Luke 4:34Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The demon initially recognizes the hostility, enhancing the credibility of his declaration, and then proclaims, ‘I know Thee, who Thou art, O Holy One of God.’ He first confronts the Lord, asking, ‘Why have You come here to destroy us?’ Afterward, he attempts to charm Him, believing that the Lord, enticed by this affection, might abandon His purpose.

Unable to withstand the confrontation with the Divine, they demanded with arrogance and deceit, "Depart from us, what is between us and You?" suggesting, "Why do You not allow us to remain in our place while You eradicate the falsehood of evil?" Moreover, they adorned their deception with pleasing words, referring to Him as Holy God. They believed that such clever speech could arouse their own vanity and thus shield them from His admonition, as if returning a favor for a favor. Yet, despite their craftiness, they will ultimately fail to deceive, for it is written, "God does not laugh." Consequently, the Lord silences their unclean voices and orders them to leave those they possess.

The demon that proclaimed, "We receive Thee," did not truly recognize Him but spoke with duplicity. However, even in the accurate assertion that He is "the Holy One of God," the Lord silenced him, forbidding his speech to prevent the enemy from mixing his malevolence with the truth. We must be cautious not to listen to demons, even when they seem to speak factually. It is inappropriate for us, armed with the Holy Scriptures and the liberty provided by our Savior, to take instruction from the devil, who has lost his rightful place and strayed in his thinking. Thus, when he quotes Scripture, the Lord rebukes him, as seen in God's admonition to the sinner: "Why do you declare my justification?" (Psalm 49:16).

It is important to recognize that in this Gospel, the name of Jesus of Nazareth is first uttered by the adversary (cf. Lk. 4:34). The name that the angel proclaimed to the Virgin Mary did not originate from the devil (see Luke 1:31). The boldness of the enemy is evident in his attempt to claim something for himself among humanity and to present it as a novel revelation, thereby instilling fear regarding his authority. In the book of Genesis, he was also the first to mention God to a human being: "And the serpent said unto the woman, What is this that God hath said, Ye shall not eat of every tree in paradise?" (Gen. 3:1). Consequently, both Adam and Eve fell into deception at the hands of the devil, yet they were redeemed by Christ.

As He was teaching in the Capernaum synagogue, a sudden and alarming shout erupted, saying, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?” This cry came from an unclean spirit inhabiting one of the individuals listening to Him. For a prolonged period, the adversary of God was silent, as the proclamation of God's kingdom posed a significant threat to his dominion; ultimately, he could no longer endure it. “You have come to destroy us. I know who you are, O Holy One of God!” These utterances revealed the spirit's desire to persuade Jesus to lessen his exertion against him. Much like a runaway servant unexpectedly confronted by his master, the spirit resorted to every possible tactic to avoid the impending punishment. However, his testimony was disregarded.

After departing from Nazareth, Jesus Christ arrived in Capernaum. On the Sabbath closest to His arrival, He entered the synagogue as was customary and began to teach. His teachings resonated strongly with the audience because they were delivered with authority (cf. Matt. 7:29). In the synagogue, there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit who experienced a seizure at that moment. The evil spirit trembled and implored Christ for mercy, sensing that He had come to dismantle the kingdom of darkness and acknowledging Him as the Holy One of God. This designation set Christ apart from the unclean spirit, clearly portraying Him as holy in a unique and profound manner.

During the days of Jesus Christ, individuals afflicted by unclean spirits were not always aggressive; in fact, only the most dangerous ones retreated to desolate areas, while others remained in proximity to their families. One such individual, who displayed no extreme violence, entered the synagogue in Capernaum while Jesus was teaching the assembled crowd. Suddenly, he exclaimed loudly, “Leave us alone; what do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?

The Saviour traveled to Capernaum, where He began to showcase His teachings and acts of compassion on a grand scale. Just as He had in Nazareth, He went to the synagogue first, where He instructed the large crowd that had gathered eager to hear the esteemed preacher. On this occasion, the message was uninterrupted not by the noisy unrest of the assembly but by a troubled individual, tormented by evil, who was unable to tolerate the presence of the Son of God, who had come to dismantle the realm of darkness (Mark 1:23-28, Luke 4:31-37). In the midst of the assembly's attentive silence, captivated by the flow of divine truth, a sudden, anguished outcry broke through: a distressed man shouted, ‘Leave us alone; what have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? You have come to destroy us; I know who you are, O Holy One of God.’ Individuals under the torment of unclean spirits found no refuge in the ancient world, and their affliction was deemed beyond cure.

The healing of the possessed man in the synagogue at Capernaum can be found in Mark 1:21-27. It is noteworthy that despite casting him down in the middle of the synagogue in anger, ‘Without harming him in the least’ is a detail that only Luke mentions.