himself as the Christ would only make that harder.
Another reason was the Roman and Jewish authorities. If he had announced himself as a Jewish messiah figure, he would have attracted a militant following that would have threatened the existing authorities. And they, especially the Romans, would have acted quickly to snuff it out. They had zero tolerance for rebellion. But so long as he did not pose a threat to Rome, they were willing to tolerate him.
So Jesus quieted the demons and any others who sought to make him a king (John 6:15). Until his final week. The time had come, and the need for secrecy was over. Jesus’ confrontation with the Jewish authorities intensified, and they responded by having him crucified. Little did they realize that on the cross and in his resurrection, he defeated his enemies and established his kingdom. The very thing they had sought to stop.
