“Demons also
Came out
Of many people.
They were shouting.
‘You are the Son of God!’
But he rebuked them.
He would not allow them
To speak,
Because they knew
That he was the Messiah,
The Christ.”
ἐξήρχετο δὲ καὶ δαιμόνια ἀπὸ πολλῶν, κραυγάζοντα καὶ λέγοντα ὅτι Σὺ εἶ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ. καὶ ἐπιτιμῶν οὐκ εἴα αὐτὰ λαλεῖν, ὅτι ᾔδεισαν τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι.
Luke also had Jesus cast out demons. He said that these demons came out of many people (ἐξήρχετο δὲ καὶ δαιμόνια ἀπὸ πολλῶν). They were saying or shouting out (κραυγάζοντα καὶ λέγοντα) that Jesus was the Son of God (ὅτι Σὺ εἶ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ). But Jesus rebuked, admonished, or warned them (καὶ ἐπιτιμῶν). He would not allow them to speak (οὐκ εἴα αὐτὰ λαλεῖν), because they knew that he was the Messiah, the Christ (ὅτι ᾔδεισαν τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι). Matthew, chapter 8:16, has something similar, but Jesus cast out these demons with simply a word. Mark, chapter 1:34, is also similar. However, there like here, the cast out demons also knew and spoke out that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. This idea of not telling people that Jesus was the Christ or Messiah has come to be known as the Messianic secret. Those who knew about the true role of Jesus were told to be quiet about it. Why did the demons know about this?
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 