Expert: Mrs. Priscilla Lyons - 1/3/2007

Question
Hi thankyou for taking my question

          In this passage - The first thing the demons seem to want to do is to Announce that Jesus is the son of God. In fact Jesus forces them to be quite - It seems to me that it is not just a coincidence that the demons are making this announcement (after all - why would they want to acknowledge this rather than try to get people not to believe it). My question is: Are the Demons doing it ON PURPOSE because they, like Jesus, know that it would have hurt his ministry to reveal who he was at that time. Did they make such a bold proclomation in order to Undermine his ministry? Thankyou.  

Answer
Dear Pete,
   Thanks for writing.  I'm not sure how to take what the demons said.  My thought is that they really weren't too smart.  Luke 8:32-33 The demons here ask to go into pigs, then end up killing off their hosts.  
   It could be that what a crazy person said would undermine Jesus--undermine Jesus' credibility, so that is why they spoke out.
   Jesus does seem to hold back declarations of Godhood, maybe to ensure that faith without seeing was a true choice, not a forced admission.
   Keep your thoughts about this passage tucked away in your brain, so when you read other passages, God may shed some light from a different angle.
   Priscilla