Luke 4:41
And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ. And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.
On an evening at Capernaum after the Sabbath had ended at sunset, the sick were brought to Jesus from every quarter and He healed every one who applied to Him by a word or a touch. As the demons came out of many people they cried out that He is Christ the Son of God, yielding to His authority without faith or loyalty. He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak though they knew Him, while His own people refused to know Him and rejected Him. In driving them out and restoring the afflicted to health He throws back on Satan the blame for evil, for Satan destroys while Christ restores. He is the great Medical Missionary whose healing of the body prepares the way for restoration of the soul, and His followers are to do that same traveling work of healing and preaching instead of sitting idle.
Evening Healing at Capernaum
Luke 4:41 belongs to the evening healing at Capernaum after the Sabbath ended at sunset when the sun passed out of sight in the west, when people no longer feared being stigmatized for seeking help on the Sabbath and the sick were brought to Jesus from every quarter and throughout the city in great commotion. Many had held back during the Sabbath day because the Pharisees closely watched Jesus to accuse Him, and their influence made people fear being stigmatized as transgressors of the law, so once the Sabbath was over they flocked to Him. These acts of mercy only made the bitterness, hostility and intensity of the Pharisees greater.
Those with strength came by themselves, and a much larger number were carried by friends from their couches to the great Physician in every condition of helplessness and approaching death. They were burning with fevers, paralyzed, stricken with dropsy, blind, deaf, lame, and lepers crying Unclean, Unclean with decaying hands stretched toward the Healer. Little children were handed back rosy with life and health to happy mothers.
Jesus began as soon as the first afflicted one was brought and healed every one who applied to Him for help by a word from His lips or a touch of His hand. Those healed returned home restored to gladden their homes, with gratitude and rejoicing, bearers weeping tears of joy and shouting praises of the Saviour. The air was filled with triumph and shouts of deliverance, living cures as evidences of His divine power in a day such as Capernaum had never witnessed before.
Jesus showed sympathy for suffering, with His great love for man stirred to its depths by the suffering before Him. He was joyful in the joy He awakened, rejoicing in His power to restore sufferers to health and happiness. In the same work of casting out many demons, He had withdrawn with His disciples to the seaside of Galilee because of the great malice of the Jews over His healing of the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath day. That Sabbath miracle was noised abroad through all that region, and great multitudes followed Him there as He taught, the sick and those possessed with demons were brought to Him, many sought only to come near enough to touch Him in faith that they would be healed by that touch, and healing power went from Him to them from a heart filled with divine pity for the poor sufferers and changed their distress and gloom to joy and thanksgiving.
The verse is part of a wider healing and preaching ministry that was not confined to one place. When the people begged Him to stay with them He answered that He must go to other cities and towns to preach the kingdom of God and the gospel to all people.
Demons Knew and Were Silenced
As they came out of many people and left their victims, the demons cried out and publicly acknowledged the true identity of Jesus as Christ the Son of God. Their cries declared who He was in the open, even as His own people refused to know Him. In that same setting by the seaside of Galilee, where great multitudes followed Him after He withdrew with His disciples because of great malice over His healing of the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath, the sick and possessed were brought to Him as He taught and He made them whole from divine pity, with many seeking only to touch Him in faith for healing and receiving healing power that turned distress and gloom to joy and thanksgiving, and as the demons left their victims they acknowledged Him as the Son of God.
The demons yielded to His authority when He cast them out and delivered people from their power. They were compelled to identify Him as they departed, and their recognition did not come from faith or loyalty. Their testimony declaring who He was stands in contrast with His own people, who refused to know Him and rejected Him.
Jesus rebuked the demons and did not allow them to speak, though they knew He was the Christ. In driving out demons and restoring the suffering and afflicted to health, Christ counters the harm caused by Satan and throws back on Satan the blame for evil. Satan destroys, while Christ restores.
Pattern for Healing Ministry
Christ in this account is the great Medical Missionary and unerring physician, going from place to place healing the sick who were brought to him. Wherever he went he spoke words of comfort and love, and a stream of healing power flowed from him that made the sick whole. He healed men and women with unhesitating willingness and hearty joyfulness, glad to be able to restore sufferers to health. When the people begged him to stay with them, he answered that he must go to other cities and towns to preach the gospel of the kingdom to all people.
He made the Sabbath his busiest day for healing the sick and casting out devils, because on that day he could best reach those laboring during the week. Wherever he went on the Sabbath he worked as a medical missionary. The healing of the body prepares the way for the restoration of the soul. His followers must do just that same traveling work of healing and preaching in cities and towns instead of sitting in a do-nothing position.