Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Luke 4:35

"And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, he came out of him, having done him no hurt." — Luke 4:35 (ASV)

While Jesus was speaking, he was interrupted by a demon-possessed man. Demon possession is too frequent and integral to the gospel narratives to minimize or, worse, to discard as Hellenistic superstition. The good news preached by Jesus (vv.18, 43) signaled an attack on the forces of evil. A holy war was being launched and the demons knew it. This war would be carried on by Jesus’ disciples (9:1–2; 10:8–9, 17).

The “demon” (GK 1228) is further described as an “evil [or unclean; GK 176] spirit.” An evil spirit is unclean in contrast to the holiness of God and may well cause both moral and physical filth in a possessed human (cf. ZPEB, 2:92– 101). The possessed man shrieked, uttered an expression of surprise, and asked a questions that means, “What do we have to do with each other?” The demon, perhaps exemplifying James’s comment that “the demons believe and shudder” (James 2:19), sensed the purpose of Jesus’ presence. In keeping with the pattern in the Gospels, testimony to the truth about Christ comes from a number of different and unexpected sources. The term “the Holy One of God” contrasts strongly with the remark that this was an unclean demon.

Jesus responded sternly with a command to be silent. In this action we may see the beginning of a pattern of prohibiting the premature proclamation of his identity. Throughout the Gospels Jesus guards the fact of his messiahship, probably (1) to prevent a misinterpretation that would draw to him revolutionary-minded dissidents seeking a leader against Rome (see comment on Mk 1:44); (2) to allow his messianic works themselves to establish his authority among true believers (cf. Lk 7:18-23; see also comment on 5:14); and (3) possibly to avoid an inappropriate self-proclamation as Messiah (some studies suggest that the Jews felt that the true Messiah would allow others to proclaim him as such, rather than doing so himself).

What follows is not technically an exorcism, because Jesus does not use an incantation or invoke the authority of another. Instead he speaks a simple word of command on his own authority. Luke, always interested as a physician in the physical condition of people, observes that the demon came out violently but without hurting the man.