Silencing Demons: Why Jesus Muted the Truth in Mark 3
Genesis 40-41; Mark 3; Job 3
Mark 3:11-12
11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus commands the demons to be silent when they are declaring the truth about Him?
Me too.
Before we delve into that, let’s revisit the verses just preceding in Mark 3.
Mark 3:1-6
1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 They watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 Then he asked them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 He looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, on how to destroy him.
If you’ve read through the Gospel accounts before, you already know that Jesus likes to stir things up. Over and over again, we find Him purposefully healing people on the Sabbath, something the religious crowd took real issue with. After all, how could a holy man, a Prophet, or even a potential Messiah break the Sabbath?
The Pharisees saw healing as an act against the Sabbath, while Jesus, who said He came not to break the law but to fulfill it, performs signs and wonders on this holy day.
What does this show? Religion sees healing, kindness, and miracles as work, while Jesus sees healing, kindness, and miracles as an act of rest. The Father had ceased from all His work on that seventh day, and Jesus was living and moving and acting from that relationship, from that place.
Religion will fight against anything that would bring us into rest. We need that hoop. We want that ladder to climb.
But Jesus comes to invite us into His finished work. He invites us into His rest.
Back to Mark 3:11
These accounts of Jesus silencing the demons have always made me wonder. They were not lying about His identity. After all, Jesus is the Son of God! So, why silence them from declaring the truth?
Could it be that truth, coming through a defiled revelation, is no longer truth?
It’s just like the Sabbath. The Pharisees were technically defending the Sabbath, yet they missed the point entirely. Rather than defending rest, they defended the work, the ritual of the day, making the Sabbath itself a heavy burden.
Jesus comes to liberate us from any and every heavy yoke! Not only is He the great defender of truth, but He, in Himself, is Truth. Look upon Him and be free!
Deepening Faith: Reflective Journal Prompt
Reflect on the concept of “rest” as Jesus presents it in Mark 3, contrasting it with the “work” of the Pharisees. How do you sometimes confuse spiritual “work” with resting in God’s completed work through Christ? Identify areas in your life where you might be adding unnecessary burdens to your faith, and consider ways you can embrace the rest that Jesus offers.
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