And he healed many that were sick of various diseases, and cast out many demons; and allowed not the demons to speak, because they knew him.
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Bede
AD 735
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 Hewas the Son of God, but because he did not foresee that he himself was to be condemned by Christ’s death.
Again, in a mystical sense, the setting of the sun signifies the passion of Him, who said, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” And when the sun was going down, more demoniacs and sick persons were healed than before: because He who living in the flesh for a time taught a few Jews, has transmitted the gifts of faith and health to all the Gentiles throughout the world.
And He healed many, i.e, all who presented themselves, for they were many.
Suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew Him. Arab, because they knew that He Himself was He.
The devils knew that it was Christ, who had been promised for so many ages before; for they saw him perform the wonders which the prophets had foretold of him; yet they were not perfectly acquainted with his divine nature, or otherwise they never would have persecuted to death and crucified the Lord of glory. (St. Augustine)
But Christ would not permit them to declare that they knew him. (Bible de Vence)
See Luke iv. 41.
But the door of the kingdom, morally, is repentance and faith, which works health for various diseases; for divers are the vices with which the city of this world is sick.
Vict. Ant.e Cat. in Marc.: Now in that he says “many”, all are to be understood according to the Scripture mode of expression.
Vict. Ant.e Cat. in Marc.: And Luke does not contradict this, when he says, that “devils came out of many, crying out and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God:” for he subjoins, “And He rebuking them, suffered them not to speak;” for Mark, who passes over many things for the sake of brevity, speaks about what happened subsequently to the abovementioned words.
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. Wherefore it is said, “And at even, when the sun had set. "There follows, “and He healed many that were vexed with divers diseases.”.
Or he says, “many”, because there were some faithless persons, who could not at all be cured on account of their unfaithfulness. Therefore He healed many of those who were brought, that is, all who had faith. It goes on, “and cast out many devils.”.
Furthermore, the reason that He forbade the devils to speak, was to teach us not to believe them, even if they say true. For if once they find persons to believe them, they mingle truth with falsehood.
