Mar 1:23-26 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Mark 1:23-24: 1:23-24 The demon spoke through the man who was possessed by an evil spirit (1:24 ). Demons frequently cause disease (9:17 , 27 ; Matt 17:15 ) and self-destructive behavior (Mark 1:26 ; 5:2-5 ; 9:17-18 , 20-22 ). Demons know who Jesus is (1:34 ); they consistently testify that he is the Holy One of God (see 3:11 ; 5:7 ). • In saying us , the evil spirit spoke on behalf of all demons. It recognized Jesus’ complete authority and understood that he had come to interfere with and destroy evil.

Summary for Mark 1:23-24: 1:23-24 ^a The demon spoke through the man who was possessed by an evil spirit (1:24 ^b). Demons frequently cause disease (9:17 ^c, 27 ^d; Matt 17:15 ^e) and self-destructive behavior (Mark 1:26 ^f; 5:2-5 ^g; 9:17-18 ^h, 20-22 ⁱ). Demons know who Jesus is (1:34 ^j); they consistently testify that he is the Holy One of God (see 3:11 ^k; 5:7 ^l).

• In saying us, the evil spirit spoke on behalf of all demons. It recognized Jesus’ complete authority and understood that he had come to interfere with and destroy evil.
1:25 ^m Jesus did not need to shout or utter magic words. He simply spoke with the authority of the Son of God (1:1 ⁿ), and the evil spirit obeyed.

• Be quiet! Jesus commanded the evil spirit not to make him known. This is an instance of the “messianic secret,” an expression for passages in Mark in which Jesus commands demons or people not to reveal his identity (1:25 ^o, 34 ^p; 3:11-12 ^q; 8:30 ^r; 9:9 ^s).
1:26 ^t The screams and convulsions caused by the evil (literally unclean; also in 1:27 ^u) spirit were its parting cries of defeat (5:13 ^v; 9:26 ^w; cp. 15:37 ^x).